The rock that fell from the sky

The fall of this meteorite was in August 30th, 1950, near Aldeia dos Ruins (Monte dos Fortes, Ferreira do Alentejo).

The petrologic study was made by E. Jeremine and the results published in “Comunicações dos Servicos Geológicos de Portugal” (1954, vol.35). Its age was calculated as 4.000 million years (Geiss, Hirte and Oescher, 1956).

It was considered as a chondrite, in which olivine is the predominant mineral associated with abundant pyroxene bronzite. Its surface is burned due to the high temperature induced by the friction during the entrance in the Atmosphere.