Tata Meteorite (NWA 1430)
Find / Fall: Find – 2001
Location: Northwest Africa
Classification: Iron, IIIAB
Total Known Weight: 113 kg
Tata is an iron meteorite of the IIIAB type. This is a large meteorite group; the medium octahedrites. But Tata is very unique. Something has happened to Tata as it was crystallizing in outer space. As it was slowly cooling it was disturbed in a manner not understood yet. The crystal structure changes from small size crystals to much larger size crystals from one side of the 113 kilogram originally recovered mass to the other side. Sometimes the crystal structure of meteorites is damaged by artificial heating or by mechanical deformation but changes in crystal growth size have not been seen as in Tata. It is officially known as NWA 1430. Since the recovery of the first 113 kilogram mass others have been found and two have been scientifically studied and paired to Tata increasing the known weight by an additional 40+ kilograms.
