Mars meteorite found in Niger, controversially sold in US

In November 2023, a rare rock from Mars was found in Niger. The rock was, however, controversially taken to the US, where it was auctioned and sold for $5.3 million.

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There are no indications that the Nigerien government got any proceeds from the sale of the meteorite.

The Nigerien government has now launched an investigation into how the Martian meteorite was moved out of the country to New York.

The meteorite, called NWA 16788, was, in July, auctioned in the Sotheby’s auction house, one of the world’s largest and oldest auction houses, founded in 1744.

The rare rock weighs more than 24.6 kilograms and is considered to be the largest known rock from Mars ever found on Earth.

The sale happened during the auction house’s “Geek Week,” which showcases items linked to natural history, science, and space.

Before the auction, the rock had been displayed by a private gallery in Tuscany, Italy, and by the Italian Space Agency.

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An Italian academic article published last year revealed that it was discovered in the Agadez region of northern Niger by a meteorite hunter. It is believed to have travelled about 140 million miles from Mars after an asteroid impact before landing in the Sahara.

Meteorites, often caused by fragments of asteroids or comets entering Earth’s atmosphere, can fall anywhere on the planet. However, the dry climate and minimal human activity in the Sahara have made the desert a prime spot for finding them.

Meteorite hunters and researchers often scour the desert, especially in parts of Africa like Morocco, Algeria, and Niger, searching for rocks that have fallen to Earth.

For the recently discovered rock, neither the buyer nor the seller has been identified, and little is known about the hunter who found it.

Nigerien officials, however, have begun questioning how the rock left the country to go under the hammer 5,000 miles away.

In a recent statement, the government said it doubts the legality of the rock’s export and raised concerns about the likelihood of illicit international trafficking.

It said the export bears “all the hallmarks of illicit international trafficking.”

The Nigerien authorities also announced that they have launched an official investigation into the circumstances of the rock’s discovery, export and sale.

Auction house denies allegation

Experts and international cultural watchdogs are also questioning the legality and ethics of the meteorite’s export.

Some of them are even calling for its immediate return.

A palaeontologist from the University of Edinburgh, Steve Brusatte, told CNN last month that, “It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch.

“It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large.”

“It was discovered in Niger? How did it end up being sold in New York?” said Alia Baré, daughter of former Nigerien president Ibrahim Maïnassara, in an interview with Forbes Africa.

“This is a crucial matter of sovereignty. This is a national treasure that shouldn’t have been sold. Things have to change,” she added.

However, Sotheby’s has denied allegations that the rock might have been illegally transported to the US.

The auction house told the BBC that it complied with all international regulations.

“The NWA 16788 was exported from Niger and transported in line with all relevant international procedures,” it said.

“As with everything we sell, all relevant documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved,” it added.