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The Fukang Meteorite Is Probably The Most Attractive Space Stone Ever

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Found in a small town in China’s Xinjiang Province fifteen years ago, the Fukang Meteorite is considered by many as the most beautiful extraterrestrial rock ever found by man.

The meteorite was accidentally discovered by a hiker who often rested on the rock to have his meal. He was always fascinated by the unique rock. Out of curiosity, he took a hammer and a chisel to cut a few pieces of it and found it had metallic crystal components. The sample was eventually sent to the United States and was confirmed to be a rock from outer space.

Named after the town where it was first discovered, the Fukang meteorite has attractive translucent golden crystals.

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Photo credit: Reddit

It looks really attractive and artsy.

The meteorite is said to be of ancient origin.

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Photo credit: MeteoriteGuy

Scientists claim that the Fukang meteorite may be around 4.5 billion years old already and that it is made from relics of “forming planets.”

The meteorite is categorized as a pallasite.

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Photo credit: MeteoriteGuy

The pallasite is a type of meteorite that has components of olivine, nickel-iron, and peridot crystals components.

Currently, 420 kilograms of the space rock are at the Southwest Meteorite Centre of the University of Arizona.

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Photo credit: MeteoriteLab

Lester Haines, an author from The Register, reported that the stony wonder was eventually auctioned at Bonhams New York but potential buyers instead chose a fossilized dinosaur dung which was around 130 million years old and ended with a cost of $960. The Fukang, on the other hand, was expected to sell for an estimated price of $2 million.

Pieces of the meteorite were sold at Bonhams New York but buyers ignored it over a more expensive fossilized dinosaur dung.

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Photo credit: IdeaStream

Marvin Kilgore of the University of Arizona found it a bit puzzled why some buyers would be more interested to go for a crap rock instead of an “outer space gemstone.”

The Fukang meteorite has also been highlighted at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, Arizona in 2005.

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Photo credit: PeaceMagazine

Would you be interested to check these stones upclose? We think this is much more attractive when seen at a closer range.

H/T: AmusingPlanet

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