Tata, IIIAB

Tata, otherwise known as NWA 1430, consisted of a single 113 kilogram iron meteorite that was, honestly, pretty ugly.  It had been used as an anvil by indigenous peoples, and was severely beaten, with protrusions having been folded over, etc.  At least three other paired irons have since turned up: a 36 kilogram mass that was deemed paired by John Wasson (no new NWA number), NWA 4708, a 9.6 kilogram iron, and NWA 8719, a 6.4 kilogram iron.  If these are the only specimens recovered, the total known weight is ~165 kilograms.

A 36 kilogram endcut from the 113 kilogram mass is pictured below.

Note the unique structural change from one side of the mass to the other.  No possible explanation for this has been proposed.  The structure changes in both bandwidth and clarity in a gradient from one side to the other. Artificial reheating could not account for the difference in bandwidth; conditions must have caused this oddity while the Thomson structure was still forming.  I’ll add more information if/when it comes to light.

Here’s a photo from an outreach event in 2014, showing the 36 kilogram mass (windowed iron at lower left).