'Largest piece of Mars on Earth' sells for millions at New York auction
Niger has announced that it plans to investigate the sale of the largest martian meteorite on Earth after the fragment was sold for millions of dollars at auction last month.
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The NWA 16788 meteorite, weighing almost 25kg, was found in the Agadez region of the West African nation in November 2023 by a 'meteorite hunter'.
The Nigerien Council of Ministers confirmed that the meteor was found in the region and emphasised that it was "the largest Martian fragment ever documented" about 70 per cent larger than the previous fragment.
Auctioneers Sotheby's listed the ancient piece of Mars for sale in July where it was sold to a private buyer for $4.3 million. The seller was also kept anonymous.
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It was sold alongside other fragments of natural history which includes a Ceratosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic period that sold for $26m and the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus that sold for $1.4m.
It is not known whether any proceeds of the sale went to the Nigerien Government.
The Nigerien Government has expressed concerns about the legality of the meteorite's export and described its sale as "comparable to illicit international trafficking".
It has launched an official investigation led by the Ministries of Mines, Security, Higher Education, and Justice to identify the circumstances of the meteorite's discovery and sale.
Niger doesn't have specific legislation on meteorites like countries such as Morocco which require their return if found on their territory.
Although Niger does not yet have specific legislation on meteorites, countries like Morocco require their restitution if found on their territory.
Sotheby's said that 'all relevant international procedures' were followed in the exportation and transportation of NWA 16788.
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."