Gove        12°15.8’S, 136°50.3’E

Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

Found: 24 February 1979

Classification: Relict meteorite (Relict iron)

History: A deeply oxidized mass of "fossil" iron meteorite was excavated from bauxite at an open cut mine on the Gove Peninsula.

Physical characteristics: The original mass is reported to have measured 0.75 to 1 m in diameter and is of unknown weight. On removal from the bauxite, the meteorite was described as being encased in a sheath of iron oxides.

Petrography: The meteorite is almost completely altered to oxides and oxyhydroxides of iron and nickel. Polished sections of competent fragments retain a relict Widmanstätten pattern (approximate bandwidth 0.5 mm) preserved in iron oxides. In the microstructure there are vestiges of former structures (plessite fields) now preserved in iron oxides, and small relict grains of primary minerals such as taenite (27 wt% Ni) and daubreélite. Secondary minerals as the result of weathering include awaruite.

Geochemistry: An analysis at the mine site laboratory by company chemist D. H. Har­per gave 8.5 wt% Ni. Modern analysis (J.T. Wasson UCLA; INAA, single analysis) of oxidized material gave Ni = 32.9, Co = 3.67 (both mg/g), Cr = 168, Cu = 195, Ga = 22.5, Ge = <70, As = 4.16, W = 1.35, Ir = 10.5, Pt = 21.2, Au = 0.672 (all μg/g), Sb = <150, Re = 844 (both ng/g).

Classification: Iron (chemical group unknown, fine octahedrite; possibly group IVA or IIIAB).

Specimens: Main mass (immersed in kerosene) at Geoscience Australia, Canberra. Fragment measuring 23x15x10 cm at the Alcan Gove Pty mine site, Northern Territory. 1164.8 g of fragments at WAM. 590 g of fragments at the Northern Territory Museum, Darwin. Analyzed sample at UCLA.