Mafuta                  16°54′09′′S, 30°24′26′′E

Mafuta Farm, Makonde District, Zimbabwe

Find: 1 December 1984

Iron (IID)

History: On 1 December 1984, while clearing rocks from his fields with an assistant, Mr. Murray Alexander found an iron meteorite on Mafuta Farm, Makonde District, northern Zimbabwe. In 1993, Mr. Alexander agreed to have a slice cut for scientific studies. The cutting was done in Harare and a slice (about 9.5 × 4.5 × 1 cm) was sent to Vienna for further studies.

Physical Characteristics: (C. Koeberl, UVien) The original mass and dimensions were 71.5 kg and 40 × 20 cm, respectively. The exterior has little rust and a brownish color. Petrography: A medium octahedrite (kamacite band width between 0.4 and 1.1 mm) and rich in schreibersite (up to 5 mm), but it does not contain any large sulfide exposed on the large slice. The kamacite is recrystallized to an equigranular intergrowth of ~0.5 mm grains.

Geochemistry: Bulk composition: (C. Koeberl, UVien; INAA J. Wasson UCLA; PIXE W. Przybylowicz, NACSA) First sample: Ni = 9.7 1, Co = 0.61 (both wt%), Cr = 32, Ga = 67, As = 4.8, Os = 13.3, Ir = 15.0 (all ppm), and Au = 615 ppb. Second sample: Ni = 10.03, Co = 0.67 (both wt%), Cr = 62, Cu = 246, Ga = 72.7, As = 5.0, W = 2.92, Ir = 15.4, Pt = 19.8 (all ppm), and Au = 645 ppb.

Classification: (J. Wasson, UCLA) Iron (IID).

Specimens: A total of 221 g of sample is on deposit at the NHMV (inventory number M6694). Mr. M. Alexander of Mafuta Farm, Zimbabwe, holds the main mass.