• Scientists from some of South Africa’s top universities rushed to find and collect fragments from the meteorite that fell in the Eastern Cape last month.
• A large fragment, called the Nqweba Meteorite, was found and turned in by a nine-year-old girl and her family.
• Scientists now believe this fragment is a rare type of space rock called an anchondritic meteorite.

Nine-year-old Eli-zé du Toit says that the dark and shiny rock she saw fall into her grandparent’s garden was still warm to the touch when she picked it up. The meteorite fragment, the so-called Nqweba Meteorite, was later turned in to authorities, driving a gold-rush-like effort from South Africa’s top universities to collect all the fragments.

This includes efforts from Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University and the University of the Witwatersrand. “The meteorite, after splitting into several smaller fragments, disappeared. Shortly after, witnesses reported hearing loud explosions and sensing vibrations,” a statement by the universities read, as per SA News.

The family of Du Toit contacted the geoscience centre of Nelson Mandela University to inform that institution that a fragment was discovered.

When the meteorite was seen falling across the Eastern Cape sky last month, scientists like Wits’ Leo Vonopartis asked the public to “Record a GPS pin of where you found it, wrap it into a piece of aluminium foil and place it securely in a zip-lock bag, then contact us to collect it. All of this provides vital scientific information.”

Dr Carla Dodd from Nelson Mandela University, Dr Deon van Niekerk and Wits Prof. Roger Gibson were involved in the collection and studying of the pieces of space rock. According to Prof. Gibson, the time that it takes to find and collect all fragments is crucial because leaving the rocks for longer would reduce the amount of scientific evidence that can be collected.

“Events such as these are incredible and are very exciting, both for the public who witness these falls and the scientists who gain invaluable information from studying the bolides and rocks,” said Vonopartis.

According to the scientists, the Nqweba rock is believed to be an anchondritic meteorite, a rare type of meteorite within the Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite (HED) group of these stones. It weighs less than 90g and had a diameter before it fragmented of about 5cm.

“The discovery of the Nqweba Meteorite represents a significant opportunity for South African scientists to study a rare and valuable specimen from space, advancing our understanding of meteorites and their role in the broader context of planetary science,” explained Dr Dodd.

[Image – Nelson Mandela University on X]