The Hoba meteorite, a 60-ton iron slab in northern Namibia, remains the largest known intact meteorite on Earth.
Jacobus Hermanus Brits found the meteorite while hunting
The discovery of the meteorite traces back to a report by Jacobus Hermanus Brits, who described finding the object while out hunting on the Hoba West farm. In a statement recorded in October 1954, Brits recalled the moment he encountered the object: I saw this strange rock, sat on it and examined it.
Brits noted the visual contrast between the object and its surroundings, stating, While I was sitting on the rock it struck me that this rock was black whereas everything around it was limestone,
according to Watchers. After scraping the surface with a knife and discovering it was shiny, Brits went and fetched a chisel, cut off a piece and took it to the S.W.A. Company in Grootfontein.
The excavation continued with Mrs. Brits partially uncovering the slab by hand before the manager returned for a second inspection.
High nickel content defines the meteorite's chemical composition
The meteorite belongs to the IVB chemical group, a classification for metal that formed in the molten cores of early planetary bodies. It is an ataxite, a term meaning without structure,
because its high nickel content prevents the formation of the criss-cross metal crystal patterns typically seen in other iron meteorites.
The Hoba meteorite is made of about 82.3 percent iron, 16.4 percent nickel and 0.8 percent cobalt. While different sources provide slightly varying chemical breakdowns, the mass is consistently estimated at approximately 60 metric tons.
The mystery of the missing crater
An object of this magnitude would typically create a significant impact site, but Spencer wrote that there is no crater around the meteorite.
The absence of a crater is explained by the slab’s broad, flat geometry. As the meteorite entered the atmosphere, its shape allowed it to catch air and slow its velocity.
The government declared the site a national monument
Despite its size, the meteorite has been subject to decades of vandalism by souvenir hunters using saws and chisels.
To prevent further loss of the material, the government declared the site a national monument on March 15, 1955. In 1987, the farm owner donated both the meteorite and the surrounding land to the state. Today, a visitor center and a stepped stone amphitheater surround the slab, which remains embedded in the same calcrete where it landed.