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The Campo del Cielo fall occurred in Gran Chaco Gualamba, Argentina, about 500 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. By carbon dating charred wood beneath the meteorite, scientists estimate it to have fallen between approximately 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. This timeframe is consistent with an indigenous oral tradition of iron that fell from heaven, the name being taken from the native term for the crash site, translated as “field of the sky.” The large area over which the pieces were spread out suggests that the original meteorite broke apart upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere, sending more than 100 tons of material across the site. At that weight, it is currently the heaviest meteorite ever recovered on Earth. The meteorite is composed of more than 90% Iron, as well as 6.68% Ni, 0.43% Co, 0.25% P, 87 ppm Ga, 407 ppm Ge, 3.6 ppm Ir.
