Rare meteorite from Mars gives us a view into its ancient crust

Scientists have identified Teghaza 001, a meteorite found in Mali’s Sahara Desert, as a rare piece of Mars’ ancient crust formed at least 4.1 billion years ago. Its age and composition offer a direct sample of early Martian crust, helping researchers study a period poorly represented by the younger Martian meteorites usually found on Earth.

The eight stones weigh just under 800 grams in total. Several independent dating methods, including analysis of zircon and phosphate minerals, produced consistent ages of about 4.11 billion years; its large crystals suggest it cooled slowly as magma solidified underground. Teghaza 001 is only the third known genuinely ancient Martian meteorite, alongside Allan Hills 84001 and the fragment-rich Black Beauty, and its intact form may give scientists a clearer view of ancient Martian rock.