Taoudenni is a Diogenite from northern Mali, found in 2007 around 15 km north of the Taoudenni salt mines. As part of the HED Achondrite family, it is linked to asteroid 4 Vesta and represents material from deeper within Vesta’s crust or upper mantle. A single stone of 24.37 kg was recovered, giving Taoudenni a limited but well-documented place among Vestan meteorites.

Taoudenni specimens are typically greenish-grey to pale grey and show the coarse, crystalline texture expected of a Diogenite. The meteorite is composed mainly of orthopyroxene, with minor olivine reported in some descriptions, reflecting slow crystallisation within its parent body before later impact excavation. Some material may retain patches of fusion crust, while prepared fragments and slices reveal the crystalline internal structure more clearly.

Studying Taoudenni provides valuable insight into the deeper layers of asteroid 4 Vesta, as well as the slow cooling and crystallisation processes that shaped its interior. For collectors, it offers a recognised and relatively scarce Diogenite with strong planetary significance. Each specimen represents ancient Vestan rock, formed deep within an early planetary body and later delivered to Earth.