Sebkha el Melah 001 - Enstatite Achondrite (Aubrite - Unbrecciated)

Sebkha el Melah 001, often abbreviated to SeM 001, is a rare Aubrite found in Mali in March 2022. Aubrites are Enstatite Achondrites, formed under highly reduced, oxygen-poor conditions on an early differentiated parent body. Approximately 17 kg of material was recovered from the Wad Alhath region, making Sebkha el Melah 001 one of the more significant modern Aubrite finds and an important example of Enstatite-rich Achondrite material.

Sebkha el Melah 001 specimens are visually distinctive, often appearing as pale, shard-like stones with a white to cream interior. It is described as an unbrecciated Aubrite with an unusual coarse pyroxenitic pegmatite texture, including exceptionally large Enstatite crystals in some material. Some specimens preserve a pale fusion crust, while others show darker crust or natural weathered surfaces. This Enstatite crystal-rich texture gives the meteorite a striking appearance compared with many darker Achondrites.

Studying Sebkha el Melah 001 provides insight into highly reduced formation environments and the crystallisation of Enstatite-rich material on early planetary bodies. For collectors, it offers a rare opportunity to acquire a modern Aubrite with strong scientific and visual interest. Each specimen represents ancient igneous material formed in a highly unusual parent body environment, preserving a distinctive record of early solar system processes.