Bendego - Iron, IC (Shale) - Fragment - 5.86g - Brazil (Bahia)

This 5.86g fragment of Bendego shows the weathered, shale-like exterior of material from this historic IC iron from Bahia, Brazil.

Bendegó is a historic IC Iron meteorite from Bahia, Brazil, discovered in 1784 near Monte Santo. With a main mass of 5,360 kg, it is the largest Iron meteorite found in Brazil and one of the most important meteorites in Brazilian scientific history. It has been displayed at the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro since 1888 and famously survived the museum fire in 2018 without major damage.

Specimens of Bendegó are composed primarily of iron-nickel metal, with a relatively low nickel content consistent with the IC Iron group. It is structurally described as a coarse Octahedrite, and cut, polished, and etched material can show Widmanstätten patterns. Much of the available collector material is oxidised or shale-like, while cleaner metallic pieces are considerably less common.

For collectors, Bendegó offers a rare combination of historic provenance, Brazilian origin, and uncommon IC classification. Its large main mass, long museum history, and importance in the study of Iron meteorites make it especially desirable for collections focused on classic named meteorites, historic finds, or rare Iron groups. Each specimen represents ancient asteroid core material with a uniquely Brazilian place in meteorite history.