Meteorite Bendegó 4,5g – Brazil

The Bendegó meteorite, discovered in 1784 in the Brazilian state of Bahia, is the largest iron meteorite ever found in Brazil. Based on an approximately ten-centimeter-thick oxidation layer beneath the meteorite and the erosion of its underside, it is estimated to have remained at its original discovery site near Monte Santo for thousands of years. Weighing approximately 5.36 tonnes and measuring over 2 meters in length, it is one of the largest iron meteorites in the world. It consists primarily of iron and nickel, with smaller amounts of phosphorus and sulfur.

The first attempt to transport the meteorite took place as early as 1785 by order of the Portuguese colonial administration. Due to its enormous weight, the transport cart overturned and Bendegó slid into a stream bed, where it remained for approximately another one hundred years. It was not until 1887 that a new transport expedition was organized, during which the meteorite was successfully moved to Rio de Janeiro using a specially constructed transport wagon. One year later, it became part of the collection of the National Museum.

Bendegó survived the devastating fire that destroyed the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro in 2018. The fire destroyed a vast number of collections, including invaluable historical and natural history specimens. Thanks to its iron composition and resistance to extreme temperatures, the meteorite survived the disaster almost completely undamaged.