At the world’s premier meteorite show in Ensisheim, France, one group dominates the scene—Moroccan dealers. Unlike the polished displays of Europeans and Americans, their booths are stripped down to the essentials. A sheet covered in reddish-brown rocks, a pair of scales, and a handwritten price list. No frills, just business.
Morocco’s rise as a meteorite hotspot wasn’t accidental. Since 1999, the number of meteorites discovered there has skyrocketed, with over a thousand officially recognized—though experts say that’s a “gross underestimate.” For perspective, the UK has just 23 recorded falls and finds.
The key to Morocco’s dominance? Geography and climate. A meteorite falling in Scotland disappears into heather, mud, and rain; in the Sahara, it sits in stark contrast against the sand. The dry environment also slows down weathering, preserving extraterrestrial rocks for centuries.
Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane knows this chaotic trade better than anyone. A professor at Hassan II University of Casablanca, she’s spent years trying to bring order to the free-for-all that is North African meteorite hunting. “The situation with Moroccan meteorites is insane,” she says. “It’s unethical.”
She’s not wrong. The demand for meteorites has fueled a modern-day gold rush. Nomads, farmers, and traders scour the desert, hoping for a life-changing find. Some have struck it rich, selling rare space rocks to international collectors for small fortunes. Others are at the mercy of middlemen who flip their discoveries for huge markups.
The trade exploded in the late 20th century, driven by a mix of luck and opportunity. The Sahara’s vast, open landscape makes meteorites easier to spot, and the rise of private collectors and museums has only increased demand. With money and prestige at stake, the market has become a battleground of dealers, scientists, and opportunists.
It’s not just about cash. Some meteorites contain secrets about the early solar system, making them priceless to researchers. But when rare finds end up in private hands instead of labs, valuable science is lost. Meteorites from Mars and the Moon have turned up in Morocco, only to disappear into private collections before scientists can study them.
Despite the chaos, Morocco’s dominance in the meteorite trade isn’t fading any time soon. As long as collectors are willing to pay, hunters will keep scouring the desert, hoping to turn a chunk of space rock into a life-changing payday.
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Five Fast Facts
- Morocco is one of the world’s top sources of Martian meteorites, with several discovered in the Sahara.
- The Ensisheim meteorite, the oldest recorded fall in Europe (1492), is still on display in France.
- Meteorite hunting in Morocco is largely an unregulated, cash-driven market.
- Space agencies have studied Moroccan meteorites to learn about the formation of the solar system.
- Some Moroccan meteorites sell for thousands of dollars per gram, making them worth more than gold.
