How Morocco Became the Meteorite Hunting Capital of the World
1 min read
Summary
While many Moroccans have turned to selling meteorites to make a living and support their families, some in the scientific community consider the sheer volume of exports to be unethical.
There are no exact figures, but it’s estimated that since 1999, the number of meteorite finds in Morocco has increased significantly; a recent visit to a meteorite show in France revealed that most of the dealers were from Morocco, where the geography makes the rocks far easier to find and the climate prevents rapid ‘terrestrialisation’.
A scientist at Hassan II University of Casablanca describes the situation as “insane”, and would like to see a Moroccan national collection built, rather than all the meteorites being sold abroad.
There are, however, fears among hunters and dealers that any tightening of regulations could destroy their only source of income.