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In the dry plains of northern Argentina, the land bears silent witness to one of the most dramatic encounters between Earth and space. Campo del Cielo—Spanish for “Field of the Sky” or “Field of Heaven”—is both a meteorite and a place: a broad crater field where a massive iron body shattered in the atmosphere and rained down thousands of fragments over the Gran Chaco region.
The impact event is estimated to have occurred 4,200–4,700 years ago, in the mid–Holocene. The iron masses that survived that fiery descent are among the heaviest meteorites ever recovered on Earth, including “El Chaco” (often cited near 30–37 tonnes) and “Gancedo” (~30.8 tonnes), along with dozens of named individuals and countless smaller fragments.
Today, Campo del Cielo meteorites are widely recognized in both the scientific world and the metaphysical / crystal community. They are coarse octahedrite irons from the IAB main group, rich in inclusions and history. They tell stories of early Solar System differentiation, Indigenous oral traditions, Spanish colonial expeditions, modern mining and theft, and the ethics of how we interact with natural heritage.
This pillar post dives into the origin, structure, crater field, cultural context, collector considerations, metaphysical symbolism, and legal landscape surrounding Campo del Cielo—so you can present it in your shop and blog with real authority.
Campo del Cielo meteorites are:
This means they are predominantly iron–nickel metal, crystallized slowly in the outer layers of a differentiated parent body.
Average composition for Campo del Cielo material is approximately:
These trace elements help classify Campo del Cielo within the IAB group and distinguish it from other iron groups such as IIIAB or IVA.
Campo del Cielo is known for:
Those abundant inclusions may have contributed to the body’s fragmentation in the atmosphere, as structural weaknesses can cause large irons to break up rather than survive entry as a single intact mass.
The Campo del Cielo crater field straddles the border between the Chaco and Santiago del Estero provinces in northern Argentina, roughly 1,000 km northwest of Buenos Aires and about 500 km southwest of Asunción, Paraguay.
Key facts:
Instead of forming a single, deep crater, the shallow angle and breakup created a chain of smaller craters and a wide scatter of iron fragments—an excellent natural laboratory for studying low-angle iron impacts.
Based on total recovered mass and crater morphology, estimates for the original meteoroid size generally exceed 4 m in diameter, with a total pre-atmospheric mass likely in the hundreds of tonnes.
Today, the largest known pieces include:
Together, the recovered iron from Campo del Cielo easily exceeds 60 tonnes, with many sources noting that “thousands of pieces” from grams to tens of tonnes have been found.
Long before Spanish colonization, local Indigenous communities knew of the heavy “stones of iron” scattered in the region. Oral traditions refer to a place called Piguem Nonralta, often translated as “Field of the Sky,” later hispanicized as Campo del Cielo.
Iron fragments were likely used as:
In 1576, colonial authorities recorded reports of a large iron mass from Indigenous informants and organized an expedition. This is often cited as the official “discovery” of Campo del Cielo by the Spanish, even though local people had known the site for generations.
Over following centuries:
In the 20th and 21st centuries, Campo del Cielo became a focus for:
Recent work continues to refine crater age, impact angle, and strewn-field structure.
Campo del Cielo fragments are typically:
Because many pieces are weathered, collectors often see:
However, larger, well-documented, or sculptural pieces can be quite valuable.
Collectors tend to assess Campo del Cielo specimens based on:
Argentina has tightened protection around meteorites, particularly from Campo del Cielo.
Key points:
Meanwhile, there is still a substantial amount of “legacy Campo” already circulating in international collections—material exported before stricter laws—so it remains common on the market despite the clampdown.
In the metaphysical and crystal community, Campo del Cielo is often positioned as:
Common associations include:
Practitioners often interpret Campo del Cielo as:
Campo del Cielo is ideal for:
Campo del Cielo is often used in:
Because it is an iron meteorite:
Campo del Cielo today is:
Recent reporting highlights how authorities and local communities are working together to curb illegal extraction and export, emphasizing that meteorites are part of Argentina’s natural heritage, not just commodities.
For your brand, presenting Campo del Cielo with this context positions you not just as a seller of “space rocks,” but as an educator and responsible partner in a larger stewardship story.
It’s a field of iron meteorites and impact craters in northern Argentina created when a large iron body broke up and struck the Gran Chaco plain about 4,200–4,700 years ago. The meteorites are IAB-group coarse octahedrite irons rich in inclusions.
The metal itself is about 4.5 billion years old, formed during the early Solar System. The impact event that created the crater field is dated to ~4–5 thousand years ago (2,200–2,700 BCE) by radiocarbon dating of buried charred wood.
It lies in the Gran Chaco region, straddling Chaco and Santiago del Estero provinces in northern Argentina, roughly 1,000 km northwest of Buenos Aires.
Owning Campo del Cielo pieces already in international circulation is generally legal in many countries. However, Argentine law prohibits the unauthorized removal and export of meteorites from Argentina today, and authorities have seized illegally exported Campo shipments. Ethical buyers should favor older, pre-law material and reputable dealers.
Like all iron meteorites, Campo del Cielo will oxidize if exposed to moisture, salts, and air—especially if inclusions or microfractures allow corrosion pathways. Proper storage (dry, sealed, sometimes waxed) significantly slows rusting.
Metaphysical traditions describe it as a stone of cosmic connection, grounding, and transformation—a way to feel both rooted and connected to the broader universe. It’s often associated with the Root, Third Eye, and Crown chakras. These meanings are symbolic, not scientific.
Each has a distinct visual and historical personality.
The Campo del Cielo meteorite is more than just a common iron in the collector’s tray. It represents:
For collectors and crystal enthusiasts, each fragment is a dense piece of early Solar System metal, shaped by fire, time, and human hands. Presented thoughtfully, Campo del Cielo becomes not just a product, but a story—one that connects Earth and sky, past and present, science and meaning. Like this topic, read our meteorite articles Tatahouine, Mars, Lunar, Pallasites, Meteorite Classification-Science, Sikhote-alin. Shop your favorite Meteorites. Check our free E Book Library for deeper dives on specific topics.
At Grounded Lifestyles, our love for crystals began in the peaceful flow of Reiki and energy healing sessions — where we saw how natural stones could amplify intentions, restore balance, and bring comfort. But the more time we spent with these treasures, the more curious we became about their origins. That curiosity led us into the fascinating world of geology and mineral specimen collecting. We fell in love not just with the energy of crystals, but with the science and artistry of their creation — the intricate crystal structures, the vibrant mineral hues, and the wonder of holding a piece of Earth’s history in our hands.
