Editing Meteorite (section)

====Northwest Africa====

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Meteorite markets came into existence in the late 1990s, especially in [[Morocco]]. This trade was driven by Western commercialization and an increasing number of collectors. The meteorites were supplied by nomads and local people who combed the deserts looking for specimens to sell. Many thousands of meteorites have been distributed in this way, most of which lack any information about how, when, or where they were discovered. These are the so-called "Northwest Africa" meteorites. When they get classified, they are named "Northwest Africa" (abbreviated NWA) followed by a number.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://meteoriticalsociety.org/?page_id=59| title = Guidelines for Meteorite Nomenclature| access-date = 29 May 2014| archive-date = 27 March 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140327210145/http://meteoriticalsociety.org/?page_id=59| url-status = live}}</ref> It is generally accepted that NWA meteorites originate in Morocco, Algeria, Western Sahara, Mali, and possibly even further afield. Nearly all of these meteorites leave Africa through Morocco. Scores of important meteorites, including Lunar and Martian ones, have been discovered and made available to science via this route. A few of the more notable meteorites recovered include [[Tissint meteorite|Tissint]] and [[Northwest Africa 7034|NWA&nbsp;7034]]. Tissint was the first witnessed Martian meteorite fall in more than fifty years; NWA&nbsp;7034 is the oldest meteorite known to come from Mars, and is a unique water-bearing regolith breccia.