Erg Chech 002

{{Short description|Ancient meteorite discovered in the Erg Chech region of Algeria}}

{{Infobox meteorite

|Name = Erg Chech 002

|Alternative names = EC 002

|Image = Erg Chech 002 — 1,857g End Cut Faces (50866953082).jpg

|Image_caption = Erg Chech 002 End Cut Faces

|Type = Ungrouped achondrite{{cite web |title=Erg Chech 002 |url=https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=72475 |website=The Meteoritical Society |access-date=17 March 2021}}

|Class =

|Clan =

|Group =

|Grouplet =

|Subgroup =

|Structural_classification =

|Parent body =

|Composition =

|Shock = Low

|Weathering = Low

|Country = Algeria

|Region =

|Lat_Long = {{coord|26.032|N|1.611|W|display=inline,title}}

|Observed_fall = No

|Fall_date =

|Found_date = May 2020

|TKW = 31.78

|Strewn_field =

|Image2 =

|Image2_caption =

}}

Erg Chech 002 (EC 002) is an ancient andesite meteorite discovered in the Erg Chech region of the Sahara Desert in Algeria. It is believed to be a fragment of a chondritic protoplanet that is over 4.566 billion years old, and is believed to be the oldest known volcanic rock on Earth.{{Cite journal|last1=Barrat|first1=Jean-Alix|last2=Chaussidon|first2=Marc|last3=Yamaguchi|first3=Akira|last4=Beck|first4=Pierre|last5=Villeneuve|first5=Johan|last6=Byrne|first6=David J.|last7=Broadley|first7=Michael W.|last8=Marty|first8=Bernard|date=2021-03-16|title=A 4,566-My-old andesite from an extinct chondritic protoplanet|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=118|issue=11|pages=e2026129118|doi=10.1073/pnas.2026129118|pmid=33836612|pmc=7980472|issn=0027-8424|arxiv=2105.01911|bibcode=2021PNAS..11820261B |doi-access=free }}{{Cite web|last=Beltran|first=Isabella|date=2021-03-08|title=Erg Chech 002: 4.6 Billion Year Old Meteorite Shed Light on the Evolution of the Solar System|url=https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/30060/20210308/erg-chech-002-4-6-billion-year-old-meteorite-shed.htm|access-date=2021-03-16|website=Science Times|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Crane|first=Leah|date=8 March 2021|title=4.6-billion-year-old meteorite is the oldest volcanic rock ever found|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2270314-4-6-billion-year-old-meteorite-is-the-oldest-volcanic-rock-ever-found/|website=New Scientist}} It is held at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum.{{Cite web |last=Weisberger |first=Mindy |date=2021-03-08 |title=4.6-billion-year-old meteorite belongs to Earth's long-lost baby cousin |url=https://www.livescience.com/meteorite-asteroid-early-solar-system.html |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=livescience.com |language=en}}