Meteorite law in Argentina
A 2007 national law makes meteorites cultural property; selling and exporting them is prohibited. Chaco Province protects the Campo del Cielo field.
Belongs to the state
The rule: Argentina's Law 26.306 of 2007 gave meteorites that land in Argentina the status of cultural property, protected like archaeological objects. Their trade and export are prohibited, and Argentina has signed the international conventions against illicit trade in cultural property. Chaco Province, home of the Campo del Cielo craters, also declares its meteorites provincial heritage.
Enforcement: in 1990 an attempt to take the 29-tonne El Chaco mass out of Argentina was stopped. Border police regularly seize meteorites; in 2024 officers in Mendoza stopped 77 specimens on their way to Chile. Campo del Cielo pieces sold abroad today are usually described as material exported before the law, but buyers should ask for proof.
What to do: report a find to a research centre or the national geological and mining service, and do not try to sell or export it.
This is general information to help you ask the right questions, not legal advice. Laws change and their details matter, and this summary was last reviewed in 2026. Before you search, buy, sell or export a meteorite, check the current law with the authorities of the country concerned or a qualified lawyer. See meteorite law by country.
Related pages
Glossary: Meteorite ownership, Export rules, Landowner permission, Provenance