Category：Mineral

Year：1822（found date）

Introduction：Meteorites are space materials falling onto the Earth’s surface. They are compositionally classified into three categories, including iron meteorite with metal content > 90%, stony iron meteorite with metal content > 50%, and stony meteorites that contain two subgroups; chondrites having ~10% metals and achondrites containing ~1% metals. While meteorites of these three categories can be readily distinguished by the proportions of metal luster areas, the iron meteorites resemble slags from steel-making processes and achondrites are similar to terrestrial basaltic rocks, imposing difficulties on meteorite identification.

This sample clearly shows two components with sub-equal proportions; the dark gray portion with metal luster and the yellowish silicate portion. It is therefore a stony iron meteorite. Upon cooling of meteorites, crystallization occurs resulting in fractionation. Stony iron meteorites are products at the interface of metal and silicate phases. This explains their scarcity.

Accession Number:0009799002