RocksdayIron Meteorite
Iron Meteorite is an igneous rock with a Mohs hardness of about 4–5 and a metallic luster, usually gray, silvery or brown.
Nickel-iron from the core of a melted asteroid. It is heavy, strongly magnetic, and shows a crisscross pattern on an etched slice.
How to identify iron meteorite
- Very heavy for its size, and a magnet sticks hard.
- Thumbprint dimples (regmaglypts) or a rusty brown crust.
- No cubes. A gray streak, not the black streak of magnetite.
- A polished and etched slice shows interlocking bands.
Often confused with
Where it's found
- Canyon Diablo, Arizona
- Gibeon, Namibia
- Campo del Cielo, Argentina
- Sikhote-Alin, Russia
- Cape York, Greenland
Uses
Collector specimens. Ancient people occasionally forged meteoritic iron.
Rock tumbling
Not suitable for tumbling.
Did you know?
The crisscross Widmanstätten pattern grew while the metal cooled only a few degrees per million years, so a quick factory process does not copy it.
Iron Meteorite FAQ
What is iron meteorite?
Iron Meteorite is an igneous rock with a Mohs hardness of about 4–5 and a metallic luster, usually gray, silvery or brown. Nickel-iron from the core of a melted asteroid. It is heavy, strongly magnetic, and shows a crisscross pattern on an etched slice.
How do you identify iron meteorite?
Very heavy for its size, and a magnet sticks hard. Thumbprint dimples (regmaglypts) or a rusty brown crust. No cubes. A gray streak, not the black streak of magnetite. A polished and etched slice shows interlocking bands.
How hard is iron meteorite?
Iron Meteorite has a Mohs hardness of about 4–5. A steel knife scratches Iron Meteorite, but a fingernail doesn't.
Where is iron meteorite found?
Notable localities include Canyon Diablo, Arizona; Gibeon, Namibia; Campo del Cielo, Argentina; Sikhote-Alin, Russia; and Cape York, Greenland.
What is iron meteorite used for?
Collector specimens. Ancient people occasionally forged meteoritic iron.
Can you tumble iron meteorite?
It isn't a good choice for a rock tumbler.
What is iron meteorite often confused with?
Iron Meteorite is most often confused with Magnetite, Hematite and Pyrite. Magnetite is also magnetic but lighter, and its streak is black. Hematite leaves a red streak and is not strongly magnetic. Pyrite is brassy, harder and forms cubes. A magnet ignores it.
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