Pallasite Meteorite
Image: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/47445767@N05">James St. John</a> (CC BY 2.0)
Mineral NamePallasite Meteorite
Chemical Formula(Mg,Fe)2SiO4 + Fe,Ni
Mohs Hardness6.5
Streak Colorwhite (olivine) / gray to black (nickel-iron)
Cleavagepoor (olivine) / none (nickel-iron)
Fractureconchoidal (olivine) / hackly (nickel-iron)
Specific Gravity4.5
Colorsyellowish-green, brownish-green, silvery-gray
Transparencytransparent to translucent (olivine) / opaque (nickel-iron)
Type LocalityEsquel, Chubut Province, Argentina
Mineral GroupStony-Iron Meteorite (Pallasite class)
Usesscientific study, collector specimens, jewelry
Associated Mineralsolivine, kamacite, taenite, troilite
Rarityrare
Description
A polished slice of pallasite meteorite, displaying numerous angular to rounded crystals of yellowish-green to brownish-green olivine embedded within a continuous, silvery-gray metallic nickel-iron matrix.
Geological Context
Pallasites are thought to originate from the core-mantle boundary of differentiated asteroids, where molten metal from the core mixed with olivine-rich mantle material. They represent some of the most beautiful extraterrestrial materials.
