Stony 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 NameStony Meteorite
Chemical FormulaPrimarily silicates (Mg, Fe, Ca, Al, Si, O) and Fe-Ni metal
Mohs Hardness5
Streak ColorGrayish-black to brownish-black
CleavageNone (as a rock); constituent minerals exhibit cleavage
FractureUneven to sub-conchoidal
Specific Gravity3.6
Colorsblack, dark gray, gray (interior)
TransparencyOpaque
Type LocalityBath Furnace, Bath County, northeastern Kentucky, USA
Mineral GroupMeteorite (Chondrite)
Usesscientific study, collector's item
Associated Mineralsolivine, pyroxene, nickel-iron metal, troilite, plagioclase
Rarityrare
Description
A dark, conical-shaped stony meteorite with a characteristic dimpled and melted fusion crust, indicative of its fiery descent through Earth's atmosphere.
Geological Context
Chondrites are primitive meteorites formed from the accretion of dust and small grains in the early solar system, representing some of the oldest solid material in our solar system. They originate from asteroids that never underwent significant melting or differentiation.
