Nickel-Iron Meteorite
Nickel and Iron, Ni and Fe

"Irons" are the most easily recognized type of meteroite. The other two major classifications are "stony irons" and "stone" meterorites. The stones are futher classified as either chondrites or achondrites. This section of an iron meteorite has been cut and etched to reveal the characteristic Widmanstatten pattern due to intergrowth of kamacite and taenite, nickel-iron alloys. The presence of kamacite and taenite is the most outstanding difference between meteorites and terrestrial rocks, in which they occur only very rarely.

Rocks from WSU Thomas Edison Mineral Collection

Index of Specimen Images

Table of Contents

bkeller@rockhounds.com 7/3/95