Iron meteorite
An iron meteorite is made mostly of iron and nickel metal.
Iron meteorites are almost solid metal: mainly iron, mixed with nickel. Many of them are pieces of the metal cores of small worlds that melted long ago. Inside those asteroids, heavy metal sank to the middle, just as Earth's own core formed. Later, collisions smashed some of these asteroids apart and set fragments drifting through space.
Only a few in every hundred falls are irons, but they are very common among finds. They are heavy, tough and easy to tell from other rocks, so people notice them and they last a long time on the ground. The largest known meteorite of all, Hoba in Namibia, is an iron of about 60 tonnes. Another famous iron, Gibeon, is also from Namibia and is known for its beautiful crystal pattern.
Iron meteorites feel surprisingly heavy for their size and strongly attract a magnet. When cut, polished and etched by experts, many reveal a criss-cross design called the Widmanstätten pattern, which forms only after millions of years of very slow cooling. Rust is their enemy, so they should be kept dry. Children should never use acid on them.
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Level: Beginner Ages 7 and up