Micromount
A tiny specimen fixed in a small box so it can be studied under magnification.
A micromount is a very small specimen, often only millimetres across and weighing a fraction of a gram, glued or pinned inside a small box, commonly a few centimetres across, with a label. The tradition comes from mineral collecting, where enthusiasts prize perfect tiny crystals. Meteorite collectors adopted it because some meteorites are so rare that only tiny pieces are ever available.
Micromounts make it possible to own samples of meteorites that would otherwise be out of reach. A small fragment of the martian meteorite Nakhla, which fell in Egypt in 1911, or a crumb of a lunar meteorite, can still show fusion crust or individual crystals under a stereo microscope. They are also an efficient way for museums and teachers to show many meteorite types in very little space.
You will recognise a micromount by its small, clear-topped box and a label giving the meteorite's name, type and mass, often in milligrams. Look at it with a hand lens or low-power microscope rather than removing it. As with any specimen, the label and its history are crucial, because a speck of rock on its own cannot be identified by eye. Handle the box rather than the specimen.
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Level: Enthusiast Teens and adults