Beautifully Translucent Seymchan Pallasite Meteorite - 6.7g

The Seymchan pallasite was discovered in the late 1960s in a remote region of Siberia known for its historical connection to Stalin’s gulags. These meteorites were named after the nearby town of Seymchan. What sets them apart from most pallasitic meteorites is the highly varied distribution of olivine crystals within them. Some samples are abundant in olivine, while others contain little to none, with some completely lacking olivine. The specimen we have here is one of those without any olivine.

Seymchan meteorites are renowned for their striking crystalline patterns, showcasing one of the most beautiful designs found in any meteorite. This intricate pattern, known as the Widmanstätten pattern, is created by the intermingling of two iron-nickel minerals, kamacite and taenite. As molten metal within the asteroid’s core cooled, it crystallized into taenite. As the temperature continued to decrease, tiny kamacite crystals gradually formed within the taenite, resulting in these stunning natural designs.

The formation of this crystalline lattice takes millions of years, making the appearance of its pattern a key feature in identifying iron meteorites; various meteorites exhibit distinct patterns.  The type of pattern that develops is influenced by the concentration of nickel within the meteorite, with this particularly stunning lattice found in those containing around 6% to 18% nickel. Seymchan is considered one of the most rust-resistant iron-rich meteorites, largely due to its relatively high levels of iridium, which is not only the second densest element but also the most corrosion-resistant metal known.

About Stony-Iron Meteorites: Stony-iron meteorites, the rarest and often considered the most visually-desirable of the three meteorite categories, consist of iron-nickel, silicate minerals and gemstones. Within the stony-iron category, we have two different types: Pallasites and Mesosiderites.