Judging quality
An etched slice showing a clear Widmanstatten lattice is the proof of authenticity — the pattern cannot be faked, as it requires cooling rates of a few degrees per million years.
Meteorite
Nickel-Iron Meteorite
Fragments of the shattered cores of early planetesimals: solid iron-nickel that cooled over millions of years, producing the interlocking Widmanstatten pattern revealed by etching.
Care
Rusts readily. Keep bone dry, handle with clean hands, and oil occasionally if displayed.
History & lore
Gibeon iron was worked into tools and weapons by the Nama people of Namibia long before European documentation.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Nickel-Iron Meteorite
- What is Nickel-Iron Meteorite?
- Fragments of the shattered cores of early planetesimals: solid iron-nickel that cooled over millions of years, producing the interlocking Widmanstatten pattern revealed by etching.
- How hard is Nickel-Iron Meteorite and what is it made of?
- Nickel-Iron Meteorite is a Meteorite-family mineral with the composition Fe-Ni alloy. It crystallizes in the isometric system and rates 4-5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in silver, grey.
- Where does Nickel-Iron Meteorite come from?
- Notable localities for Nickel-Iron Meteorite include Namibia (Gibeon), Argentina (Campo del Cielo), Sweden (Muonionalusta).
- How do you tell good Nickel-Iron Meteorite from filler?
- An etched slice showing a clear Widmanstatten lattice is the proof of authenticity — the pattern cannot be faked, as it requires cooling rates of a few degrees per million years.
- How do you care for Nickel-Iron Meteorite?
- Rusts readily. Keep bone dry, handle with clean hands, and oil occasionally if displayed.
Related stones
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.