Ataxite
Meteorite, tektite, or impactite
Take care.
- Breaks down in damp air: Keep it dry and in steady humidity; some crumble or rot as they take on moisture.
About it
Iron meteorite, usually very rich in nickel, whose metal is so fine-grained that an etched slice shows no visible pattern. Rare; Hoba in Namibia, the largest known meteorite at about 60 tonnes, is an ataxite.
- Type
- Meteorite, tektite, or impactite (iron)
- Group
- Iron meteorite, ataxite
- Specific gravity
- 7.8–8.2
- Lustre
- metallic
- Colours
- black to brown crust, steel grey when cut, rusty brown when weathered
- Transparency
- opaque
- Magnetic
- Strongly
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.