Gibeon
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
Fine octahedrite (IVA) strewn over a large area of southern Namibia and long used by the Nama people for tools. Etches to a crisp, fine Widmanstätten pattern and is popular for jewellery and watch dials.
- Type
- Meteorite, tektite, or impactite (iron)
- Group
- Iron meteorite, IVA (fine octahedrite)
- Specific gravity
- 7.5–8
- 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.