Octahedrite
Meteorite, tektite, or impactite
Also called Coarse octahedrite, Medium octahedrite, and Fine octahedrite
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
The commonest kind of iron meteorite, with about 6 to 13 per cent nickel; an etched slice shows the criss-crossing kamacite bands of the Widmanstätten pattern. Campo del Cielo, Gibeon, and Canyon Diablo are octahedrites.
- Type
- Meteorite, tektite, or impactite (iron)
- Group
- Iron meteorite, 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.