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Iron - Other

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Aletai

Name

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Structure Class

Iron

Chemical Class

Iron, IIIE-an

Country

Year found

1898

Mass

74 t

[Museum Collection]

(1) 480g

History: A new, 23 tonne mass of Aletai was found recently in a pasture of Aletai county (48°2’17"N, 88°23’3"E) in June, 2021. It was buried by soil and grass and covered with light-brown rust. The place where this mass was found is quite close to the coordinates for the Wuxilike and Akebulake masses of Aletai. The nearest place is named WuQilike on the Baidu map. Geochemistry: The mass is mainly composed of kamacite (6.82-7.21 wt.% Ni) and taenite (14.45-41.13 wt.% Ni),with minor plessite, schreibersite (34.20-48.86 wt.% Ni) and haxonite (4.68-4.87 wt.% Ni, 0.13-0.27 wt.% Co). Haxonite is present in the center of plessite. Kamacite bandwidth is about 1.0±0.2 mm. Composition of metallic Fe-Ni and the occurrence of haxonite is compatible with IIIE iron. Classification: Paired with Aletai. Specimens: Held by Aletai Department of Natural Resources. A specimen of 20 g is deposited at PMO.

Bendegó

Name

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Structure Class

Iron

Chemical Class

Iron, IC 

Country

Year found

1784

Mass

5.36 t

[Museum Collection]

(1) 15.0g

This is 1 of 12 approved meteorites classified as Iron, IC. Search for specimens in the Smithsonian Institution collection (U.S.): Search for this meteorite in the Natural History Museum collection (U.K.): Never published in the Meteoritical Bulletin

Name

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Structure Class

Iron

Chemical Class

Iron, IVB

Country

Year found

1920

Mass

60 t

[Museum Collection]

(1) 6.1g

This is 1 of 18 approved meteorites classified as Iron, IVB. Search for specimens in the Smithsonian Institution collection (U.S.): Search for this meteorite in the Natural History Museum collection (U.K.): Never published in the Meteoritical Bulletin

Hoba
MountDooling

Name

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Structure Class

Iron

Chemical Class

Iron, IC 

Country

Year found

1909

Mass

734 kg

[Museum Collection]

(1) 26.09g   (2) 40.17g

This is 1 of 11 approved meteorites classified as Iron, IC.  Search for specimens in the Smithsonian Institution collection (U.S.):    Search for this meteorite in the Natural History Museum collection (U.K.): Never published in the Meteoritical Bulletin

Twannberg

Name

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Structure Class

Iron

Chemical Class

Iron, IIG

Country

Year found

1984

Mass

20.69 kg

[Museum Collection]

(1) 13.50g   (2) 9.70g

History: Two additional masses of Twannberg were recovered in 2000 and 2005, in both cases in non-natural settings indicating earlier collection. Mass II (2246 g) was found in August 2000 in the attic of an old house (Dorfgasse 7) in the village of Twann by Marc Jost. Mass III (2533 g) was identified in September 2005 in a rock and mineral collection deposited at NMBE as a permanent loan from the Museum Schwab, Biel, Switzerland, where the sample was originally labelled as “hematite,” probably around 1932. Both secondary find places are in the vicinity (3.5 and 5 km distance) of the original find locality. Physical characteristics: (B. Hofmann, NMBE) Both newly recovered masses are of irregular elongated shape, and are covered by an oxide rind several millimeters thick, with abundant incorporated terrestrial silicate sand grains corresponding to local glacial till deposits of the Rhône Glacier. Similar sand grains were also observed in the oxide rind of the first mass. Petrography: Both new masses show a texture identical to the first mass. Large schreibersite crystals (up to 4 cm in length) are enclosed in kamacite. Fracturing follows thin (10– 20 µm) plates of rhabdite present in up to 10 different orientations. Mineral compositions and geochemistry: (J. Wasson, UCLA) Analysis of mass II (INAA data) yielded values very similar to those reported for the first mass: Ni = 46.7, Co = 5.17 (both mg/g); Ga = 37.3, As 18.0, Ir 0.101, Pt 1.0, Au 1.406 (all g/g). Classification: Iron (IIG). Pairing of the two new masses with Twannberg is supported by identical mineralogy and texture, oxide rind petrography including nonmeteoritic silicate grains and bulk chemistry. Type specimen: The majority of the original mass (10,536 of 15,915 g) and both newly recovered masses are located at NMBE. The total known mass of Twannberg now is 20,694 g.

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