Late-stage impact melting in the near-surface environment on the mesosiderite parent asteroid transformed fine-grained mesosiderites like Emery and Vaca Muerta to coarse-grained ones like Estherville. The largest intact meteorite in the world is the Hoba (Namibia) iron, which weighs approximately 60,000 kg. have been described in brecciated howardite meteorite (Kurat et al., 2003). Three of these pebbles are on display also shown (outlined in black) is a large (12 cm) igneous pebble still enclosed in an individual specimen of Vaca Muerta. Iron meteorites represent only 5 of observed meteorite falls, but because they are very durable and easy to recognize they represent about 40 of non-Antarctic meteorite finds. FeO wt (total iron) for Nuussuaq ferrosilicate glass spherules (diamonds). The chemical analysis of the meteorite is 84.9 percent iron, 11.75 nickel and 0.51. The Vaca Muerta mesosiderite contains multi-centimeter-size igneous pebbles, consisting of basalts, coarse-grained rocks called gabbros, and impact melts. It is a fine octahedrite distinguished by large fields of dense plessite. On display are cut faces of Vaca Muerta, Mincy, Patwar, Clover Springs, Veramin and Emery. The silicate portions consist of rocks related to the eucrites, diogenites and howardites. These are stony-iron meteorites that consist of about half metallic iron-nickel and half silicate. Classic nickel-iron meteorite with excellent surface quality from a famous find in Campo. The bottom half of the case displays some mesosiderites.

On display are magmatic irons (Ainsworth IIAB, Gibeon IVA, Buenaventura IIIAB, Muonionalusta IVA, Cerro del Inca IIIF, and Sikhote-Alin IIAB) and non-magmatic irons (Anoka IAB, Morasko IAB, NWA 6931 IAB, and Watson 001 IIE). Magmatic irons are formed by fractional crystallization in the molten cores of asteroids non-magmatic irons are formed by impact melting of chondritic material followed by partial separation of molten metal from silicates. Iron meteorites are classified based on their bulk elemental compositions and are divided into two broad categories: magmatic irons and non-magmatic irons. Assuming that you, like me, have never found any meteorite we probably agree that iron meteorites are exceedingly rare. The names of the different iron meteorite groups consist of Roman numerals followed by one or two letters. Although these meteorites constitute only about 4% of observed falls, they are readily recognized on the ground. The upper half of the case displays iron meteorites.