Iron meteorite from Campo del Cielo, Argentina

A loose iron meteorite fragment from Campo del Cielo, Argentina. The piece shows an unusually elongated shape, probably a fragment of a larger meteorite body along a natural fracture line.

Natural fracture lines in iron meteorites often follow the boundaries of Widmanstätten lamellae. Kamacite and taenite have different mechanical properties, and the material preferentially breaks along their phase boundaries. The elongated shape documents such crystallographically preferred fracture geometries.

If the piece were etched, the Widmanstätten structure would be particularly clear on the fracture surface, with the lamellae running parallel to the longitudinal axis. Such structural properties are diagnostic for the IAB main group classification.

The loose format is suitable for mineralogical collector displays.

An Argentine collector's item with elongated fracture geometry and Widmanstätten lamellae orientation.