Seymchan meteorite

The Seymchan Meteorite: Iron Meteorite and Pallasite

The Seymchan meteorite was first discovered in June 1967 near the Seymchan River in the Magadan district, Russia. Initially, it was thought to be merely an iron meteorite, which is relatively common. However, later discoveries and further analyses revealed something special: part of the meteorite was found to contain olivine crystals. This led to the reclassification of Seymchan as a pallasite, a rare group of stony-iron meteorites. This type of meteorite contains both metal and crystals, making it unique in the field of meteoritics and among collectors. This meteorite comes in a box measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm

Composition of the Seymchan Meteorite

The Seymchan meteorite consists of a mixture of iron-nickel metal and semi-transparent olivine crystals, a mineral that is also abundant in Earth's mantle. The iron-nickel portion of the meteorite often displays the characteristic Widmanstätten patterns, a crystalline structure found only in meteorites and formed by the extremely slow cooling of the material in space. These patterns become highly visible after sections of the meteorite are cut, polished, and etched with acid. What makes the Seymchan meteorite particularly interesting is that only about 20% of the specimens contain olivine crystals. Therefore, there are also specimens without olivine, which are considered pure iron meteorites.

Olivine Crystals in the Seymchan Meteorite

The olivine crystals in the Seymchan meteorite vary in color from yellow-green to brown, depending on the iron content in the crystals. Olivine is one of the most common minerals found in the interiors of planets, including Earth, and it is also abundant in asteroids. In meteorites like Seymchan, olivine crystals provide a fascinating glimpse into the building blocks of the solar system, particularly the remnants of early planetesimals—objects that formed during the early phase of the solar system. The crystals themselves are often described as semi-transparent and glowing when illuminated. Their striking colors and brilliance are especially evident after the meteorite has been cut and polished.