| Stony-iron meteorite (siderolites) | |
|---|---|
| — Type — | |
 A slice of theEsquel meteorite showing the mixture of meteoric iron and silicates that is typical of this division. | |
| Type | Stony-iron |
| Subgroups |
|
| Composition | Meteoric iron (kamacite,taenite &tetrataenite);silicates |
| Total known specimens | 95 pallasites, 183 mesosiderites (278 Total) |
Stony-iron meteorites orsiderolites are meteorites that consist of nearly equal parts ofmeteoric iron andsilicates. This distinguishes them from thestony meteorites, that are mostly silicates, and theiron meteorites, that are mostly meteoric iron.[1]
Stony-iron meteorites are all differentiated, meaning that they show signs of alteration. They are thereforeachondrites.
The stony-irons are divided intomesosiderites andpallasites. Pallasites have a matrix ofmeteoric iron with embedded silicates (most of itolivine).[2] Mesosiderites arebreccias which show signs ofmetamorphism. The meteoric iron occurs in clasts instead of a matrix.[3][4]
They are in the top rank of allMeteorite classification schemes, usually called "Type".
The meteoric iron of stony-irons is similar to that of iron meteorites, consisting mostly ofkamacite andtaenite in different proportions. The silicates are dominated byolivine. Accessory minerals that also include non-silicates are:carlsbergite,chromite,cohenite,daubréelite,feldspar,graphite,ilmenite,merrillite, low-calciumpyroxene,schreibersite,tridymite andtroilite.