The Muonionalusta meteorite is a rare iron that
was originally found in 1906 near Kiruna, Sweden. This beautiful
meteorite is classified as a fine (IVA) Octahedrite, and has spectacular etch patterns. Muonionalusta is only rarely found on the meteorite market as the strewn field is within the Arctic Circle, making searching for it very difficult. The total known weight of Muonionalusta is unknown, and until recently, most has been locked up in Museum collections, with very little in private hands. In that last several years, it is estimated that several thousand kilograms have been recovered from the strewn field. We have acquired several beautiful pieces of Muonionalusta and are making beautiful slices and end-pieces available to our customers. Don't miss this opportunity to add a really beautiful European Iron to your collection!
We have the following slices & end-cuts of Muonionalusta available (click on the links below to see photos and for information):
Amazing, Huge 1460 gram Muonionalusta End-Cut! NEW!
Lovely 370 gram Muonionalusta End-Cut! SOLD!
Incredible, Big 1130 gram Muonionalusta End-Cut! NEW!
Huge 380 gram Muonionalusta complete slice! SOLD!
Iron Meteorite Care and Maintenance
More Information about Muonionalusta meteorites
Iron meteorites are composed primarily of various alloys of iron and nickel, and are derived from molten planetary cores that were broken apart billions of years ago. The crystalline patterns within Meteorites are known as "Windmanstatten patterns". These patterns can only form in the vacuum of space where the molten pieces of planetary cores come into contact with very few molecules to which they can transfer their heat and thereby cool. The large metallic crystals characteristic of meteorites require literally millions of years of cooling to form from a molten planetary core fragment. It has been estimated that it took about 1000 years for these molten pieces of planetary core to cool by just 1 degree celsius! The beautiful crystalline patterns characteristic of meteorites are more than just beautiful oddities-they tell us how long it took for the planetary core from which the meteorite is derived to cool! In a recent volume of Meteoritics & Planetary Science, (vol. 38, no. 11, p.1579-1583) it was reported that Stishovite was found for the first time in an iron meteorite-the Muonionalusta iron. The following is the abstract from this publication:
"The first occurrence of stishovite in an iron meteorite,
Muonionalusta (group IVA), is reported. The mineral occurs intimately mixed
with amorphous silica, forming tabular grains up to ~3 mm wide, with a
hexagonal outline. It was identified using X-ray diffraction and Raman
microspectroscopy. The unit-cell parameters of stishovite are a = 4.165(3)
Å and c = 2.661(6) Å, and its chemical composition is nearly
pure SiO2. Raman spectra show relatively sharp bands at 231 and 754 cm-1
and a broad band with an asymmetric shape and a maximum around 500 cm-1.
The rare grains are found within troilite nodules together with chromite,
daubreelite, and schreibersite. From their composition and morphology,
and by comparisons with silica inclusions in, e.g., the Gibeon IVA iron,
we conclude that these rare grains represent pseudomorphs after tridymite.
The presence of stishovite in Muonionalusta is suggested to reflect shock
metamorphic conditions in the IVA parent asteroid during a cosmic impact
event."
Arizona Skies Meteorites
John and Dawn Birdsell
P.O. Box 2412
Flagstaff, Arizona 86003
We can accept credit cards on most items (through Paypal), cashiers
checks and money orders. Arizona residents add 6.725% sales tax.
WE BUY METEORITES and WE BUY FOSSILS! Please let us know if you have a meteorite or high quality fossil that you want to sell and we will let you know whether we would be interested in purchasing them from you. Thanks for visiting our site.
