9,178 gr Omolon Pallasite meteorite with Widmanstätten pattern, 4 bln years old

Rarity and Value
This specimen represents an authentic slice of the rare Omolon Pallasite meteorite, one of the most visually distinctive and scientifically important classes of stony-iron meteorites known. Pallasites are exceptionally uncommon extraterrestrial materials composed of translucent olivine crystals embedded within a nickel-iron metallic matrix, believed to originate from the boundary zone between the metallic core and silicate mantle of differentiated asteroids formed during the earliest stages of Solar System evolution approximately 4 billion years ago. The specimen displays large angular to rounded olivine crystals of golden-green coloration surrounded by polished Fe-Ni metal, creating the characteristic mosaic structure unique to pallasites. Omolon belongs to the main-group pallasites and is highly valued because it preserves direct evidence of planetary differentiation processes that occurred during the formation of primitive protoplanets. The polished metallic matrix also preserves a visible Widmanstätten pattern formed by the intergrowth of kamacite and taenite, a crystalline structure that develops only through extremely slow cooling inside differentiated asteroids over millions of years. The striking contrast between crystalline silicates and reflective meteoritic metal provides important mineralogical information regarding cooling history, impact disruption, and the internal structure of ancient celestial bodies that no longer exist.

Discovery
The Omolon meteorite was officially recognized in 1981 and originates from a fragmented differentiated asteroid formed during the early Solar System when metallic iron and silicate minerals separated into internal layers through melting and gravitational differentiation. The preserved olivine crystals belong to the fayalite–forsterite series and formed under high-temperature conditions deep within the parent body before catastrophic collisions dispersed fragments into space. The metallic matrix consists primarily of kamacite and taenite enriched with nickel, together with accessory phases including troilite, chromite, phosphates, and phosphides. Pallasites such as Omolon are scientifically significant because they preserve the transition zone between metallic cores and silicate mantles, a region rarely accessible even in planetary geology. Their mineral chemistry and isotopic composition provide valuable evidence for understanding asteroid formation, thermal evolution, and the earliest stages of planetary accretion within the young Solar System.

Preservation
This polished section preserves the classic pallasitic texture with exceptional clarity, exposing translucent olivine crystals enclosed within a continuous iron-nickel framework. The olivine exhibits rich golden to olive-green coloration enhanced by polishing, while the surrounding metallic matrix retains reflective structural contrast characteristic of etched meteoritic iron. Natural fractures and irregular crystal boundaries visible throughout the specimen reflect ancient shock and cooling processes associated with asteroid collisions and long-term cosmic exposure. The polished surface allows detailed observation of crystal morphology, metal distribution, the Widmanstätten pattern, and the intergrowth relationships between silicate and metallic phases formed billions of years ago under extraterrestrial conditions. Despite extensive mineralization and cosmic weathering, the specimen retains outstanding structural integrity and mineralogical definition. Such preservation provides important scientific insight into the internal architecture of differentiated asteroids and preserves a direct fragment of primordial planetary material formed during the earliest evolutionary history of the Solar System.