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16.34 gram full slice. 65 x 50 mm.   Pallasite, PMG-an

TKW 700 kg. Fall not observed. Found 1749 in Krasnoyarskiy kray, Russia.


   

Scott writes:

I try to collect meteorites that have scientific interest, historical significance, or are simply beautiful. For me, this slice of Krasnojarsk scores well on all three counts.

From Wikipedia:

A mass of about 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) was detected in 1749 about 145 miles south of Krasnoyarsk. The meteorite was found in 1749 by the local blacksmith Yakov Medvedev and the mining foreman IK Mettikh who reported the find near the village of Medvedevo (the current territory of the Komsky Rural Council of the Novosyolovsky district of the Krasnoyarsk Krai). In 1772, the unusual block was shown to Academician P.S.Pallas, who at that time was in those parts with an expedition. On his instructions, the bulk of the lump, weighing about 40 pounds, was sent in 1773 to St. Petersburg, and in 1777 - delivered to the Kunstkamera. Krasnojarsk was the first pallasite ever found and studied first time as a meteorite in 1794 by Ernst Chladni, and led to the creation of the Pallasite group, named after Pallas. It was also the first meteorite ever etched with acid (by G. Thomson) and therefore was the first one to show to human eyes the Widmanstätten pattern.

I find it ironic that the namesake for Pallasites is now classified as an anomalous pallasite!

This particular slice was originally cut out of a larger mass and heavily coated with epoxy about 40 years ago. Earlier CoA’s show the weight as 19.7 grams. A subsequent owner removed the epoxy and had it polished on both sides, resulting in the current weight of 16.34 grams. I decided that the first meteorite to be etched deserved to have one side etched (thanks, Marlin!), and so that’s how you now see it in the pictures.

Pictures copyright Scott McGregor and may be used with attribution.