Partial Slice of an Esquel Meteorite

AN EXQUISITE PALLASITE FROM SOUTHERN ARGENTINA

Pallasites such as Esquel are incredible rare, accounting for .2% — or just 1 out of 500 — of all meteorite finds. The crystals seen here are the result of small chunks of the asteroid's stony mantle becoming suspended and crystallized in the molten metal of its iron-nickel core. Cut and polished, the lustrous metallic matrix features silicate crystals of gleaming olivine and peridot (gem-quality olivine) ranging in color from shimmering gold and amber to deep sea green. 

Esquel exists in rarified air, however, as it is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful pallasites, with large, honey-colored, translucent crystals that shimmer and shine in a way few other meteorites do. In addition, as collectors have increasingly recognized and appreciated Esquel's beauty, available slices – especially of this size – have become vanishingly difficult to find.

REFERENCES:

Meteoritical Bulletin Entry for Esquel