What are the three main types of meteorites?

Stony, iron, and stony-iron. Stony meteorites are made largely of rock (silicate minerals) and are by far the most common. Iron meteorites are almost entirely iron-nickel metal. Stony-irons, the rarest group, contain roughly equal parts rock and metal — pallasites are the famous example.

Which type of meteorite is most common?

Stony meteorites, specifically chondrites, make up the large majority of all meteorites that fall to Earth. Irons and stony-irons are much less common, which is part of why iron and pallasite pieces are prized for jewelry.

Which meteorite type is best for jewelry?

Iron meteorites (like Muonionalusta and Gibeon) are the most popular for jewelry because they take a polish, reveal the striking Widmanstätten pattern when etched, and are durable. Pallasites (a stony-iron) are the statement choice for their green olivine. Stony meteorites are more fragile and less often used in wearable pieces.

How can I tell what type a meteorite is?

Weight and magnetism are the first clues: irons are very dense and strongly magnetic; stony-irons show visible metal plus crystals; stony meteorites are less dense and may show a fusion crust and tiny spheres called chondrules. A cut-and-etched surface showing the Widmanstätten pattern confirms an iron.

Where do Muonionalusta and Brenham fit in?

Muonionalusta is a classic iron meteorite — solid iron-nickel with a fine Widmanstätten pattern. Brenham is a pallasite, a stony-iron with gem-green olivine crystals set in metal. Both are among the most sought-after meteorites for jewelry.

Meteorite Science

Iron, Stony & Stony-Iron: The Complete Guide to Meteorite Types

FSThe Falling Stars Collection DeskMeteorite specialists|Updated July 29, 2026|10 min read

A polished iron meteorite slice showing metallic structure — Every meteorite belongs to one of three families — stony, iron, or stony-iron.

Billions of objects orbit the Sun, but every meteorite that reaches us sorts into just three great families: stony, iron, and stony-iron. Knowing which is which tells you how it formed, how to recognize it, and whether it’s destined to be a display piece or wearable jewelry.

The three great families

Family	Mostly made of	Abundance	Examples
Stony	Rock (silicates)	Most common	Chondrites, achondrites
Iron	Iron-nickel metal	Less common	Muonionalusta, Gibeon, Campo del Cielo
Stony-iron	Metal + rock (≈50/50)	Rarest	Pallasites (Brenham), mesosiderites

Stony meteorites

The most common group. Chondrites are ancient, unmelted leftovers from the birth of the Solar System and often contain tiny spheres called chondrules. Achondritescome from bodies that melted and re-formed — some even originate from the Moon or Mars. Stony meteorites are less dense than irons and are more fragile, so they’re prized by collectors but used less in jewelry.

Iron meteorites

Nearly solid iron-nickel, these came from the molten metal cores of shattered asteroids. They’re very dense, strongly magnetic, and — crucially — when cut and etched they reveal the Widmanstätten pattern, an interlocking lattice that takes millions of years to form and can’t be faked. This is why irons like Muonionalusta dominate meteorite jewelry.

Etched iron meteorite surface — Iron · etched iron · pallasite (stony-iron) — the metal-bearing meteorites used in jewelry.

Stony-iron meteorites

The rarest family, roughly half metal and half rock. Pallasites — green olivine crystals in an iron-nickel matrix — form at the core-mantle boundary of an asteroid and are among the most beautiful objects in the Solar System. Mesosiderites are a jumbled mix of metal and silicate. Read more in the pallasite guide.

How to tell them apart

A first-pass field guide — confirm irons with a cut-and-etch test.

Meteorite specimen — Video: side-by-side look at stony, iron, and stony-iron meteorites.

Which types make jewelry

For wearable pieces, iron and pallasitedominate: they’re durable, take a polish, and show off structures you can’t fake. If you’re deciding what to buy, see how to choose meteorite jewelry, and always verify authenticity — start with how to tell if it’s real. For a neutral overview of classification, the Britannica meteorite entry is a good primer.

Frequently asked questions

Stony, iron, and stony-iron. Stony meteorites are made largely of rock (silicate minerals) and are by far the most common. Iron meteorites are almost entirely iron-nickel metal. Stony-irons, the rarest group, contain roughly equal parts rock and metal — pallasites are the famous example.
Stony meteorites, specifically chondrites, make up the large majority of all meteorites that fall to Earth. Irons and stony-irons are much less common, which is part of why iron and pallasite pieces are prized for jewelry.
Iron meteorites (like Muonionalusta and Gibeon) are the most popular for jewelry because they take a polish, reveal the striking Widmanstätten pattern when etched, and are durable. Pallasites (a stony-iron) are the statement choice for their green olivine. Stony meteorites are more fragile and less often used in wearable pieces.
Weight and magnetism are the first clues: irons are very dense and strongly magnetic; stony-irons show visible metal plus crystals; stony meteorites are less dense and may show a fusion crust and tiny spheres called chondrules. A cut-and-etched surface showing the Widmanstätten pattern confirms an iron.
Muonionalusta is a classic iron meteorite — solid iron-nickel with a fine Widmanstätten pattern. Brenham is a pallasite, a stony-iron with gem-green olivine crystals set in metal. Both are among the most sought-after meteorites for jewelry.