• Type: Pallasite
• Location: Belarus
• Weight: 5.7g
• Dimensions: 21 x 20 x 2 mm
• Year of discovery: 1810
• Known total weight: 823kg
• Surface treatment: cut, polished slice
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Brahin meteorite – Belarusian pallasite The Brahin meteorite is classified as a pallasite, a type of stony-iron meteorite. It was first discovered in 1810 near the city of Brahin, located in Belarus. The meteorite's strewn field measures approximately 15 kilometers in length and 3 kilometers in width and is traversed by the Dnieper River. The discovery was made by local inhabitants, who found metallic fragments weighing 80 and 20 kilograms. The first samples were subsequently delivered to scientists, who identified them as meteoritic material. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, larger fragments of the Brahin meteorite were discovered, with some specimens reaching several hundred kilograms. The total mass of all recovered fragments is estimated to be around 823 kilograms. Structure Pallasites are characterized by the presence of metallic and silicate components in approximately equal proportions. The metallic component is mainly composed of iron and nickel. The metallic matrix primarily consists of the following alloys: Taenite – a nickel-rich alloy (35–50% Ni) known for its high hardness and silvery luster. Kamacite – an iron-rich alloy (generally 90–95% Fe) with a lower nickel content (5–10% Ni), typically silver-gray in color with a metallic luster. In meteorites, it often forms wide bands visible on cut surfaces. Kamacite is softer than taenite and together with it constitutes the main structural component of the iron-nickel metallic phase. The olivines present in the Brahin meteorite are often large, clear, and beautifully translucent, greatly enhancing the aesthetic value of the material. They generally exhibit shades from green to brown, and their quality is high, making them suitable for jewelry. Origin The Brahin meteorite, like other pallasites, is interpreted as a fragment of a body formed in the transition zone between the core and mantle of a differentiated planetesimal. Planetesimals are small bodies formed in the early stages of the Solar System, and some of them may have evolved into planets. Pallasites, including the Brahin meteorite, are considered fragments of these bodies that underwent a process of differentiation, during which the metallic core separated from the silicate mantle.