By Alexander Merz · Updated on · Details checked on 7 October 2026
Of all the objects that fall from the sky, pallasites are among the most breathtaking: iron-stone meteorites in which golden olivine crystals sit suspended in a lattice of metal, like cosmic stained glass. Extraordinarily rare, they tell the violent story of a parent body shattered in the asteroid belt millions of years ago.
⚡ The quick answer: Pallasites are exceptionally rare stony-iron meteorites made of olivine crystals set in an iron-nickel alloy. They come from the boundary layer between the core and mantle of a differentiated asteroid, broken apart by an impact. Only a handful are known on Earth, including “Krasnojarsk,” “Fukang,” and the 2.4-ton Kansas giant.
What is a pallasite?
Pallasites belong to the broad family of stony-iron meteorites. Their signature is unmistakable: green-yellow, translucent olivine crystals embedded in an iron-nickel matrix. All of them share a single parent body — an asteroid from which fragments were knocked loose during its orbit in the asteroid belt. These shards likely “wandered” for thousands, perhaps millions, of years through the solar system before “stranding” on Earth, where geologists assigned them to a common group.
Krasnojarsk and Brahin: the Russian finds
It was a tale told by Siberian Tatars that, in 1772, put the explorer Peter S. Pallas on the trail of the first stony-iron meteorite — and gave the whole group its name. According to eyewitnesses, this Siberian mass, initially estimated at 700 kg, had fallen in 1749 near Ubeisk (close to Krasnojarsk) and still weighed half a ton after every analysis.
Named meteorite “Krasnojarsk,” the find became the first of an entire group of pallasites, whose parent body is thought to have been a differentiated small body in the asteroid belt. The composition of the iron-stone material points to a heavy impact origin, with matter torn from the boundary layer between the asteroid’s core and mantle.
A second, similarly composed meteorite was recovered in 1807 by Russian farmers in the Homel district. By then the origin of such material was already understood, which made the study of “Brahin” easier. This 850 kg pallasite clearly descends from the same parent body as the Krasnojarsk find.
Other major pallasite finds
Unmatched in mass remains the largest pallasite ever found, in Kansas (USA). At recovery this meteorite weighed a full 2.4 tons and was quickly identified as yet another “splinter” of the same parent body. The meteorites “Eagle Station” and “Estherville” suffered the same accident in the asteroid belt an unknown time ago and fell to Earth at a moment fortunate enough to be found here before weathering set in.
The second-largest fragment known is the pallasite “Fukang,” named after its discovery site in China. Adding its mass of about one ton to the other finds, at least 5 tons of impact material have “crumbled” from the solar system down to Earth — a figure that hints at the violence of the impact in which the parent body was severely damaged, if not entirely shattered.
How can you see a pallasite?
Polished pallasites are best admired in museums or private collections: held up to the light, their olivine slices turn translucent and glow amber. For the astronomy enthusiast, though, nothing beats observing the sky these messengers came from. A good pair of binoculars is enough to sweep the region of the asteroid belt and pick out its brightest members.
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Frequently asked questions about pallasites
What exactly is a pallasite?
It’s a stony-iron meteorite made of olivine crystals set in an iron-nickel matrix, originating from the core-mantle boundary of a differentiated asteroid.
Why are pallasites so rare?
They form only under very specific conditions and make up a tiny fraction of all meteorites found. Only a few dozen specimens are known worldwide.
What is the largest known pallasite?
The Kansas giant in the USA, weighing 2.4 tons at recovery. The Fukang pallasite in China comes second at roughly 1 ton.
Where does the name “pallasite” come from?
From the explorer Peter Simon Pallas, who described the first specimen — the Krasnojarsk meteorite — in 1772.
Is a pallasite valuable?
Yes. Their rarity and beauty make them highly sought-after collector’s items, often priced by the gram.
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