Javorje        46°9’44.79"N, 14°11’29.98"E

Javorje, Poljane Valley, Slovenia

Found: 5 Nov 2009

Classification: Iron meteorite (IIIAB)

History: A 4.92 kg rusty iron mass was found on 5 November 2009 by Mr. Vladimir Štibelj while building a forest road on a steep slope in the woods near the village of Javorje above the Poljane Valley, Slovenia. The sample was buried in weathered Carboniferous quartz sandstones and marlstones at a depth of ~70 cm. Mr. Štibelj informed a geologist Mr. Pavel A. Forjanèiè, who brought the piece to GeoZS. SEM/EDS analysis confirmed it was an iron meteorite. An 11 g slice was sent to ActLab for chemical analysis.

Physical characteristics: The meteorite is roughly triangular shaped, with an original mass of 4920 g and dimensions 15 × 12.5 × 11 cm. The exterior is partially covered with a thick dark brown and yellow to red-brown crust of secondary iron oxides. A small piece of limonitized host-rock was cemented to the meteorite surface by weathering products. Where crust of weathered material is missing, surface textures of the meteorite clearly indicate octahedral cleavage.

Petrography: (M. Miler, M. Gosar, GeoZS) Distinct Widmanstätten pattern with an average band width of 0.99 ± 0.3 mm (n = 50). Some kamacite bands exhibit Neumann lines in two different directions. Spaces between kamacite bands are filled by large comb, net, and cellular plessite. Taenite occurs in the form of very thin exsolution lamellae along the boundaries between kamacite bands and as an abundant phase in plessite. Phosphides occur as scarce massive and border schreibersites and numerous rhabdites. Long prismatic and acicular rhabdite crystals, which are perpendicular to each other, form net-like inclusions in kamacite bands. Troilite occurs as relatively large elongated inclusions within kamacite grains and as individual grains at the kamacite/kamacite interfaces. Troilite is associated with rare chromite. Daubreélite forms exsolution lamellae in the troilite. Minute euhedral precipitates of carlsbergite form thin rims around some daubreélite grains. The external surface shows iron hydroxides. Terrestrial weathering has penetrated along some kamacite/kamacite interfaces and rhabdite/kamacite boundaries, forming goethite and akaganéite.

Geochemistry: Composition of major phases (SEM/EDS, GeoZS): kamacite (Ni = 7.1 ± 0.4; N = 24), taenite (Ni = 30.1 ± 2.8; N = 12), phosphide (Ni = 45.7 ± 5.0, P = 17.9 ± 0.7; N = 16) (all in wt%). Bulk composition (ICP-MS; INAA, ActLab): Ni = 7.83, Co = 0.48 (both in wt%), Ga = 25, Ge = 47, Ir = 7.6, Pt = 13.4, As = 5.8 (all in ppm), Au = 472 ppb

Classification: Iron, medium octahedrite (IIIAB). Moderately shocked, extensively weathered.

Specimens: The type specimen of ~120 g is at GeoZS. Main mass held by Mr. V. Štibelj.