Sirjan 001        29°22.767’N, 56°3.400’E

Kerman, Iran

Find: 2018 Mar

Classification: Iron meteorite (ungrouped)

History: (H. Pourkhorsandi, ULB) Found using a metal detector during a search for antique objects.

Physical characteristics: (H. Pourkhorsandi, ULB): A single stone with brown-orange color covered with regmaglypts. Metallic gray in cut surface with minimal signs of weathering.

Petrography: (H. Pourkhorsandi, ULB): Cut surface shows a gray metallic interior with metal-sulfide eutectic texture. Irregular sulfides (troilite) are surrounded by Fe,Ni metal. Modal abundances of Fe, Ni metal and sulfide, based on point counting on the cut surface (n=1000), are 63% and 37%, respectively. In addition, phosphates occur as accessory minerals. Length measurement of 347 sulfides yield following values for mean, mode, and median: 1111±672 μm, 837 μm, and 894 μm, respectively.

Geochemistry: Bulk composition (H. Pourkhorsandi and V. Debaille, ULB): (Analysis by ICP-MS at ULB) Co=0.57, Ni=12.8 (both wt%); Cu=320.7, Ga=20.0, Ge=42.4, As=8.4, Mo=4.9, W=0.7, Ir=3.7, Pd=5.6 (all µg/g). Average mineral compositions (H. Pourkhorsandi, ULB; T. Dehais and P. Kaskes, VUB): (Analysis by µXRF at VUB) Ni-poor metal: Fe=93.6±0.08 (all in wt%), Ni=6.11±0.03, Ni/Fe=0.07; Ni-rich metal: Fe=88.0±1.2, Ni=11.4±1.2, Ni/Fe=0.13; Sulfide: Fe=80.5±1.7, S=19.6±1.8, Ni=1.9±0.1, S/Fe=0.25;

Classification: Iron (ungrouped). Based on textural and (chemical) characteristics it shows similarities to Meteorite Hills 00428, Mount Howe 88403, Roberts Massif 04162, Roberts Massif 04299, Sacramento Wash 005, and Sahara 03505 ungrouped irons which are also described as "sulfide-irons".

Specimens: Type specimen (45 g) at RBINS. 10 g at CEREGE. 90 g in Hojjat Kamali’s museum in Tehran (Azadi Tower).