Mineral Database

Mineral Database
Mineralogy of Wales

Kamacite

Crystal System: Cubic
Formula: (Fe,Ni)
Status of Occurrence: Confirmed Occurrence
Distribution: Rare
Chemical Composition: Alloy of iron and nickel
Method(s) of Verification: Pontllyfni - EMPA (Graham et al., 1977).
Chemical Group:
  • Elements & Alloys
Geological Context:
  • Igneous/metamorphic extraterrestrial
Introduction: kamacite occurs in many kinds of meteorites and is the principal constituent of hexahedrite iron meteorites with about 92% iron and 7% nickel.
Occurrence in Wales: kamacite's Welsh occurrence is related to one of very few meteorite falls actually recovered from Wales. The meteorite fell on April 14th, 1931 at 11:53am on Coch-y-Bug Farm, Pontllyfni, Gwynedd and a fragment of 5 oz was recovered (King, 1932). For more data on this event. Please view geological information section for more information on meteorites.
Key Localities:
  • Coch-y-Bug Farm, Pontllyfni, Gwynedd: kamacite is present in this forsterite chondrite meteorite, along with with daubreelite, troilite and taenite, as inclusions varying from 100 µm to 1 mm across. The sulphides and metals make up 46 wt% of the meteorite, and are intergrown with olivine and orthopyroxene (Graham et al., 1977).
References:
  • Graham, A.L., Easton, A.J. & Hutchison, R., 1977 Forsterite chondrites; the meterorites Kakangari, Mount Morris (Wisconsin), Pontlyfni, and Winona.  Mineralogical Magazine, 41, 201-210.
  • King, A., 1932 The meteorite of 1931 April 14.  Journal of the British Astronomical Association, vol 42, 328-332.