Gibeon Meteorite Bead

This meteorite was found in one of the largest meteorite strewn fields on earth.  This field exceeds 40 miles wide and 250 miles long.  It is an iron meteorite found in Namibia, South Africa.  It was discovered in 1836, although South African natives used the metal fragments for tools and weapons prior to this time.

This meteorite has a unique crystallization known as the Widmanstatten crystal structure.  These lines are shown as a unique etched pattern on the meteorite.  This pattern is the result of the meteorite cooling in outer space over billions of years.  The meteorite fragments yield 87% iron, 10% nickel, also small nodules of graphite, trolite, and traversite.  Scientists have also found rare minerals called Enstatite and Tridymite.  These minerals are found only in nuclear fusion, which give scientists clues to the origin of our solar system and the universe.  

As this meteorite is composed mostly of iron, care must be taken to prevent the piece from rusting.  The piece has been coated with a clear lacquer to prevent rusting, but direct exposure to water is not recommended.  Oil the piece regularly with mineral oil.  Do not leave the piece laying around on wet sinks or wear in the shower.  Remove the piece so that it does not get wet.  If the meteorite becomes rusty, first remove the coating with acetone.  Then sand the piece with fine grit sandpaper to remove the rust.  Dip the piece in circuit board acid for approximately 15 minutes to re-etch the piece.  (Available at Radio Shack)  Remove from acid and rinse in water.  Dip into baking soda to remove any excess acid.  Rinse in water again.  You may wish to re-coat the piece with spray on lacquer to protect the piece.  A jeweler may follow these instructions to set meteorite pieces. Care should be taken not to polish or overheat the piece if possible, but the piece may be re-etched following the above instructions.

• Each bead is drilled through with a diameter of 1 mm to 2 mm.
• Bead sizes available: 11 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm and 17 mm of diameter.
• Genuine meteorite.
• This item includes an information card about the meteorite.
• A certificate of authenticity is included with this item.

• This meteorite requires special care - due to its high iron content, exposure to water and other chemicals, such as cleaning products or aerosols, may cause the meteorite to rust over time. If you polish the meteorite, use a dry cloth only, or an air duster that does not contain any disinfectant or other chemicals.

Any item(s) purchased will be shipped within 48 hours, however most are processed within 24 hours of the confirmation of your order. 

We use a tracked service for all items.

According to the postal service, US & Canadian parcels should arrive within 6 business days, international items should arrive within 11 business days after dispatch. Please be aware that these are subject to change and delays can occur outside of our control.

You can view the entire shipping policy here.