Stony meteorites are extraterrestrial rocks primarily composed of silicate minerals like olivine and pyroxene. Collectors typically look for a dark fusion crust on the exterior and small metallic grains visible on a broken surface, often utilizing a magnet to test for their characteristic iron-nickel content.

Hardness

5-7

Mohs

Luster

Dull

Streak

None, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard

Transparency

Opaque

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Stony Meteorite

Also: Aerolite

Hardness: 5-7
Luster: Dull
Streak: None, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard
Transparency: Opaque

Is this stony meteorite?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch stony meteorite with a known reference. Stony Meteorite sits at Mohs 5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Pick out the minerals
Composition: Dominantly rocky (silicate) material. Identify the two or three most abundant grains.
3
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: none, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard.
4
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull.
5
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: gray, brown, black.

Often confused with

Stony Meteorite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Stony Meteorite leaves none, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard, Magnetite leaves black; luster reads dull on Stony Meteorite and metallic to submetallic, may be dull on Magnetite.

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Often found alongside stony meteorite

Minerals reported to co-occur with stony meteorite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Mohs hardness: 5-7
Density: 3.0-3.7 g/cm³
Colors: Gray Brown Black
Streak: None, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard
Luster: Dull
Transparency: Opaque
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Collector
Host rock: extraterrestrial
Composition: Dominantly rocky (silicate) material

Where rockhounds find stony meteorite

Classic worldwide localities

Antarctica
Sahara Desert
Atacama Desert
Nullarbor Plain

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: extraterrestrial. If you start seeing olivine, pyroxene, nickel-iron in float, you are in the right ground.

More stony meteorite photos

Common questions

How do you identify stony meteorite?+

Mohs hardness is 5-7. Composition: Dominantly rocky (silicate) material. Luster: dull. The streak is none, or a weak grayish streak if pressed hard. Common colors include gray, brown, black.

Where is stony meteorite found?+

Notable localities include Antarctica; Sahara Desert; Atacama Desert; Nullarbor Plain.

What rocks look like stony meteorite?+

Stony Meteorite is most often confused with Basalt, Magnetite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with stony meteorite?+

Stony Meteorite commonly co-occurs with olivine, pyroxene, nickel-iron. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does stony meteorite form in?+

Where it forms: extraterrestrial. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is stony meteorite used for?+

Stony Meteorite is used in collector.

Find stony meteorite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.