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On the morning of February 12, 1947, the sky over eastern Russia lit up brighter than the Sun. At about 10:30–10:38 a.m. local time, people across the Sikhote-Alin mountains of Primorsky Krai witnessed a blinding fireball tearing across the winter sky, trailing a smoke plume that stretched for tens of kilometers.
Moments later, a thunderous series of explosions shook the taiga. The meteor, an enormous mass of metal from space, broke apart in a low-altitude airburst and rained thousands of iron fragments into the forest. Some pieces punched deep craters into the frozen ground, others embedded in trees, and countless smaller shrapnel fragments peppered the snow.
This event became known as the Sikhote-Alin meteorite fall—one of the largest and best-documented iron meteorite showers in modern history. Classified as a IIAB coarse octahedrite, Sikhote-Alin is not only a spectacular collector’s meteorite, but also a key object for understanding how metal-rich bodies move through the Solar System, break up in Earth’s atmosphere, and shape the surface through impact.
The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is classified as:
“Iron meteorite” means Sikhote-Alin is dominated by a nickel–iron metal alloy, rather than silicate minerals like most stony meteorites. The IIAB group is defined by characteristic concentrations of nickel, gallium, germanium, and iridium, and by its structural pattern when etched.
Average composition for Sikhote-Alin is approximately:
Trace elements (Ga, Ge, Ir, etc.) fit well within the IIAB chemical group and help tie Sikhote-Alin to a differentiated metallic core of an ancient parent body.
As a coarse octahedrite, Sikhote-Alin displays:
Shock experiments and microstructural studies show that Sikhote-Alin fragments experienced:
This makes it an excellent example for students and collectors to observe the interplay of metallic crystallization, shock, and weathering all within one meteorite.
On February 12, 1947, a large meteoroid—estimated at 90–100 tonnes pre-atmospheric mass—entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Sikhote-Alin mountain range in what was then the Soviet Union.
Witness accounts and later reconstructions indicate:
The fall occurred in daytime, which is relatively rare for such a large iron event—and crucially, it meant many people saw and reported the fireball, giving scientists an unusually rich observational data set.
As the meteoroid descended into denser atmosphere:
This explosion:
The fragmented iron rained down over an elliptical area of roughly 0.5–1.3 km², creating a dense strewn field.
Field studies found:
Later estimates suggest that ≥23 tonnes of post-atmospheric mass have been recovered, making Sikhote-Alin one of the largest iron meteorite showers ever documented.
Because the fall happened in full daylight and was observed by hundreds of people, Soviet astronomers were able to reconstruct Sikhote-Alin’s pre-impact orbit with unusual precision.
Using trajectory, brightness, and timing data, V. G. Fesenkov and colleagues concluded that:
In other words, Sikhote-Alin began as a piece of a differentiated parent body (a proto-asteroid or small planet), was liberated by a collision, and then traversed space for millions of years before its 1947 encounter with Earth.
Sikhote-Alin is famous for producing two distinct types of specimens:
When cut, polished, and etched, Sikhote-Alin slices reveal:
The coarseness of the pattern makes it a good teaching specimen, although it’s not as “fine lace” as Muonionalusta or Gibeon.
Higher-end collections often include multiple Sikhote-Alin pieces—natural individuals, shrapnel fragments, and at least one etched slice.
Like all iron meteorites, Sikhote-Alin can rust if not cared for properly.
Sikhote-Alin is not as notorious for instability as some irons, but careful storage aligns with your brand’s emphasis on long-term stewardship of natural specimens.
For your crystal-healing and metaphysical audience, Sikhote-Alin can be framed as:
Practitioners often associate iron meteorites with:
Some also work with meteorites for Third Eye / Crown meditation to contemplate cosmic scale and perspective, but Sikhote-Alin’s energy is usually described as very physical and intense.
Sikhote-Alin is an outstanding teaching meteorite:
Popular formats include:
Sikhote-Alin is sometimes used in:
As with other iron meteorites, jewelry buyers should be informed about:
Sikhote-Alin remains important for:
Russia regulates access to meteorites, especially large or scientifically significant finds, but Sikhote-Alin:
Best practices for a responsible brand:
Sikhote-Alin is an iron meteorite of group IIAB, structurally a coarsest octahedrite. It consists mostly of iron–nickel alloy with minor cobalt, phosphorus, sulfur, and trace elements like gallium and germanium.
It fell on February 12, 1947, around 10:30–10:38 a.m., over the Sikhote-Alin mountains in Primorsky Krai, southeastern Russia, roughly 440 km northeast of Vladivostok.
Estimates suggest a pre-atmospheric mass of ~90–100 tonnes, making Sikhote-Alin one of the largest iron meteoroids ever seen to fall in recorded history. About 23 tonnes of metal are known to have reached the ground and been recovered.
The strewn field covers roughly 0.5–1.3 km², with more than 120 craters and pits, the largest about 26 m across and ~6 m deep.
Yes. When cut, polished, and etched, Sikhote-Alin reveals a coarse Widmanstätten pattern typical of coarsest octahedrites, along with troilite and phosphide inclusions.
Sikhote-Alin is mainly iron–nickel metal and is safe to handle. Like all iron meteorites, it can rust if damp. Jewelry pieces are usually stabilized and sealed, but owners should avoid moisture, saltwater, and harsh chemicals, and wipe pieces dry after wear.
Sikhote-Alin is not as rare as small, single-find irons, but it is historically important and finite. There is a healthy supply of small individuals and shrapnel fragments, while large, sculptural pieces with provenance are considered more collectible and command higher prices.
The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is a perfect example of why meteorites capture the human imagination. It combines:
Like this topic, read our meteorite articles Tatahouine, Mars, Lunar, Pallasites, Meteorite Classification-Science, Campo Del Ceilo. Shop your favorite Meteorites. Check our free E Book Library for deeper dives on specific topics.
At Grounded Lifestyles, our love for crystals began in the peaceful flow of Reiki and energy healing sessions — where we saw how natural stones could amplify intentions, restore balance, and bring comfort. But the more time we spent with these treasures, the more curious we became about their origins. That curiosity led us into the fascinating world of geology and mineral specimen collecting. We fell in love not just with the energy of crystals, but with the science and artistry of their creation — the intricate crystal structures, the vibrant mineral hues, and the wonder of holding a piece of Earth’s history in our hands.
