Telluric iron

Telluric iron is naturally occurring metallic iron formed within Earth’s crust rather than arriving in meteorites. It is rare because iron readily combines with oxygen and other elements.

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Native iron: Native iron is elemental iron occurring naturally in metallic form rather than combined in a mineral compound. Telluric iron is the terrestrial occurrence of iron in this native metallic state.
Iron: Iron is a chemical element with symbol Fe and atomic number 26, common in rocks and central to many alloys. Telluric iron is elemental iron in a geological setting.
Ovifak iron: Ovifak iron is native iron found at Uivfaq on Disko Island, Greenland, within basaltic rocks. It is the classic documented occurrence associated with telluric iron.
Meteorite classification: Meteorite classification organizes meteorites by composition, mineralogy, and inferred parent body. Classification criteria help test whether an iron mass is extraterrestrial rather than terrestrial.
Basalt: Basalt is a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock formed when mafic lava cools at or near the surface. Telluric iron has been reported in basaltic rocks, where low-oxygen conditions can preserve metal.
Iron oxide: Iron oxides are compounds of iron and oxygen, including hematite and magnetite. Most crustal iron occurs oxidized, unlike the metallic iron defining telluric iron.
Telluric iron of Bühl: Bühl iron is a reported occurrence of native iron in basalt near Kassel, Germany. It is a European example often discussed alongside Greenland’s iron-bearing basalts.
Nickel–iron alloy: Nickel–iron alloys are metallic materials composed chiefly of nickel and iron, found naturally in meteorites and some terrestrial occurrences. Nickel content and alloy textures can inform debates about an iron specimen’s origin.
Disko Island: Disko Island is a large island off western Greenland, known for unusual iron-rich basalt and native iron occurrences. Its iron-bearing basalt is among the best-known settings for terrestrial native iron.
Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is a colorless, toxic gas with formula CO that can act as a reducing agent. Carbon-rich magmas may generate reducing conditions through reactions involving carbon monoxide.