Native Iron (terrestrial)

The largest specimen of native iron that I have ever seen! This large nodule of native iron is mostly composed of iron with some black rock included or surrounding it. The piece is sawn on the front and exposes the fascinating mineralogical texture within. How does native iron form? In this case, the dark, ultrabasic iron-silicate containing rock, intruded through carbonaceous sediments. In the process, a reduction recation occurred between the rock and the carbon in the sediments to produce clots of native iron! This is the biggest and best sample I have seen!