Which of the three main compositional groups of meteorites is considered the rarest naturally occurring find on Earth?
Answer
Stony-iron meteorites
Meteorites are categorized into three major compositional types: stony, iron, and stony-iron. Among these, the stony-iron meteorites are identified as the rarest type found naturally occurring on Earth's surface. These rare specimens are composed of a substantial, roughly equal mixture of silicate rock material and the iron-nickel alloy. Their scarcity points to their unique formation zones, often originating from the boundary regions between the core and mantle of their parent differentiated bodies.
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