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What percentage of known meteorites are stony meteorites?
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Meteor and meteoroid
The Cabin Creek meteorite, an iron (nickel-iron alloy) meteorite that was observed to fall in northwestern Arkansas on March 27, 1886. Its characteristic pattern of “thumbprint” dimples, or regmaglypts, is the result of melting and consequent ablation of its surface as it traveled through the atmosphere. The meteorite is likely a fragment of one of the M class asteroids, which show significant nickel-iron in their surface material.
Stony meteorites make up approximately 94 percent of all known meteorites. These objects are categorized based on their proportions of rock-forming minerals and nickel-iron metal.1
Within the category of stony meteorites, they are further divided into two primary groups: achondrites and chondrites, with the latter being the most abundant type found in collections.2