It is older than the surrounding surface rocks and was formed deep in the Earth. Lamproite magma carried it toward the surface, where it is now exposed. Some igneous and metamorphic rocks have traveled into Kansas from other places. Volcanic ash, basalt, granite, and quartzite have been carried in by wind, glaciers, and water. One type of rock found in Kansas was not formed anywhere on Earth.
Meteors are rocks in outer space that usually vaporize before reaching the Earth's surface.
As they enter the atmosphere and begin to disintegrate, meteors are seen as streaks of light called shooting or falling stars. The few meteors that do reach the Earth's surface are called meteorites. Identifying meteorites in Kansas is easier than in other places, because they don't look like other Kansas rocks. Meteorites usually have a burned appearance, are pitted, and are denser than other rocks. Iron meteorites, consisting of heavy metals, iron, and nickel, are the easiest to identify.