Due to the nature of iron, care should be used in the preserving of valuable iron-nickel samples. Color is steel gray or black. Luster is metallic. Transparency is opaque. Crystal Habits crystal form is extremely rare, when etched, meteoritic examples may show interesting and complicated intergrowths of cystals according to different nickel-iron concentrates.
Terrestrial samples are massive and appear as small flakes and irregular masses.
Meteoritic samples are usually rounded, pitted and irregular. Cleavage is absent but crystals will have distinct parallel partings. Fracture is hackly. Streak is gray metallic. Associated Minerals are olivine , pyroxenes , and some minerals that are only found in meteorites.