Gyarub Zangbo Pallasite Meteorite Slice, Ungrouped Pallasite, 226.95g, Tibet

A flagship 226.95g slice of an ungrouped Tibetan pallasite

This is the largest Gyarub Zangbo slice we have offered, a 226.95 gram polished slice of an ungrouped pallasite from Tibet. Broad fields of olivine sit in a mirror-polished iron-nickel matrix, and where the crystals stay translucent they light up in amber, gold, and olive-green tones under strong light. Gyarub Zangbo is not a main group pallasite. Its olivine and metal chemistry, together with oxygen and chromium isotope data, place it on a parent body separate from every other named pallasite, a status confirmed by the Meteoritical Society in MB 114 (April 2026). For background on the type, see our guide on what a pallasite is.

Structure and features of this slice

The polished face on this specimen carries a dense, uneven scatter of olivine, from sub-millimeter grains to centimeter-scale clusters, set across a bright iron-nickel matrix that takes a soft mirrored finish. Held to daylight, the clearer crystals transmit rich amber and honey light while weathered grains stay deep green to near black, giving the slice two moods in the same field of view. Part of the perimeter keeps its natural unpolished exterior with oxidized crust, a record of the long terrestrial exposure this pallasite carried on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. At 226.95 grams this is a substantial display slice with real presence in the hand and on a stand.

Gyarub Zangbo's olivine has a fayalite content of Fa21.6 to 22.8 mol%, slightly above typical main group pallasites and consistent with its ungrouped status. The metal runs near 15.8% nickel, again elevated relative to most main group material, with trace cobalt, copper, and germanium that further separate it from the main group parent body. This slice carries a thin protective epoxy on the polished faces to stabilize the olivine and slow oxidation.

Discovery and provenance

Gyarub Zangbo was found in October 2020 by Mr. Tulga while exploring the uninhabited Qiangtang region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, northeast of the Gyarub Zangbo River in Xizang (Tibet), China. The recovery consisted of loose olivine and metal fragments spread across the ground alongside a larger metal-rich mass, and the total known weight came to roughly 17.61 kilograms. That figure places Gyarub Zangbo among the smallest recovered masses of any named pallasite, so material of this type reaches collectors only in limited quantity. The isolation of the plateau protected the find from disturbance while exposing it to high-altitude weathering, which is why natural faces show oxidation while the polished interior still preserves the original olivine and metal structure. Browse related specimens in our Stony-Iron Meteorites collection.

Scientific context

The ungrouped classification is the most scientifically meaningful thing about Gyarub Zangbo. Main group pallasites such as Sericho, Esquel, and Brenham share one parent body tied to the IIIAB iron meteorites. Gyarub Zangbo does not fit there. Its oxygen isotopes fall on an array between main group and Eagle Station values without overlapping any other known pallasite, its metal shows affinity with the IIF irons rather than IIIAB, and it contains pyroxene, a phase absent from both the main group and the Eagle Station group. Taken together these data point to a differentiated parent body not represented by any other pallasite in collections. A 2023 study by Jiang and colleagues, presented at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, argued that Gyarub Zangbo may have carbonaceous origins consistent with formation beyond Jupiter. That interpretation is active research and is not part of the official Meteoritical Bulletin classification, but it adds a dimension few pallasites can offer. You can read more on our Gyarub Zangbo origin and science page.

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated?
Yes. Gyarub Zangbo is an officially classified meteorite, recorded in the Meteoritical Bulletin and revised to ungrouped in MB 114 (April 2026). This slice ships with a Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. certificate of authenticity and is offered by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co., IMCA member #3323.

What makes Gyarub Zangbo different from other pallasites?
Most pallasites belong to the main group and share a single parent body linked to the IIIAB irons. Gyarub Zangbo is ungrouped: its olivine chemistry, nickel content, oxygen isotopes, and IIF metal affinity match no established pallasite group, and it carries pyroxene that the main group and Eagle Station group lack.

Why does the olivine glow when held to light?
Fresh pallasite olivine is transparent to translucent, and many crystals in this slice still transmit light. The amber and gold glow you see when it is backlit is the natural color of the olivine, the same mineral as the gemstone peridot. Weathering slowly turns olivine opaque, so a comparatively recent find like this one keeps more of that optical quality.

What does the epoxy coating do?
A thin epoxy on the polished faces stabilizes the olivine and slows terrestrialization, the oxidation that gradually darkens the crystals. It does not change the visual quality of the slice and is standard practice for pallasite preservation.

What is included?
The polished 226.95g slice shown, on an acrylic display stand, with a Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. certificate of authenticity.

Collector significance

At 226.95 grams this is the largest Gyarub Zangbo slice we have listed, a centerpiece rather than a study piece. It pairs that size with a classification no other available pallasite can match: material from a parent body represented by nothing else in collections, backed by roughly 17.61 kilograms of total known weight across the entire meteorite. For a collector building a serious stony-iron or pallasite suite, a slice of this scale and scientific standing is the kind of anchor specimen that seldom comes up. Full classification data, provenance, and mineral chemistry are published in the Meteoritical Bulletin entry for Gyarub Zangbo.