The asteroid Psyche may have once had vents that spewed molten metal — but only if it is chemically similar to rare, metal-rich meteorites, a new study suggests. The study, which was published online July 31 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, could explain why the space rock has an unusual metallic cloak.

Potato-shaped asteroid Psyche, a member of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, is unique in being super-shiny. Radar measurements indicate that, on average, its surface reflects nearly a third of the sunlight shining on it, making it at least twice as reflective as most asteroids.

Because of its reflectivity, scientists have posited that Psyche isn’t just mostly metal but may actually be the exposed iron-rich heart of a planetary building block. , a planetary scientist at Arizona State University, described Psyche to Live Science in an email as “a relic from the dawn of the .” Some have estimated the value of its metals to be a staggering .