El Menia Meteorites For Sale

El Menia is the name given to a meteorite that fell in Algeria in 2023. This impressive L5 chondrite streaked across the sky around 10:30 AM local time on March 11, 2023, illuminating the regions of central Algeria. The fireball burst over the city of El Menia, scattering the city and nearby farmlands with bluish stones marked by fusion crusts. Remarkably, some stones were even observed “skipping” across the desert sands! To date, approximately 75 kilograms of these stones have been recovered from the surrounding areas. The chondrite features a variety of chondrule sizes, all embedded in a light gray matrix.

What Is An L5 Chondrite Meteorite?

9 Items ($39 to $165)

El Menia Chondrite Meteorite ( g) End-Cut - Fall #285475

1.14" El Menia Chondrite Meteorite (5.72 g) End-Cut - 2023 Fall

$165

El Menia Chondrite Meteorite ( g) End-Cut - Fall #285482

.86" El Menia Chondrite Meteorite (4.47 g) End-Cut - 2023 Fall

$129

L Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Slice - El Menia #285480

1.32" L5 Chondrite Meteorite (3.01 g) Slice - El Menia

$89

L Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Slice - El Menia #285479

1.0" L5 Chondrite Meteorite (1.92 g) Slice - El Menia

$59

L Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Slice - El Menia #285483

.74" L5 Chondrite Meteorite (1.21 g) Slice - El Menia

$39

L Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Fragment - El Menia #285491

.47" L5 Chondrite Meteorite (1.42 g) Fragment - El Menia

SOLD

El Menia Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Fragment - Fall #285500

.42" El Menia Chondrite Meteorite (1.16 g) Fragment - 2023 Fall

SOLD

El Menia Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Fragment - Fall #285499

.54" El Menia Chondrite Meteorite (1.39 g) Fragment - 2023 Fall

SOLD

L Chondrite Meteorite ( g) Slice - El Menia #285484

.63" L5 Chondrite Meteorite (0.59 g) Slice - El Menia

SOLD

What Is An L5 Chondrite Meteorite?

An L5 chondrite is a type of stony meteorite that belongs to the "L" (low iron) chondrite group. Characterized by a lower iron content (around 20-25%, mainly in iron sulfide or silicates), L chondrites contain less metal compared to H chondrites (high iron chondrites). They are primarily composed of silicate minerals like olivine and pyroxene.

The "5" designation reflects a high level of thermal metamorphism, meaning that this chondrite was exposed to substantial heating, likely on its parent asteroid. This heating caused partial recrystallization, making the original chondrules (small, rounded particles) less distinct but still visible. The matrix of L5 chondrites is typically a light to medium gray, with chondrules that are partially integrated into the surrounding material due to the effects of metamorphism.

The L chondrite group likely originates from a specific asteroid in the asteroid belt, which is believed to have undergone a significant collisional event. This collision may have propelled substantial amounts of L chondritic material into space, explaining the prevalence of L chondrites found on Earth.