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.49" Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite (1.03 g) - NWA 16415
This is a .49" wide (1.03 gram) fragment of the CO3 Carbonaceous Chondrite meteorite NWA 16415. It comes with a small acrylic case.
About NWA 16415
Northwest Africa 16415 (NWA 16415) is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite of the CO3 classification. It was purchased in September 2023 from Nouadhibou, Mauritania, with a total known mass of 9.4 kg.
The meteorite's petrography reveals that chondrules, chondrule fragments, and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) are embedded in a fine-grained dark brown matrix, constituting about 25% of its volume. The majority of chondrules are of chemical type I, with sizes ranging from 50 to 300 µm. Mineral compositions include olivine with a fayalite (Fa) content of 7.3±5.2 mol% (ranging from Fa 0.4 to 22.5) and low-Ca pyroxene with ferrosilite (Fs) content of 2.4±1.6 mol% and wollastonite (Wo) content of 1.8±1.2 mol%. These characteristics are consistent with CO chondrites, which are known for their small chondrule size, specific chondrule-matrix ratio, and distinct mineral chemistry.
Northwest Africa 16415 (NWA 16415) is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite of the CO3 classification. It was purchased in September 2023 from Nouadhibou, Mauritania, with a total known mass of 9.4 kg.
The meteorite's petrography reveals that chondrules, chondrule fragments, and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) are embedded in a fine-grained dark brown matrix, constituting about 25% of its volume. The majority of chondrules are of chemical type I, with sizes ranging from 50 to 300 µm. Mineral compositions include olivine with a fayalite (Fa) content of 7.3±5.2 mol% (ranging from Fa 0.4 to 22.5) and low-Ca pyroxene with ferrosilite (Fs) content of 2.4±1.6 mol% and wollastonite (Wo) content of 1.8±1.2 mol%. These characteristics are consistent with CO chondrites, which are known for their small chondrule size, specific chondrule-matrix ratio, and distinct mineral chemistry.
About Carbonaceous Chondrites
Carbonaceous chondrites consist of about 5 percent of known chondrites. They contain the highest concentrations of water, organic, and volatile compounds of all chondrites, and, true to their name, contain carbonate minerals! These chondrites are the least oxidized, indicating they came from the outer asteroid belt or beyond. Because of their unique compositions, they are some of the most frequently studied meteorites in the world, and have been considered as an origin for life due to their abundance of organic compounds, including amino acids.
Due to their complexity and variety, carbonaceous chondrites have several sub-classes grouped by chondrule width, each named after the type specimens of each class. CI carbonaceous chondrites, the class of finest grains, are named for the Ivuna meteorite that fell in Tanzania in 1938. CI chondrites almost entirely lack chondrules, and are composed mostly of fine-grained material that underwent aqueous alteration on their parent asteroids. Their chemical composition most closely resembles the sun’s photosphere of any chondrite. Other notable classes include:
CO and CM (Ornans/Mighei), with the smallest chondrules;
CR (Renazzo), CB (Bencubbin) and CH (high metal), which contain unique chondrules that formed from impacts after normal chondrules formed;
CV (Vigarano) and CK (Karoonda), two groups with distinctively large chondrules that formed only once at the beginning of the solar system; and
CL (Loongana), which contain large chondrule and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, or CAIs, but low amounts of volatile compounds and matrix.
Carbonaceous chondrites consist of about 5 percent of known chondrites. They contain the highest concentrations of water, organic, and volatile compounds of all chondrites, and, true to their name, contain carbonate minerals! These chondrites are the least oxidized, indicating they came from the outer asteroid belt or beyond. Because of their unique compositions, they are some of the most frequently studied meteorites in the world, and have been considered as an origin for life due to their abundance of organic compounds, including amino acids.
Due to their complexity and variety, carbonaceous chondrites have several sub-classes grouped by chondrule width, each named after the type specimens of each class. CI carbonaceous chondrites, the class of finest grains, are named for the Ivuna meteorite that fell in Tanzania in 1938. CI chondrites almost entirely lack chondrules, and are composed mostly of fine-grained material that underwent aqueous alteration on their parent asteroids. Their chemical composition most closely resembles the sun’s photosphere of any chondrite. Other notable classes include:
TYPE
Carbonaceous Chondrite (CO3)
AGE
LOCATION
Northwest Africa
SIZE
.49" wide, Weight: 1.03 g
CATEGORY
ITEM
#312848
