.61" Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite (.76 g) Slice - NWA 15175

This is a .61" wide (.76 gram) slice of the NWA 15175 meteorite which is classified as a CR2 carbonaceous chondrite.

Comes in an acrylic display case.

About NWA 15175

NWA 15175 was discovered in Algeria in 2021 and purchased later that year by Isabelle Pothier in Morocco. It's classified as a carbonaceous chondrite (CR2). Cut faces of the meteorite display large, well-delineated chondrules and metal (troilite and magnetite).

Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for the Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite NWA 15175

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.

  • SOLD
    DETAILS
    TYPE
    Carbonaceous Chondrite (CR2)
    LOCATION
    Algeria, Northwest Africa
    SIZE
    Size: .61 x .5", 0.05" thick, Weight: .76 grams
    ITEM
    #315279