description NWA 869 Overview
NWA 869 is the designation given to a widely distributed stony meteorite found in Northwest Africa beginning around 2000. It is classified as an ordinary chondrite breccia, commonly described within the L-chondrite group, and consists of fragments that record impact processing on its parent body. Many separately recovered stones have been paired under the same name, producing a reported combined mass of more than two metric tons.
help NWA 869 FAQ
What type of meteorite is NWA 869?
NWA 869 is classified as an ordinary chondrite, specifically belonging to the L-chondrite group, and is notably a breccia. This means the meteorite is composed of various rock fragments that were shattered and fused together by impact events in space.
Where was the NWA 869 meteorite found?
This meteorite was discovered in the deserts of Northwest Africa, with the initial mass finds occurring around the year 2000. It is one of the largest and most widely distributed ordinary chondrite finds to ever come out of the Sahara desert region.
Can you still buy a piece of the NWA 869 meteorite?
Yes, because the NWA 869 strewn field yielded thousands of individual stones, fragments and slices are readily available on the commercial meteorite market. It remains one of the most affordable and popular specimens for private collectors.
Does NWA 869 contain high levels of iron?
As an L-chondrite, the L stands for Low iron compared to H-chondrites, but it still contains distinct, visible metal flakes. When a slice is polished, you can easily see the shiny iron-nickel alloys scattered throughout the rocky matrix.
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