Best Carbonaceous Chondrite
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Orgueil is a CI1 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell near Orgueil in southern France on 14 May 1864. CI chondrites are chemically primitive, fine-grained rocks rich in hydrated minerals and organic compounds, and their nonvolatile elemental abundances closely resemble those measured in the so...
Tagish Lake is a carbon-rich meteorite that fell over northwestern British Columbia, Canada, on 18 January 2000, scattering fragments across the frozen surface of Tagish Lake. Residents recovered some pieces quickly and kept them frozen, limiting exposure to liquid water and terrestrial contaminatio...
The Murchison meteorite is a carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Murchison in Victoria, Australia, in 1969. Classified as a CM2 meteorite, it contains abundant organic compounds, including numerous amino acids, and has been studied extensively in research on prebiotic chemistry. Its chemically pri...
The Allende meteorite is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite that fell over the Mexican state of Chihuahua in February 1969. It contains calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, refractory components that formed during the earliest stages of the Solar System and rank among its oldest dated solid materials. The la...
Ivuna is a CI1 carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Ivuna, Tanzania, in 1938. CI meteorites are rare, chemically primitive materials whose nonvolatile elemental abundances closely resemble those measured in the Sun, although their minerals have been extensively altered by water on their parent body...
Aguas Zarcas is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite that fell over Costa Rica on 23 April 2019. Residents and researchers recovered numerous fragments soon after the event, including material that had avoided prolonged exposure to soil, rain, and handling. Its hydrated minerals and diverse carbon-bearing c...
The Winchcombe meteorite is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite that fell over Gloucestershire, England, on 28 February 2021. Pieces were recovered rapidly after its bright fireball was recorded, limiting terrestrial contamination and giving researchers unusually pristine material. It contains hydrated min...
Renazzo is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell near Renazzo, Italy, in 1824. It is the type specimen of the CR, or Renazzo-type, group of carbonaceous chondrites, which are noted for abundant chondrules, metal, and chemically primitive material. Researchers study such meteorites because the...
Vigarano is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell near Vigarano Mainarda, Italy, in 1910. It gives its name to the CV, or Vigarano-type, group and contains chondrules, metal, and abundant calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions. These refractory inclusions are among the oldest dated solids forme...
Ornans is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell near Ornans in the Doubs department of France in 1868. It is the type specimen for the CO, or Ornans-type, group of carbonaceous chondrites, whose members contain abundant small chondrules and primitive rocky material. Its classification makes i...
Flensburg is a small carbonaceous meteorite that fell near Flensburg in northern Germany on 12 September 2019, shortly after a daylight fireball was observed. It is classified as an ungrouped C1 chondrite and contains hydrated minerals and unusually fresh carbonates formed through interactions betwe...
Murray is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Murray, Kentucky, in 1950. Like other meteorites of its class, it contains water-altered minerals, carbon-bearing compounds, and amino acids, making it an important specimen for research on organic chemistry in the early solar system. Scientists...
Alais is a CI1 carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Alais, now called Ales, in southern France in 1806. CI meteorites are chemically primitive, rich in hydrated minerals, and notable for elemental compositions that closely resemble the nonvolatile composition of the Sun, although their original tex...
Karoonda is a carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Karoonda in South Australia in 1930. Classified as CK4, it is the type specimen from which the CK meteorite group takes its name. CK chondrites are distinguished by strongly oxidized mineralogy and evidence of thermal metamorphism, making Karoonda...
Cold Bokkeveld is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite that fell in South Africa's Cold Bokkeveld region in 1838. Its fine-grained material contains hydrated minerals produced by interaction with liquid water on its parent body, while its carbon-rich composition has also attracted investigation of extraterr...
Lancé is a CO3 carbonaceous chondrite that fell in France in 1872. CO meteorites are characterized by abundant, generally small chondrules set within fine-grained material, and their type 3 classification indicates limited thermal equilibration compared with more metamorphosed chondrites. Lancé ther...
Revelstoke is a CI1 carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada, in 1965. Only about one gram of material was recovered, leaving exceptionally little material available for scientific analysis or collecting. As a witnessed CI fall, it represents a rare class of chemica...
Efremovka is a reduced CV3 carbonaceous chondrite found in Kazakhstan in 1962. It contains well-preserved chondrules and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, among the earliest solids known to have formed in the Solar System, as well as presolar grains inherited from material predating it. These compon...
Leoville is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite found in Kansas and assigned to the reduced subgroup of CV meteorites. It contains chondrules, calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, metal, and fine-grained matrix that retain evidence of early Solar System processes. Its comparatively limited thermal and aqueous...
Kaba is a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell near Kaba, in present-day Hungary, in 1857. It is classified as a CV3 chondrite and is associated with the oxidized portion of the CV meteorite group, preserving primitive minerals and fine-grained material from the early solar system. Researchers...
Nogoya is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite associated with Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. Meteorites of this class contain abundant hydrated minerals produced through interaction with water on their parent asteroid, along with carbon-bearing compounds and fine-grained primitive material. Nogo...
Axtell is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite meteorite found near Axtell, Texas, in 1943. Like other CV chondrites, it contains conspicuous chondrules and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, among the earliest solids formed in the Solar System. Its petrologic type 3 designation indicates that its original m...
Stony-iron meteorite found near Cochabamba, Bolivia, one of South America's notable meteorite recoveries studied for its mineralogy and extraterrestrial origin.
Meteorite recovered from the Grosvenor Mountains blue-ice area of Antarctica in 1995, collected during systematic U.S. Antarctic meteorite search program fieldwork.
