NWA 13887 Carbonaceous Chondrite CO3
Image: Ahmad Fairuz (CC BY 4.0)
Mineral NameNWA 13887 Carbonaceous Chondrite CO3
Chemical FormulaNot applicable for a rock; primarily composed of silicates (olivine, pyroxene), metals (iron-nickel), sulfides, and carbonaceous compounds.
Mohs Hardness5
Streak ColorGrey to brownish-grey
CleavageNone (as a rock); constituent minerals may exhibit cleavage.
FractureUneven to conchoidal
Specific Gravity3.4
Colorsdark grey, brownish-grey, light grey, brown, reddish-brown
TransparencyOpaque
Type LocalityNorth West Africa (NWA)
Mineral GroupMeteorite (Stony Meteorite, Carbonaceous Chondrite group)
Usesscientific study, collector specimens
Associated Mineralsolivine, pyroxene, troilite, kamacite, taenite, carbonaceous matter
Rarityuncommon
Description
This is a cut and polished slice of a carbonaceous chondrite, displaying a dark, granular matrix densely packed with numerous spherical chondrules of varying sizes and colors, including grey, brown, and subtle bluish tints. Some reddish-brown areas suggest oxidation.
Geological Context
Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive meteorites that formed in the early solar system, representing some of the oldest and least altered materials from the protoplanetary disk. They are fragments of asteroids that never underwent significant differentiation, preserving a record of the conditions during planetary formation.
