Collection
Classification: Ordinary (O) LL(L) 3(Low iron Low metal) chondrite
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2016
City, Country: Northwest Africa
Mass: 983 g
In collection
Weight #1 : 7,6 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
NWA 10699 is classified as an Ordinary (O) LL3 (Low iron, Low metal) chondrite, discovered in Northwest Africa. As an LL chondrite, it has relatively low total iron content, with most iron locked in silicate minerals rather than in metallic form. Being “type 3” indicates minimal thermal metamorphism, preserving its original chondritic texture—including well-defined chondrules composed of olivine and pyroxene. Small amounts of metal and sulfides are dispersed throughout the matrix, reflecting the meteorite’s unequilibrated, primordial nature. This makes NWA 10699 an important specimen for understanding the earliest stages of solar system formation and the physical and chemical conditions present before significant heating and differentiation took place.
When examining a thin section of NWA 10699 – an Ordinary (O) LL(L) 3 chondrite under a light microscope, you observe a plethora of well-defined chondrules composed mainly of olivine and pyroxene, each chondrule retaining crisp boundaries due to the meteorite’s minimal thermal metamorphism. Under polarized light, these silicate grains show vibrant interference colors, highlighting their crystalline nature. Small, opaque metallic iron-nickel and sulfide (troilite) grains appear scattered throughout the fine-grained matrix, though present in lower amounts consistent with the “low iron, low metal” classification. The overall texture thus reflects an unequilibrated, primordial state, providing a clear glimpse of early solar system materials before significant heating and differentiation occurred.
