Collection
Classification: H3.10 (High iron) chondrites
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2016
City, Country: Adrar, Algeria
Mass: 197,8 g
In collection
Weight #1 : 6,77 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
The NWA 13501 meteorite is classified as an H3.10 ordinary chondrite, discovered in Northwest Africa. As an H-type chondrite, it is characterized by a high total iron content, predominantly in the form of metallic iron-nickel and iron-rich silicate minerals like olivine and pyroxene. The petrologic type 3.10 indicates that it is one of the least thermally metamorphosed ordinary chondrites, preserving its original chondritic texture and mineralogy. This low degree of metamorphism means that NWA 13501 contains abundant, well-defined chondrules—small, spherical droplets of once-molten material that solidified in the early solar nebula. Studying this meteorite provides valuable insights into the primitive materials and processes that were present during the formation of the solar system over 4.5 billion years ago.
When examining a H (High iron) under a light microscope, several distinctive features can be observed:
The sample displays an abundance of well-preserved chondrules of various sizes and types, including porphyritic olivine, barred olivine, and radial pyroxene chondrules. These chondrules are embedded in a fine-grained, dark matrix rich in metallic iron-nickel and sulfide minerals, which appear opaque under transmitted light and reflective under reflected light microscopy. The high iron content is evident from numerous metallic grains dispersed throughout the matrix and within the chondrules themselves.
