Stony Meteorites
STONY METEORITES:
Stony meteorites fall into two main classes. The chondrites (so-called because they contain tiny spheres calledchondrules - look at NWA 4522 below for a really clear example) make up around 85% of all metorites. These contain very primitive material, some of which is as old as (or older than) the solar system itself.
About 7% of meteorites are achondrites - they don’t show chondrules at all. These are believed to have formed on large parent bodies, and represent the crust or mantle of asteroids broken free as a result of the parent body being struck by an impacting object. The asteroid Vesta is believed to be the parent for many achondrite meteorites. A handful, however, are formed in the same way but originate from the planet Mars or the Moon.
Martian (and especially lunar) material is extremely rare.
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ZAGAMI Fell 3rd October, 1962 Katsina Province, Nigeria TKW 18kg Sample:0.03g |
Martian basaltic shergottite | ![]() Nigeria 1962 |
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DAR AL GANI 400 Found 1998 Al Jufrah, Libya TKW 1425g Sample: 0.22g |
Lunar anorthositic breccia | ![]() Libya 1998 |
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TAFASSASSET Found 14th February, 2000 Tenere Desert, Niger TKW 144kg Sample: 8.0g |
Anomalous CR carbonaceous chondrite, or primitive achondrite | ![]() Niger 2000 |
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NWA 3348 Found 2000 Northwest Africa TKW 654g Sample: 32.2g |
L5 ordinary chondrite | ![]() NWA 2000 |
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ADRAR CHIRIET Found 2003 Agadez, Niger TKW 926g Sample:10.2g |
L6 ordinary chondrite | ![]() Niger 2003 |
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DHOFAR 1290 Found 2004 Zufar, Oman TKW 1211g Sample: 22g |
LL4 ordinary chondrite | ![]() Oman 2004 |
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DHOFAR 1180 Found 2005 Zufar, Oman TKW 115.2g Sample: 0.056g |
Lunar breccia | ![]() Oman 2005 |
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NWA 3359 Found 2005 Northwest Africa TKW 509g Sample: 15.8g |
Polymict eucrite achondrite | ![]() NWA 2005 |
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NWA 4473 Found 2006 Northwest Africa TKW 32g Sample: 4.6g |
Polymict brecciated diogenite achondrite | ![]() NWA 2006 |
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NWA 4522 Found 2006 Northwest Africa TKW 949g Sample: 28.4g in total |
LL3.5 ordinary chondrite | ![]() NWA 2006 |
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NWA 4558 Found 2006 Northwest Africa TKW 900 Sample: 45.3g |
L4 ordinary chondrite | ![]() NWA 2006 |
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NWA 4680 Found 2006 Northwest Africa TKW 3830g Sample: 17.2g |
L4-6 ordinary chondrite | ![]() NWA 2006 |

















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