How to identify Chondrite Meteorite

To correctly identify Chondrite Meteorite (Chondrite), check each of these features in order. Many rocks and minerals look alike, so cross-reference multiple properties before deciding.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Color

   Overall color and any zoning or banding

   Typically dark grey, black, or brownish-black, often with a rusty patina due to terrestrial weathering of iron-nickel metal.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Dull to sub-metallic on fresh surfaces, often with small, shiny flecks of metal.

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Fine-grained matrix with embedded chondrules (millimeter-sized spherical inclusions) and metallic grains. Fusion crust, if present, is smooth and often black.

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   Chondrules are typically spherical to sub-spherical. Individual mineral grains within the matrix are anhedral to subhedral. No macroscopic crystal form for the meteorite as a whole.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   No distinct cleavage for the bulk rock. Individual mineral components (olivine, pyroxene) may exhibit cleavage.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Chondrites are not formed in terrestrial geological environments. They are found on Earth's surface after falling from space, often in arid regions (deserts) or polar ice fields where they are preserved and concentrated.

Key Facts

Hardness

Variable, typically 5-6.5 on Mohs scale (due to silicate minerals and metal)

Specific Gravity

3.3 - 3.8 g/cm3 (higher than most terrestrial rocks due to metal content)

Crystal System

Not applicable for the bulk rock; individual minerals (olivine, pyroxene) are orthorhombic or monoclinic; metal is isometric.

Color

Dark grey, black, brownish-black, often with rusty patches

Luster

Dull to sub-metallic, metallic flecks

Transparency

Opaque

Fracture

Irregular to conchoidal

Cleavage

None for the bulk rock; individual minerals may show cleavage.

Composition

Silicates (olivine, pyroxene), iron-nickel metal (Fe-Ni alloy), troilite (FeS), and minor accessory minerals.

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Aggregates of fine-grained matrix, chondrules, and metallic grains. No macroscopic crystal habit for the meteorite itself.
• Cleavage Type: Not applicable for the bulk rock. Individual mineral components may have distinct cleavage (e.g., pyroxene).
• Fracture Type: Irregular to sub-conchoidal.
• Tenacity: Brittle.
• Luster Type: Dull to sub-metallic, with metallic flecks.

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