Meteorite Axtell – Texas, USA
Type: stony meteorite / carbonaceous chondrite CV3
Locality: Texas, USA
Weight: 0,01g
Dimensions: 4 x 1 x 1 mm
Year found: 1943
Total known weight: 6,2 kg
Surface treatment: none – raw
Packaging: Transparent plastic box (5,8 x 3,8 x 1,6 cm)
The Axtell meteorite is a rare carbonaceous chondrite of type CV3, which was found in 1943 in McLennan County, Texas, USA. A single piece weighing 6.2 kilograms was discovered during ploughing. This meteorite contains fine- and coarse-grained inclusions rich in calcium and aluminum, which are thought to be among the oldest materials in the solar system.
Analyses have shown that Axtell shows signs of oxidation, suggesting that it has been present on Earth for a longer period of time than other meteorites.
The Axtell meteorite is now part of the collections of several collectors and museums. Notable fragments include a 670g sample housed at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, a 322g fragment at the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, and a 165g fragment located at the Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie in Freiburg, Germany.