Stony meteorites

Stony meteorites are the most common group of meteorites and are composed of minerals commonly found on Earth, such as olivine, pyroxenes, plagioclase and others. They also contain small spherical formations called chondrules, which are characteristic of some types of rock meteorites. Chondrules are small spheres or tiny round formations found in meteorites. These tiny spheres are mainly made up of various minerals such as olivine, pyroxene, and others, and are thought to be one of the oldest known formations in our solar system. These meteorites may also contain organic compounds and water, making them valuable for studying the early history of the solar system. Rocky meteorites can be further divided into chondrites and achondrites, with achondrites coming from bodies that have undergone differentiation, while chondrites remain unchanged since the formation of the solar system.

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Stony meteorites are divided into several main groups according to their chemical and mineralogical composition:

• Chondrites 

  • Ordinary chondrites (H, L, LL)

    • They contain chondrules (small spherical formations) and are classified by iron content (H high iron, L low iron, LL very low iron). These meteorites are thought to be the remains of primitive bodies that formed at a very early stage of the solar system. Their age is estimated to be more than 4.5 billion years, which corresponds to the age of the solar system.

  • Carbonaceous chondrites (CI, CM, CO, CV, CR, CH, CB)

    • Containing organic compounds and water, they are very ancient and unchanged since the formation of the solar system.

  • Enstatite chondrites (EH, EL)

    • Contain the mineral enstatite and have a low oxide content.

• Achondrites

  • Meteorites without chondrules that come from bodies with differentiation.

  • HED meteorites (Howardites, Eucrites, Diogenites)

    • They probably come from the asteroid Vesta, which is the largest known asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.

  • Martian meteorites (SNC: Shergotites, Nakhlites, Chassignites)

    • They come from Mars

  • Lunar meteorites

    • They come from the Moon

  • Other achondrites (Aubrity, Ureility, Angrity)

    • They have different chemical and mineralogical compositions and come from different bodies in the solar system.