meteorite

Chondrite Meteorite

Ordinary Chondrite (L or H class)

Hardness: 4.5-5.5 (approximate), Color: Dark brown to black fusion crust with grey/mottled interior, Luster: Dull to metallic (if iron grains are visible), Crystal structure: Granular with chondrules (spherical grains), Specific Gravity: 3.0-3.8.

Hardness: 4

Identified July 4, 2026More meteorite →

Explore Chondrite Meteorite in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the solar nebula approximately 4.5 billion years ago, representing the primordial matter of the early solar system. These are fragments of asteroids that fall to Earth's surface.

Uses & applications

Scientific research into the origin of the solar system, private collection, and occasionally sliced for jewelry or pendants.

Geological facts

Chondrites are the most common type of meteorite, accounting for about 86% of all falls. They contain tiny round grains called chondrules, which were once molten droplets in space before the planets formed.

Field identification & locations

Identify by a dark 'fusion crust' formed during entry, smooth but irregular surface (regmaglypts), and magnetism due to iron content. Look for small circular chondrule patterns on broken or polished surfaces.

Other meteorite specimens

See all

Iron Meteorite

Siderite (Fe, Ni)

igneous

Shatter Cone

Impactite (Shatter Cone texture)

metamorphic

Iron Meteorite

Siderite (comprised primarily of Kamacite and Taenite alloys)

igneous

Pallasite Meteorite

Pallasite (Stony-iron meteorite; Fe-Ni alloy with (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine)

Mineral/Extraterrestrial Rock

Chondrite Meteorite

Stony Meteorite (Chondrite)

meteorite

Slag (Anthropogenic Glass/Iron byproduct)

Ferro-silicate Slag

Anthropogenic (Man-made)