Meteorite Axtell – Texas, USA
Type: stony meteorite / carbonaceous chondrite CV3
Locality: Texas, USA
Weight: 0,01g
Dimensions: 3 x 2 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)
Axtell Meteorite – Rare Carbonaceous Chondrite from Texas
The Axtell meteorite is a rare carbonaceous chondrite of type CV3, discovered in 1943 in McLennan County, Texas, USA. A single piece weighing 6.2 kilograms was found during plowing. This meteorite contains fine- and coarse-grained calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions, considered among the oldest materials in the solar system.
Oxidation and geological age
Analyses have shown that Axtell exhibits signs of oxidation, which suggests it remained on Earth longer than other meteorites.
Current location and notable fragments
The Axtell meteorite is currently held in collections of various collectors and museums. Notable fragments include a 670g sample at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, a 322g piece at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, and a 165g fragment housed at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Freiburg, Germany.