Stony meteorites

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.