Sutter's Mill meteorite, Sutter Mill Bar and River (Old Sutter Mill site), Coloma, Coloma Mining District, West Belt, El Dorado County, California, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° 48' 14'' North , 120° 54' 29'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Meteorite Class:
Meteoritical Society Class:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Coloma | 529 (2011) | 1.6km |
| Cold Springs | 446 (2011) | 7.6km |
| Placerville | 10,650 (2017) | 12.6km |
| Auburn Lake Trails | 3,426 (2011) | 12.9km |
| Georgetown | 2,367 (2011) | 12.9km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| El Dorado County Mineral and Gem Society | Placerville, California | 13km |
| Gold Country Treasure Seekers | Placerville, California | 13km |
| Roseville Rock Rollers | Roseville, California | 33km |
| Fossils for Fun Society, Inc. | North Highlands, California | 42km |
| Sacramento Valley Detecting Buffs | North Highlands, California | 42km |
Carbonaceous chondrite (C chondrite w. prominent CM2 components)
Fall 22 April 2012; mass > 1 kg
The Sutter's Mill meteorite is a carbonaceous chondrite which entered the earth's atmosphere and broke up at about 07:51 Pacific time on April 22, 2012. The ~3m diameter meteoroid entered the atmosphere at ~ 30 km/sec, burst apart at 48 km altitude, and was heard in the Sierra Nevada before a number of pieces were found both immediately and over the next several months. On 3 May 2012 scientists with the Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute utilized an airship to get aerial photography of the strewn field with the current vegetation that may help detect more fragments of the meteorite. As of 12 July 2012, 73 fragments have been publicly documented with a find location, and the largest (SM53) weighs 205 grams. The second largest is (SM50) and only weighs 42 grams. The name comes from the Sutter's Mill California Gold Rush site near where some pieces were recovered.
The lithology is dominated by phyllosilicates and other hydrously altered phases (sulfides, carbonates) and minor oxides. Unfortunately, only a few samples (SM1—SM3) were recovered before rainfall occurred in the recovery zone. As CM chondrites are characterized by pervasive indicators of pre-terrestrial hydration, separating the pre-terrestrial effects from subsequent weathering effects is always delicate and sometimes problematic. Presolar grains (SiC, corundum, possible graphite and diamond) and organic materials are present. In addition this regolith breccia contains other very unusual and somewhat exotic grains and clasts. For example, one very reduced subsample (SM2-4) contains oldhamite. The prominent presence of enstatite, forsterite, and oldhamite in clasts and matrix has generated some caution in classifying the meteorite. Furthermore, some very unusual C and N isotope ratios and abiotic organics are sometimes outside the normal range for CM chondrites. Sutter's Mill is currently listed as simply a carbonaceous chondrite at the Meteoritical Bulletin Database while others would prefer a more specific CM2 or CM-anomalous designation.
An entire issue of Meteoritics & Planetary Science (Nov 2014) was dedicated to Sutter's Mill.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
18 valid minerals.
Meteorite/Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 References: |
| ⓘ Chromite Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2O4 |
| ⓘ Corundum Formula: Al2O3 |
| ⓘ Cronstedtite Formula: Fe2+2Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ Diopside Formula: CaMgSi2O6 |
| ⓘ Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 References: |
| ⓘ Enstatite Formula: Mg2Si2O6 |
| ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series' |
| ⓘ Forsterite Formula: Mg2SiO4 |
| ⓘ Hedenbergite Formula: CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| ⓘ Magnetite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ Oldhamite Formula: CaS References: |
| ⓘ Pentlandite Formula: (NixFey)Σ9S8 |
| ⓘ Pyrrhotite Formula: Fe1-xS |
| ⓘ Schreibersite Formula: (Fe,Ni)3P |
| ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup' Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ Spinel Formula: MgAl2O4 |
| ⓘ Tochilinite Formula: Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| ⓘ Troilite Formula: FeS |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Schreibersite | 1.BD.05 | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Pentlandite | 2.BB.15 | (NixFey)Σ9S8 |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Pyrrhotite | 2.CC.10 | Fe1-xS |
| ⓘ | Troilite | 2.CC.10 | FeS |
| ⓘ | Oldhamite | 2.CD.10 | CaS |
| ⓘ | Tochilinite | 2.FD.35 | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Chromite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Cr3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Magnetite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Spinel | 4.BB.05 | MgAl2O4 |
| ⓘ | Corundum | 4.CB.05 | Al2O3 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Forsterite | 9.AC.05 | Mg2SiO4 |
| ⓘ | Enstatite | 9.DA.05 | Mg2Si2O6 |
| ⓘ | Diopside | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 |
| ⓘ | Hedenbergite | 9.DA.15 | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| ⓘ | Cronstedtite | 9.ED.15 | Fe2+2Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Serpentine Subgroup' | - | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Cronstedtite | Fe22+Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Tochilinite | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| H | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Corundum | Al2O3 |
| O | ⓘ Cronstedtite | Fe22+Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | ⓘ Enstatite | Mg2Si2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2SiO4 |
| O | ⓘ Hedenbergite | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| O | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| O | ⓘ Tochilinite | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| O | ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series | |
| O | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Mg | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Mg | ⓘ Enstatite | Mg2Si2O6 |
| Mg | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2SiO4 |
| Mg | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| Mg | ⓘ Tochilinite | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| Mg | ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series | |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Corundum | Al2O3 |
| Al | ⓘ Spinel | MgAl2O4 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Cronstedtite | Fe22+Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Enstatite | Mg2Si2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Forsterite | Mg2SiO4 |
| Si | ⓘ Hedenbergite | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| Si | ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series | |
| Si | ⓘ Serpentine Subgroup | D3[Si2O5](OH)4 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Schreibersite | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Oldhamite | CaS |
| S | ⓘ Pentlandite | (NixFey)Σ9S8 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| S | ⓘ Tochilinite | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| S | ⓘ Troilite | FeS |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Diopside | CaMgSi2O6 |
| Ca | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Hedenbergite | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| Ca | ⓘ Oldhamite | CaS |
| Cr | Chromium | |
| Cr | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chromite | Fe2+Cr23+O4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Cronstedtite | Fe22+Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Hedenbergite | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| Fe | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pentlandite | (NixFey)Σ9S8 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| Fe | ⓘ Schreibersite | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| Fe | ⓘ Tochilinite | Fe2+5-6(Mg,Fe2+)5S6(OH)10 |
| Fe | ⓘ Troilite | FeS |
| Fe | ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series | |
| Ni | Nickel | |
| Ni | ⓘ Pentlandite | (NixFey)Σ9S8 |
| Ni | ⓘ Schreibersite | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Calaveras-Baker DomainDomain
- Sierra Nevada BatholithVolcanic Arc
USA
- Sierra NevadaMountain Range
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