Maralinga Meteorite, Maralinga, Maralinga Tjarutja (Maralinga Tjarutja Council), South Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Maralinga Meteorite	Meteorite Fall Location
Maralinga	Desert
Maralinga Tjarutja (Maralinga Tjarutja Council)	Local Government Area
South Australia	State
Australia	Country

Carbonaceous Chondrite (CK4-an; S2; W3/4?)

The Maralinga meteorite was found as a single, weathered stone on a sandy ridge near the village of Maralinga in 1974, but was not recognized as a meteorite until 1989. It has been classified as a CK (Karoonda-like) because of its abundant fine-grained matrix, nearly mm-sized chondrules as well as the usual oxygen isotopes and Mg-Si bulk ratios which define the various Carbonaceous Chondrite Groups. Maralinga’s unusually large chondrule volume (~50%) accounts for its classification as an anomalous CK. Chondrules contain Olivine as well as lesser amounts of Pyroxene and Plagioclase. Petrologic type CK4 Maralinga has been metamorphosed sufficiently to homogenize its olivine & recrystallize its matrix. Terrestrial weathering has influenced the magnetite abundance and apparently accounts for much - if not all -all of Maralinga’s calcite.

While the fractional content of refractory inclusions found in CK meteorites is usually quite small, Maralinga’s inclusions are more abundant and interest in the inclusions is quite high. Most of Maralinga’s moderately large mineral count is accounted for by the various high temperature Ca-Al rich silicates and oxides found in various stages of alteration in the refractory inclusions. (The inclusions are also called Calcium-Aluminium rich inclusions or CAIs).

Keller et al. (1992) provide an excellent overview of the meteorite’s components. The publication of Lindstrom et al. (1993) is but one of several investigations into Maralinga’s variegated population of CAIs.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References