Ordinary chondrite, xenolithic (H3.7; S2)
Found, 1893; 2.9 kg

A partially buried meteoritic stone was discovered upon a farm. Early studies revealed a texturally unusual meteorite with abundant and distinct chondrules found within a dark and often rust-indurated matrix. Recognized today as an unequilibrated ordinary H-chondrite, current studies have been focused on disentangling the history and implications of the various inclusions, isotopic anomalies, and xenoliths which have been assembled within the meteorite. Mineralogically the meteorite consists primarily of dominant olivine (Fa~19, avg.) and clinopyroxene accompanied by troilite and Fe-Ni metal. Minor amounts of plagioclase and Ca-rich pyroxene along with accessory chromite and ilmenite are also in evidence. Rust and limonite stains are indicative of moderate-to-severe weathering.

Clues of ancient collisions and a more recent epoch as a constituent of an earth-crossing meteoroid are presumably embedded in a U-He age of 3.54 Ga and a cosmic ray exposure (CRE) age of 25.6 Ma.

The Prairie Dog Creek meteorite was well distributed for its moderate size as masses in the 200-400 g range have been preserved at the American Museum of Natural History (New York), Naturhistorisches Museum (Wien), United States National Museum, and the Hungarian National Museum (Budapest) with several smaller masses preserved elsewhere.

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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

12 valid minerals.

Meteorite/Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

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Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

ⓘ 'H3.7 chondrite meteorite'

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Chromite

Formula: Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

Bunch, T.E., Keil, Klaus, Snetsinger, K.G. (1967) Chromite composition in relation to chemistry and texture of ordinary chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 31 (10). 1569-1582 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(67)90105-6

ⓘ Clinoenstatite

Formula: MgSiO₃

References:

Kracher, A., Scott, E. R. D., & Keil, K. (1984) RELICT and other anomalous grains in chondrules - Implications for chondrule formation: Journal of Geophysical Research, Supplement vol. 89: pp. B559-B566. (15 Feb 1984).

ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

ⓘ Copper

Formula: Cu

References:

Rubin, Alan E. (1994) Metallic copper in ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, 29 (1) 93-98 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00659.x

ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'

Description: Composition (Fa19), Mason, 1963.

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

Mason, Brian (1963) Olivine composition in chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 27 (10) 1011-1023 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(63)90062-0

Graham, A. L., Bevan, A. W. R., Hutchison, R. (1985) Catalogue of Meteorites - With Special Reference to those Represented in the Collection of the British Museum (Natural History) (4th ed.) British Museum (Natural History), London.

Rubin, Alan E. (1990) Kamacite and olivine in ordinary chondrites: Intergroup and intragroup relationships. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 54 (5) 1217-1232 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(90)90148-e

ⓘ Forsterite

Formula: Mg₂SiO₄

Description: Zoned olivine in porphyritic chondrule w. Forsterite core [Fa0.3].

References:

ⓘ 'Glass'

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

ⓘ Ilmenite

Formula: Fe²⁺TiO₃

References:

Snetsinger, Kenneth G., Keil, Klaus (1969) Ilmenite in ordinary Chondrites. American Mineralogist, 54 (5-6) 780-786

ⓘ Iron

Formula: Fe

References:

Rubin, Alan E. (1990) Kamacite and olivine in ordinary chondrites: Intergroup and intragroup relationships. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 54 (5) 1217-1232 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(90)90148-e

ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

References:

Rubin, Alan E. (1990) Kamacite and olivine in ordinary chondrites: Intergroup and intragroup relationships. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 54 (5) 1217-1232 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(90)90148-e

ⓘ 'Limonite'

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

ⓘ Merrillite

Formula: Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇

References:

King, T.V.V. & King, E.A. (1981) Accretionary dark rims in unequilibrated chondrites: Icarus 48(3) p. 460-472. (Dec. 1981) .

ⓘ Nepheline

Formula: Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)

Description: Other similar pre-terrestial phases may be difficult to separate from terrestrial weatherates.

References:

Fuchs, L.H. (1968) X-ray crystallographic evidence for the meteoritic occurrence of nepheline. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 5: 187-190.

ⓘ 'Plagioclase'

Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

ⓘ 'Pyroxene Group'

Formula: ADSi₂O₆

Description: Farrington's 'augite' is presumably today's diopside, augite, or pigeonite. Earlier classification as a 'olivine-bronzite' chondrite implies that either Ca-poor orthopyroxene or clinopyroxene is present.

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

ⓘ Taenite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

References:

Rubin, Alan E. (1994) Metallic copper in ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, 29 (1) 93-98 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00659.x

ⓘ Tetrataenite

Formula: FeNi

References:

Rubin, Alan E. (1994) Metallic copper in ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, 29 (1) 93-98 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00659.x

ⓘ Tridymite

Formula: SiO₂

References:

Fuchs, L.H. (1968) X-ray crystallographic evidence for the meteoritic occurrence of nepheline. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 5: 187-190.

ⓘ Troilite

Formula: FeS

References:

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

King, T.V.V. & King, E.A. (1981) Accretionary dark rims in unequilibrated chondrites: Icarus 48(3) p. 460-472. (Dec. 1981) .

Rubin, Alan E. (1994) Metallic copper in ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, 29 (1) 93-98 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00659.x

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Copper	1.AA.05	Cu
ⓘ	Iron	1.AE.05	Fe
ⓘ	var. Kamacite	1.AE.05	(Fe,Ni)
ⓘ	Taenite	1.AE.10	(Fe,Ni)
ⓘ	Tetrataenite	1.AE.10	FeNi
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘ	Troilite	2.CC.10	FeS
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Chromite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄
ⓘ	Ilmenite	4.CB.05	Fe²⁺TiO₃
ⓘ	Tridymite	4.DA.10	SiO₂
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
ⓘ	Merrillite	8.AC.45	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Forsterite	9.AC.05	Mg₂SiO₄
ⓘ	Clinoenstatite	9.DA.10	MgSiO₃
ⓘ	Nepheline	9.FA.05	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Limonite'	-
ⓘ	'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'	-
ⓘ	'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'	-
ⓘ	'Plagioclase'	-	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
ⓘ	'Pyroxene Group'	-	ADSi₂O₆
ⓘ	'Glass'	-

List of minerals for each chemical element

O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Clinoenstatite	MgSiO₃
O	ⓘ Forsterite	Mg₂SiO₄
O	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
O	ⓘ Nepheline	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
O	ⓘ Tridymite	SiO₂
O	ⓘ Merrillite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
O	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
O	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
O	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
Na	Sodium
Na	ⓘ Nepheline	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
Na	ⓘ Merrillite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
Na	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Mg	Magnesium
Mg	ⓘ Clinoenstatite	MgSiO₃
Mg	ⓘ Forsterite	Mg₂SiO₄
Mg	ⓘ Merrillite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
Mg	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Nepheline	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
Al	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Clinoenstatite	MgSiO₃
Si	ⓘ Forsterite	Mg₂SiO₄
Si	ⓘ Nepheline	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
Si	ⓘ Tridymite	SiO₂
Si	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Si	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Si	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
P	Phosphorus
P	ⓘ Merrillite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
S	Sulfur
S	ⓘ Troilite	FeS
K	Potassium
K	ⓘ Nepheline	Na₃K(Al₄Si₄O₁₆)
Ca	Calcium
Ca	ⓘ Merrillite	Ca₉NaMg(PO₄)₇
Ca	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Ti	Titanium
Ti	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Cr	Chromium
Cr	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	Iron
Fe	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Fe	ⓘ Iron	Fe
Fe	ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Tetrataenite	FeNi
Fe	ⓘ Troilite	FeS
Fe	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Ni	Nickel
Ni	ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Ni	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)
Ni	ⓘ Tetrataenite	FeNi
Cu	Copper
Cu	ⓘ Copper	Cu

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent

North America PlateTectonic Plate

Great Plains DomainDomain
Yavapai TerraneVolcanic Arc

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References

Farrington, O.C. (1915). Catalogue of the meteorites of North America to January 1, 1909. Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13. Washington, D.C.

Mason, Brian (1963) Olivine composition in chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 27 (10) 1011-1023 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(63)90062-0

Fuchs, L.H. (1968) X-ray crystallographic evidence for the meteoritic occurrence of nepheline. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 5: 187-190.

Snetsinger, Kenneth G., Keil, Klaus (1969) Ilmenite in ordinary Chondrites. American Mineralogist, 54 (5-6) 780-786

King, T.V.V. & King, E.A. (1981) Accretionary dark rims in unequilibrated chondrites: Icarus 48(3): 460-472. (Dec. 1981).

Rubin, Alan E. (1990) Kamacite and olivine in ordinary chondrites: Intergroup and intragroup relationships. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 54 (5) 1217-1232 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(90)90148-e

Wasson, John T., Wang, Sichao (1991) The histories of ordinary chondrite parent bodies: U,Th-He age distributions. Meteoritics, 26 (2) 161-167 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1991.tb01033.x

Rubin, Alan E. (1994) Metallic copper in ordinary chondrites. Meteoritics, 29 (1) 93-98 doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1994.tb00659.x

Graf, Th. & Marti, K. (1995) Collisional history of H chondrites. J. Geophys. Res. (Planets) 100, 21247–21263.

Grady, Monica (2000) Catalogue of Meteorites (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

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Prairie Dog Creek meteorite, Decatur County, Kansas, USAiRegional Level TypesPrairie Dog Creek meteoriteMeteorite Fall Location Decatur CountyCounty KansasState USACountry function showexplain() { $("#locexplain").toggle(); if (typeof movemap === "function") movemap(); }

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Detailed Mineral List:

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

List of minerals for each chemical element

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References

Prairie Dog Creek meteorite, Decatur County, Kansas, USA i
Regional Level Types
Prairie Dog Creek meteorite Meteorite Fall Location
Decatur County County
Kansas State
USA Country