Ordinary chondrite (H4)
Find, March 1906; 140.6 kg, single stone

A large stone was unearthed during the digging of a trench and was later recognized as a meteorite. Chondrules (ave. diameter 1 mm) & fragments of olivine and pyroxene are found within an opaque ground mass. Radiating pyroxene (RP) chondrules are notably plentiful. A bright fireball had appeared a few years earlier (20 July 1898) and was believed by some to have been the date of the fall. However, all of the Fe-Ni metal has been weathered to an extent that is more typical of many decades or even centuries of terrestrial exposure. Composition of both olivine (Fo80) and Pyroxene (En 84) are consistent with classification as an H chondrite (relatively high bulk iron). However, the bulk iron composition (22 wt%) is somewhat low — presumably due to weathering losses. In addition to the major silicates and weathered metal, minor troilite, plagioclase, and accessory chromite are reported. Magnetite is reported as small black grains (<0.1 mm) enclosed in olivine and pyroxene by Mason & Wiik (1960). When magnetite is found in ordinary chondrites it is normally as a terrestrial weathering product, but in this instance the magnetite may be of preterrestrial origin.

Selma is the 4th most massive of those meteorites currently classified as exactly 'H4' at theMeteoritical Bulletin Database (March 2016). The H group of ordinary chondrites account for a little more than 35% of all fully classified meteorite falls. The main mass has been kept at the American Museum of Natural History (New York).

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

ⓘ Chromite

ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'

ⓘ Enstatite

ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'

ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'

ⓘ 'Plagioclase'

ⓘ Taenite

ⓘ Troilite

6 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 Diagram

ⓘ H4 chondrite meteorite

Entries shown in red are rocks recorded for this region.

Meteorite and other extra-terrestrial rock and sediment
- Meteorite
  - Chondrite meteorite
    - Ordinary chondrite meteorite

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Chromite

Formula: Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄

References:

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'

References:

Merrill, G.P. (1916) Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Meteorite Collections in the U.S. National Museum. Bull. U. S. Natl. Museum, No.94, Washington.

ⓘ Enstatite

Formula: Mg₂Si₂O₆

Description: 'Enstatite' - The composition here (Fo80) is not the nearly pure Mg silicate implied by the term as frequently used in the Meteoritic literature.

References:

Cook, Robert B., Smith, W. Everett (1982) Mineralogy of Alabama. Bulletin 120. Geological Survey of Alabama

ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'

Description: Olivine (Fo80)

References:

Merrill, G.P. (1916) Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Meteorite Collections in the U.S. National Museum. Bull. U. S. Natl. Museum, No.94, Washington.

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

Cook, Robert B., Smith, W. Everett (1982) Mineralogy of Alabama. Bulletin 120. Geological Survey of Alabama

ⓘ 'Glass'

References:

Merrill, G.P. (1916) Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Meteorite Collections in the U.S. National Museum. Bull. U. S. Natl. Museum, No.94, Washington.

ⓘ 'Limonite'

References:

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

ⓘ Magnetite

Formula: Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄

References:

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

ⓘ Native Iron

Formula: Fe

Description: Severely weathered.

References:

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

Description: Severely weathered.

References:

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'

References:

Merrill, G.P. (1916) Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Meteorite Collections in the U.S. National Museum. Bull. U. S. Natl. Museum, No.94, Washington.

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

ⓘ 'Plagioclase'

Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈

Description: Plagioclase composition (An34) is somewhat Ca-rich according to Mason and Wiik (1960).

References:

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

ⓘ Taenite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

Description: Severely weathered.

References:

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

ⓘ Troilite

Formula: FeS

References:

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

Cook, Robert B., Smith, W. Everett (1982) Mineralogy of Alabama. Bulletin 120. Geological Survey of Alabama

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Native Iron	1.AE.05	Fe
ⓘ	var. Kamacite	1.AE.05	(Fe,Ni)
ⓘ	Taenite	1.AE.10	(Fe,Ni)
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘ	Troilite	2.CC.10	FeS
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Chromite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄
ⓘ	Magnetite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Enstatite	9.DA.05	Mg₂Si₂O₆
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Limonite'	-
ⓘ	'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'	-
ⓘ	'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'	-
ⓘ	'Plagioclase'	-	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
ⓘ	'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'	-
ⓘ	'Glass'	-

List of minerals for each chemical element

O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Enstatite	Mg₂Si₂O₆
O	ⓘ Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
O	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Na	Sodium
Na	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Mg	Magnesium
Mg	ⓘ Enstatite	Mg₂Si₂O₆
Mg	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Enstatite	Mg₂Si₂O₆
Si	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Si	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
S	Sulfur
S	ⓘ Troilite	FeS
Ca	Calcium
Ca	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Cr	Chromium
Cr	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	Iron
Fe	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Native Iron	Fe
Fe	ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Troilite	FeS
Fe	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Ni	Nickel
Ni	ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Ni	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent

North America PlateTectonic Plate

SCAB DomainDomain
Southern and Central ApplachianAccretionary Complex

USA

⭔Southeastern United StatesArea

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References

www.lpi.usra.edu (n.d.) http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=23486

www.lpi.usra.edu (n.d.) http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/get_original_photo.php?recno=5631891

Merrill, G. P. (1916) Handbook and Descriptive Catalogue of the Meteorite Collections in the U.S. National Museum. Bull. U. S. Natl. Museum, No.94, Washington. 207 pp., 41 pls.

Prior, G. T. (1923) Catalogue of Meteorites - With Special Reference to those Represented in the Collection of the British Museum (Natural History) (1st ed.) The Trustees of the British Museum, London.

Mason, B. & Wiik, H.B. (1960) The Selma, Alabama, Chondrite. American Museum Novitates, No.2010, New York. 7 pp.

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

Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025

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.

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

www.lpi.usra.edu (n.d.) http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php

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