• Type: stony meteorite / carbonaceous chondrite CR2
• Location: Algeria
• Weight: 1.8g
• Size: 28 x 25 x 1 mm
• Fall year: 2021
• Known total weight: 1100 g
• Surface treatment: Cut slice
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Erg Chech 003 – CR2 carbonaceous chondrite from Algeria Erg Chech 003 is a rare CR2-type carbonaceous chondrite, discovered in 2021 in the Erg Chech desert region of southwestern Algeria. This meteorite was identified based on nine fragments with a total weight of approximately 1100 grams. The surface of the fragments showed a dark fusion crust, while fresh sections revealed a characteristic internal structure with evident chondrules of contrasting colours immersed in a fine, dark, and partially hydrated matrix. Composition CR2 chondrites are a rare subgroup of stony meteorites. They contain large quantities of chondrules (spherical silicate bodies), metallic grains, a fine matrix, and often presolar minerals. Erg Chech 003 is characterized by a high content of olivine and pyroxene in the chondrules and a relatively low degree of thermal alteration, suggesting that the parent body was never significantly melted.