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Khairpur meteorite, Bahawalpur District, Punjab Province, Pakistani
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Khairpur meteorite | Meteorite Fall Location |
| Bahawalpur District | District |
| Punjab Province | Region |
| Pakistan | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
29° 31' 59'' North , 72° 17' 59'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Meteorite Class:
Meteoritical Society Class:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Khairpur Tamewah | 30,967 (2017) | 8.0km |
| Hasilpur | 88,031 (2018) | 29.6km |
| Mailsi | 64,545 (2017) | 32.2km |
| Kahror Pakka | 69,743 (2017) | 38.6km |
Enstatite Chondrite [EL6; S2]
Early Enstatite Chondrite fall, 13.6 kg
As dawn was breaking on 23 September 1873, a swarm of bolides were seen, detonations were almost immediately heard, and a shower of meteorites fell over a 5 km x 25 km region of the Punjab forming a number of small craters. A few stones which fell near the village of Khairpur were recovered. The Khairpur meteorite was soon recognized by G. T. Prior (1918) and others as an unusual meteorite with affinities to other meteorite oddballs such as the Daniel’s Kuil (1868) and Hvittis (1901) falls. Today we classify all three meteorites as Enstatite Chondrites, petrologic type EL6. The class name is derived from their most prominent mineral, Enstatite, an iron-poor silicate which is relatively uncommon in earth rocks. In mineralogical circles, interest has been also been piqued by the discovery of a suite of minerals unknown in terrestrial rocks. The Oldhamite in Khairpur described by Prior was an early instance of an ongoing pursuit.
Enstatite Chondrites are marked by sub-solar Mg/Si ratios, near terrestrial Oxygen-isotope ratios, abundant ‘free’ Fe-Ni metal (~10 vol%), and highly reduced mineral assemblages. Both low-iron (EL) and high-iron (EH) chemical groups have abundant Fe-Ni metal, but the (EL) group has less overall Fe content. The EL group is also distinguished by moderately large chondrules and the invariable presence of ferroan alabandite.
Most EL chondrites, including Khairpur, are designated as petrologic type EL6. Metamorphic heating has homogenized most minerals, coarsened feldspar, converted low-Ca pyroxene to orthopyroxene, and obliterated many chondrule outlines. No melting of chondrules is observed.
As the third observed Enstatite Chondrite fall and as the third most massive EL fall, Khairpur has offered both material for study and food for thought for well over a century.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
14 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:
| ⓘ Alabandite Formula: MnS |
| ⓘ Cristobalite Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Daubréelite Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2S4 |
| ⓘ Enstatite Formula: Mg2Si2O6 References: |
| ⓘ 'Feldspar Group' Description: Minor constituent |
| ⓘ Graphite Formula: C |
| ⓘ Native Copper Formula: Cu |
| ⓘ Native Iron Formula: Fe |
| ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite Formula: (Fe,Ni) |
| ⓘ Oldhamite Formula: CaS References: |
| ⓘ Osbornite Formula: TiN |
| ⓘ Perryite Formula: (Ni,Fe)5(Si,P)2 |
| ⓘ 'Plagioclase' Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 Description: Plagioclase is Albite-rich (An18) |
| ⓘ Schreibersite Formula: (Fe,Ni)3P |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ Tridymite Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Troilite Formula: FeS |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
| ⓘ | Native Iron | 1.AE.05 | Fe |
| ⓘ | var. Kamacite | 1.AE.05 | (Fe,Ni) |
| ⓘ | Perryite | 1.BB.10 | (Ni,Fe)5(Si,P)2 |
| ⓘ | Osbornite | 1.BC.15 | TiN |
| ⓘ | Schreibersite | 1.BD.05 | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| ⓘ | Graphite | 1.CB.05a | C |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Troilite | 2.CC.10 | FeS |
| ⓘ | Alabandite | 2.CD.10 | MnS |
| ⓘ | Oldhamite | 2.CD.10 | CaS |
| ⓘ | Daubréelite | 2.DA.05 | Fe2+Cr3+2S4 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Tridymite | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Cristobalite | 4.DA.15 | SiO2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Enstatite | 9.DA.05 | Mg2Si2O6 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Feldspar Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Plagioclase' | - | (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
AsiaContinent
Indian Plate (India Plate)Tectonic Plate
- Indus basinBasin
- Rajasthan ProvinceOrogenic Belt
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