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Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USAi
Regional Level Types
Odessa cratersGroup of Impact Craters
OdessaCity
Ector CountyCounty
TexasState
USACountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
00164620017712727643772.jpg
Panoramic View from Parking Area

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
02700570017712727645431.jpg
Close-up of Crater Rim

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
06124910017712727644921.jpg
Far Side of the Crater Rim

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
07446330017712721408834.jpg
Panoramic View from Parking Area

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
03675720017712722073474.jpg
Close-up of Crater Rim

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
06124910017712727644921.jpg
Far Side of the Crater Rim

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
00947600017712727652183.jpg
Panoramic View from Parking Area

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
03426840017712727657169.jpg
Close-up of Crater Rim

Odessa (iron) meteorite, Odessa craters, Odessa, Ector County, Texas, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° 45' 20'' North , 102° 28' 41'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
31.75583,-102.47833
GRN:
N22W62
Type:
Group of Impact Craters
Köppen climate type:
BSk : Cold semi-arid (steppe) climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
West Odessa22,707 (2011)9.8km
Odessa118,968 (2017)14.5km
Goldsmith279 (2017)28.1km
Gardendale1,574 (2011)30.8km
Crane3,895 (2017)41.6km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Midland Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.Midland, Texas46km
Mindat Locality ID:
4134
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:4134:1
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A group of five shallow meteorite craters located about ten miles southwest of Odessa. The largest is approximately 165 meters wide, making it the second largest crater in the US.

The craters were produced by the Odessa (iron) meteorite, a coarse octahedrite classified as a member of the main group of IAB meteorites (IAB-MG). Since 1922 1.6 tons of Fe-Ni rich meteoritical material (Ni ~7 wt%) has been recovered. The sulfides, silicates and several other familiar minerals listed here are, in the main, constituents of the original meteorite where they were often components of troilite and/or graphite inclusions. Several IAB iron meteorites, including the Odessa (iron) meteorite, contain 'silicate' inclusions which contain olivine, orthopyroxene, plagioclase, and other minor minerals. The pre-terrestrial Odessa silicates are usually very reduced and Mg-rich. Several minerals and mineral aggregates listed here (e.g., hibbingite, lawrencite, limonite) were produced by terrestrial weathering of the original iron meteorite. Pentlandite is somewhat more complicated as it is apparently both a primary, preterrestrial component and a weathering product.

The proper name for the meteorite associated with the Odessa Craters is 'Odessa (iron)' as the 'Odessa' meteorite refers to fragments of the earlier (1881) Grossliebenthal meteorite which fell in the Odessa Province of Ukraine.

Significant amounts of the Odessa meteorite are held in the nearby State Universities of Texas (Austin) and New Mexico (Albuquerque) and elsewhere. Masses with well-preserved interior masses, however, are still in short supply.

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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

24 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

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

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Alabandite
Formula: MnS
ⓘ Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ Augite
Formula: (CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
ⓘ Awaruite
Formula: Ni3Fe
ⓘ Chlorapatite
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3Cl
ⓘ Chromite
Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2O4
ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'
Description: Possible diopside. Clinopyroxene is identified as both Ca-rich and Chromian, attributes most commonly found in Diopside.
ⓘ Cohenite
Formula: Fe3C
ⓘ Daubréelite
Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2S4
Description: As a very minor exsolved component ( ~ 1 %) of troilite (Buchwald, 1975)
ⓘ Enstatite
Formula: Mg2Si2O6
ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'
ⓘ Graphite
Formula: C
ⓘ Graphite var. Cliftonite
Formula: C
ⓘ Haxonite
Formula: (Fe,Ni)23C6
ⓘ Heazlewoodite
Formula: Ni3S2
ⓘ Hibbingite
Formula: Fe2+2(OH)3Cl
ⓘ 'K Feldspar'
ⓘ Lawrencite
Formula: (Fe2+,Ni)Cl2
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ 'Meteoritic Iron'
ⓘ Native Copper
Formula: Cu
ⓘ Native Iron
Formula: Fe
ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite
Formula: (Fe,Ni)
ⓘ Native Iron var. Martensite
Formula: Fe
ⓘ Orthoclase
Formula: K(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'
ⓘ Pentlandite
Formula: (NixFey)Σ9S8
Description: Found as a primary constituent in an inclusion (El Goresy,1965) and a component in weathering veins (Buchwald, 1975)
ⓘ 'Plagioclase'
Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
ⓘ 'Plessite'
ⓘ Rutile
Formula: TiO2
ⓘ Schreibersite
Formula: (Fe,Ni)3P
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ Taenite
Formula: (Ni,Fe)
ⓘ Troilite
Formula: FeS
ⓘ Wurtzite
Formula: (Zn,Fe)S

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Copper1.AA.05Cu
ⓘNative Iron1.AE.05Fe
ⓘvar. Kamacite1.AE.05(Fe,Ni)
ⓘvar. Martensite1.AE.05Fe
ⓘTaenite1.AE.10(Ni,Fe)
ⓘAwaruite1.AE.20Ni3Fe
ⓘCohenite1.BA.05Fe3C
ⓘHaxonite1.BA.10(Fe,Ni)23C6
ⓘSchreibersite1.BD.05(Fe,Ni)3P
ⓘGraphite1.CB.05aC
ⓘvar. Cliftonite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘHeazlewoodite2.BB.05Ni3S2
ⓘPentlandite2.BB.15(NixFey)Σ9S8
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘWurtzite2.CB.45(Zn,Fe)S
ⓘTroilite2.CC.10FeS
ⓘAlabandite2.CD.10MnS
ⓘDaubréelite2.DA.05Fe2+Cr3+2S4
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘLawrencite3.AB.20(Fe2+,Ni)Cl2
ⓘHibbingite3.DA.10aFe2+2(OH)3Cl
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘChromite4.BB.05Fe2+Cr3+2O4
ⓘRutile4.DB.05TiO2
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
ⓘChlorapatite8.BN.05Ca5(PO4)3Cl
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘEnstatite9.DA.05Mg2Si2O6
ⓘAugite9.DA.15(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
ⓘOrthoclase9.FA.30K(AlSi3O8)
ⓘAlbite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
Unclassified
ⓘ'Limonite'-
ⓘ'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'-
ⓘ'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'-
ⓘ'Plagioclase'-(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
ⓘ'K Feldspar'-
ⓘ'Meteoritic Iron'-
ⓘ'Plessite'-
ⓘ'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ HibbingiteFe22+(OH)3Cl
CCarbon
Cⓘ CoheniteFe3C
Cⓘ GraphiteC
Cⓘ Haxonite(Fe,Ni)23C6
Cⓘ Graphite var. CliftoniteC
OOxygen
Oⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Oⓘ ChlorapatiteCa5(PO4)3Cl
Oⓘ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Oⓘ EnstatiteMg2Si2O6
Oⓘ HibbingiteFe22+(OH)3Cl
Oⓘ OrthoclaseK(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ RutileTiO2
Oⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Oⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
NaSodium
Naⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Naⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Mgⓘ EnstatiteMg2Si2O6
Mgⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Alⓘ OrthoclaseK(AlSi3O8)
Alⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Siⓘ EnstatiteMg2Si2O6
Siⓘ OrthoclaseK(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Siⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ ChlorapatiteCa5(PO4)3Cl
Pⓘ Schreibersite(Fe,Ni)3P
SSulfur
Sⓘ AlabanditeMnS
Sⓘ DaubréeliteFe2+Cr23+S4
Sⓘ HeazlewooditeNi3S2
Sⓘ Pentlandite(NixFey)Σ9S8
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Sⓘ TroiliteFeS
Sⓘ Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)S
ClChlorine
Clⓘ ChlorapatiteCa5(PO4)3Cl
Clⓘ HibbingiteFe22+(OH)3Cl
Clⓘ Lawrencite(Fe2+,Ni)Cl2
KPotassium
Kⓘ OrthoclaseK(AlSi3O8)
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Caⓘ ChlorapatiteCa5(PO4)3Cl
Caⓘ Plagioclase(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ RutileTiO2
CrChromium
Crⓘ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Crⓘ DaubréeliteFe2+Cr23+S4
MnManganese
Mnⓘ AlabanditeMnS
FeIron
Feⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Feⓘ AwaruiteNi3Fe
Feⓘ ChromiteFe2+Cr23+O4
Feⓘ CoheniteFe3C
Feⓘ DaubréeliteFe2+Cr23+S4
Feⓘ Haxonite(Fe,Ni)23C6
Feⓘ HibbingiteFe22+(OH)3Cl
Feⓘ Native IronFe
Feⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite(Fe,Ni)
Feⓘ Lawrencite(Fe2+,Ni)Cl2
Feⓘ Pentlandite(NixFey)Σ9S8
Feⓘ Schreibersite(Fe,Ni)3P
Feⓘ Taenite(Ni,Fe)
Feⓘ TroiliteFeS
Feⓘ Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)S
Feⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Feⓘ Native Iron var. MartensiteFe
NiNickel
Niⓘ AwaruiteNi3Fe
Niⓘ Haxonite(Fe,Ni)23C6
Niⓘ HeazlewooditeNi3S2
Niⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite(Fe,Ni)
Niⓘ Lawrencite(Fe2+,Ni)Cl2
Niⓘ Pentlandite(NixFey)Σ9S8
Niⓘ Schreibersite(Fe,Ni)3P
Niⓘ Taenite(Ni,Fe)
CuCopper
Cuⓘ Native CopperCu
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Znⓘ Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)S

Localities in this Region

USA

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Beck, C. W. and La Paz, L. (1951), The Odessa, Texas, Siderite (ECN =+ 1025,318). Contributions of the Meteoritical Society, 5: 27–33
Bunch, T. E., Keil, Klaus, Olsen, E. (1970) Mineralogy and petrology of silicate inclusions in iron meteorites. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 25 (4) 297-340 doi:10.1007/bf00399290
Ramdohr, Paul (1972) The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783112651025
Buchwald, Vagn F. (1975) Handbook of Iron Meteorites - Their History, Distribution, Composition and Structure. University of California Press.
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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