NWA 18205 H3 Ordinary Chondrite Meteorite End Cut, 196.64g, Teardrop with Reflective Metal

An H3 chondrite preserved from the early solar system

This 196.64 gram teardrop endcut of Northwest Africa 18205 is an H3 ordinary chondrite, the least thermally altered grade in the high-iron chondrite group. Type 3 stones were heated the least on their parent asteroids, so they hold onto the textures and mineral variety they carried when they first assembled from the solar nebula. The cut is finished as a single large polished display face that carries abundant reflective metal, framed in a teardrop outline.

Structure and features

Northwest Africa 18205 is classified as an unequilibrated ordinary chondrite (H3). In thin section it shows a chondritic texture with well-developed chondrules averaging 443 micrometers across, mostly porphyritic olivine-pyroxene, radial pyroxene, and cryptocrystalline types, set in an opaque matrix. Primary igneous glass is present in some chondrules. The FeNi metal and sulfides are perfectly preserved, and chromite is also present. That preserved metal is what reads as bright reflective flecks across the polished face of this endcut.

Recorded shock stage is S1 and weathering grade is W0, both at the low end of their scales. Olivine composition is Fa15.40 and low-calcium pyroxene is Fs6.68Wo0.59, consistent with the H chemical group. More cut and finished chondrite specimens are in the Chondrites collection, part of the wider Stony Meteorites collection.

Discovery and provenance

Northwest Africa 18205 was purchased from a dealer in Morocco in 2024 and carries the Northwest Africa designation used for meteorites recovered from the deserts of Northwest Africa. To understand how an NWA number is assigned and what it tells you, see our guide on what NWA numbers mean. The total known weight is 1700 grams. The 20.11 gram type specimen is held at the Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueologia (MUNA) in Tenerife, Spain, with a thin section retained at ADARA. The main mass is held by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.

Scientific context

Petrologic type 3 sits at the primitive end of the ordinary chondrite metamorphic sequence. Because these stones experienced the least heating on their parent bodies, their chondrules stay sharply bounded and their olivine and pyroxene compositions stay varied rather than averaged out by metamorphism. That preserved variety is what makes H3 material useful for studying conditions in the early solar system. Northwest Africa 18205 was classified by J. Garcia, ADARA, and published in the Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 114 (doi.org/10.1111/maps.70157).

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated? Yes. Northwest Africa 18205 is an officially classified H3 ordinary chondrite. View the official record: Meteoritical Bulletin entry. Authenticity is backed by Brian McDonald, IMCA #3323, and the specimen includes a certificate of authenticity documenting its classification and provenance.

What does H3 mean? H is the high-iron ordinary chondrite group, and 3 is the petrologic type. Type 3 is the lowest metamorphic grade, so the chondrules and original textures stay well preserved. Higher types (4, 5, 6) reflect progressively more heating on the parent body.

Why is there so much visible metal? H-group chondrites carry the highest metal content among the ordinary chondrites. In this stone the FeNi metal and sulfides are perfectly preserved, so on a polished cut face the metal stands out as bright reflective flecks.

What is included with this specimen? You receive the 196.64 gram Northwest Africa 18205 teardrop endcut plus a certificate of authenticity citing the official Meteoritical Bulletin classification and provenance.

An H3 endcut for serious collections

At 196.64 grams this is a substantial single endcut rather than a small slice, presented with one large polished display face in a teardrop outline. It combines a low-shock, low-weathering H3 classification with a finished, display-ready presentation and a main mass held by the seller. Full classification data is available in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database entry for Northwest Africa 18205. Offered by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co., Brian McDonald, IMCA #3323.