Provenance: I am the listed main mass holder in the meteoritical bulletin so you have perfect provenance.

Process: Unprocessed

Collector's Notes: Carbonaceous chondrites in general are fascinating subcategory of meteorites.  They are far less common than ordinary chondrites.  The part that brings me the most joy when inspecting them is knowing that many contain organic compounds that predate our home planet.  These low weathering pieces have a beautiful chocolate matrix and so far have had many prominent CAIs when I cut windows or slices.

This piece has a beautiful desert vanish all over along with some caliche on the flat side.  The sandy desert wind has a beautiful way with CV3 material giving it a shiny luster and a dimpled relief from the worn and liberated missing surface chondrules.

Class information:  CV (Vigarano-type) meteorites are a subgroup of carbonaceous chondrites distinguished by their abundant matrix, calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), large well defined chondrules, and a relatively high carbon content. Almost all recovered specimens are petrologic type 3 meaning little to modest heat alteration. With refractory inclusions (CAI's) that date back to the earliest Solar System and distinctive oxygen isotope ratios, CV chondrites preserve some of the most primitive solids that formed in the protoplanetary disk, making them invaluable records of nebular processes and the chemical evolution of our planetary neighborhood.