Khairpur meteorite, Bahawalpur District, Punjab Province, Pakistani
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Khairpur meteorite | Meteorite Fall Location |
| Bahawalpur District | District |
| Punjab Province | Region |
| Pakistan | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
29° 31' 59'' North , 72° 17' 59'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Locality type:
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 Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ Copper Formula: Cu Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Cristobalite Formula: SiO2 Reference: Kimura, M., Weisberg, M. K., Lin, Y., Suzuki, A., Ohtani, E. & Okasaki,R. (2005) Thermal history of the enstatite chondrites from silica polymorphs: Meteoritics & Planetary Science 40 (6): 855–868. (June2005) |
| ⓘ Daubréelite Formula: Fe2+Cr3+2S4 Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ Enstatite Formula: Mg2Si2O6 Reference: Prior, G. T. (1918). The Meteorite stones of Lauton, Warbreccan, Cronstad, Daniel’s Kuil, Khairpur, and Soko-Banja, and Angela. Mineralogical Magazine 18 (83): 1-25.; Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ 'Feldspar Group' Description: Minor constituent Reference: Torigoye, N. & Shima, M. (1993). Evidence for a late thermal event of unequilibrated enstatite chondrites - A Rb-Sr study of Qingzhen and Yamato 6901 (EH3) and Khairpur (EL6). Meteoritics 28 (4): 515-527. (Sept 1993) |
| ⓘ Graphite Formula: C Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ Iron Formula: Fe Reference: Keil, K. (1968). Mineralogical and Chemical Relationships among the Enstatite Chondrites. Journal of Geophysical Research 73 (22): 6945-6976. (Nov 1968); Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Iron var. Kamacite Formula: (Fe,Ni) Reference: Keil, K. (1968). Mineralogical and Chemical Relationships among the Enstatite Chondrites. Journal of Geophysical Research 73 (22): 6945-6976. (Nov 1968); Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Oldhamite Formula: (Ca,Mg)S Reference: Prior, G. T. (1918). The Meteorite stones of Lauton, Warbreccan, Cronstad, Daniel’s Kuil, Khairpur, and Soko-Banja, and Angela. Mineralogical Magazine 18 (83): 1-25.; Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ Osbornite Formula: TiN Reference: Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Perryite Formula: (Ni,Fe)5(Si,P)2 Reference: Kimura, M., Weisberg, M. K., Lin, Y., Suzuki, A., Ohtani, E. & Okasaki,R. (2005) Thermal history of the enstatite chondrites from silica polymorphs: Meteoritics & Planetary Science 40 (6): 855–868. (June2005) |
| ⓘ 'Plagioclase' Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 Description: Plagioclase is Albite-rich (An18) Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
| ⓘ Schreibersite Formula: (Fe,Ni)3P Reference: Keil, K. (1968). Mineralogical and Chemical Relationships among the Enstatite Chondrites. Journal of Geophysical Research 73 (22): 6945-6976. (Nov 1968) |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966); Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages. |
| ⓘ Tridymite Formula: SiO2 Reference: Keil, K. (1968). Mineralogical and Chemical Relationships among the Enstatite Chondrites. Journal of Geophysical Research 73 (22): 6945-6976. (Nov 1968) |
| ⓘ Troilite Formula: FeS Reference: Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30. (Jan 1966) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
| ⓘ | Graphite | 1.CB.05a | C |
| ⓘ | Iron | 1.AE.05 | Fe |
| ⓘ | var. Kamacite | 1.AE.05 | (Fe,Ni) |
| ⓘ | Osbornite | 1.BC.15 | TiN |
| ⓘ | Perryite | 1.BB.10 | (Ni,Fe)5(Si,P)2 |
| ⓘ | Schreibersite | 1.BD.05 | (Fe,Ni)3P |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Alabandite | 2.CD.10 | MnS |
| ⓘ | Daubréelite | 2.DA.05 | Fe2+Cr3+2S4 |
| ⓘ | Oldhamite | 2.CD.10 | (Ca,Mg)S |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Troilite | 2.CC.10 | FeS |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Cristobalite | 4.DA.15 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Tridymite | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Enstatite | 9.DA.05 | Mg2Si2O6 |
| Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc. | |||
| ⓘ | 'Feldspar Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Plagioclase' | - | (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2]O8 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Prior, G. T. (1918). The Meteorite stones of Lauton, Warbreccan, Cronstad, Daniel’s Kuil, Khairpur, and Soko-Banja, and Angela. Mineralogical Magazine 18 (83): 1-25.
Mason, B. H. (1966). The Enstatite Chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 30, 23-30.
Keil, K. (1968). Mineralogical and Chemical Relationships among the Enstatite Chondrites. Journal of Geophysical Research 73 (22): 6945-6976. (Nov 1968)
Ramdohr, P. (1973). The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites. Elsevier Publishing Company: Amsterdam; London: New York. 245 pages.
Grady, M. M. (2000). Catalogue of Meteorites (5/e). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, New York, Oakleigh, Madrid, Cape Town. 690 pages.
Torigoye, N. & Shima, M. (1993). Evidence for a late thermal event of unequilibrated enstatite chondrites - A Rb-Sr study of Qingzhen and Yamato 6901 (EH3) and Khairpur (EL6). Meteoritics 28 (4): 515-527. (Sept 1993)
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
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.
