Clarendon (c)        34.983°N, 100.933°W

Texas, United States

Find: 2015 Apr 6

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L4)

History: Frank and DeeDee Hommel of the Bar H Working Dude Ranch located northwest of Clarendon, Texas, were out riding on their property on April 6, 2015, and report that "their horses went crazy" when they approached a large unusual rock (later determined to weigh 345 kg). They dug up additional fragments weighing about 32 kg near the large mass located at 34.983°N, 100.933°E. They contacted Eric Twelker, who arranged for testing of a specimen.

Physical characteristics: The main mass (345 kg) has a reddish-brown exterior and lacks fusion crust. The relatively fresh interior is medium gray with abundant bright metal grains.

Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) Well-formed chondrules up to 3.3 mm occur within a relatively coarse-grained matrix containing abundant stained kamacite plus accessory sodic plagioclase, merrillite and troilite.

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_24.1-24.6, N = 3), orthopyroxene (Fs_20.5-20.6Wo_1.2-1.5, N = 3), clinopyroxene (Fs_7.3-7.6Wo_45.2-45.0, N = 2). Oxygen isotopes (K. Ziegler, UNM): analysis of acid-washed subsamples by laser fluorination gave, respectively, δ¹⁷O = 3.611, 3.702, 3.673; δ¹⁸O = 4.855, 4.950, 4.827; Δ¹⁷O = 1.048, 1.088, 1.124 per mil.

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L4).

Specimens: 20.6 g plus one polished thin section at UWB; remaining material with the finders.