Sahara 97115 Enstatite Chondrite Endcut – EH3 – 52.90 g

• Name: Sahara 97115
• Classification: EH3 enstatite chondrite
• Weight: 52.90 g
• Format: endcut
• Special feature: painted number 97115 preserved on the specimen
• Collector interest: classified, primitive, individually identified enstatite chondrite

This specimen is an आकर्षive endcut of Sahara 97115, an EH3 enstatite chondrite, weighing 52.90 g. Compact, well-defined, and immediately identifiable, it is distinguished by the preservation of its painted number 97115, a detail that gives the piece a particularly strong catalogued identity.

As an endcut, the specimen occupies a desirable position between exterior and interior. It retains the visual integrity and mass of a small individual while also offering the possibility of appreciating it as part of a classified meteoritic whole rather than as a simple fragment. In a specimen of this size, that balance is especially appealing.

An Endcut with Strong Identity

Endcuts are often among the most satisfying meteorite formats for collectors because they preserve something of the original individual while also presenting a cut surface or prepared face. They are neither purely external stones nor purely flat slices. In the present case, the form remains compact and coherent, giving Sahara 97115 a stronger physical presence than a small isolated section would have.

The painted number adds another important layer of individuality. It anchors the specimen to its catalogued identity and contributes to the sense that this is not an anonymous meteorite fragment, but a documented piece with its own place in classification and collection history.

EH3 Enstatite Chondrite

Sahara 97115 is classified as an EH3 enstatite chondrite, placing it among some of the most reduced and scientifically important meteorites in the enstatite chondrite group. EH chondrites are notable for their unusual mineralogy and highly reduced formation conditions, which set them apart from more familiar ordinary chondrites.

The petrologic type 3 is especially significant because it indicates a comparatively primitive texture. Such meteorites are valued for preserving early features of Solar System material with relatively limited thermal overprinting compared with more metamorphosed types.

Why Enstatite Chondrites Matter

Enstatite chondrites occupy a special place in meteoritics because they formed under highly reducing conditions unlike those associated with many other meteorite groups. Their mineralogy, chemistry, and formation environment make them especially important for understanding the diversity of early Solar System materials.

EH3 meteorites are of particular interest because they combine the importance of the enstatite chondrite group with a relatively primitive petrologic grade. For collectors, this gives such specimens scientific depth beyond their modest size.

A Compact Collector Specimen

At 52.90 g, this endcut is a manageable yet substantial collector specimen. It is large enough to have real presence in hand, yet compact enough to work well in a cabinet tray, systematic collection, or focused enstatite chondrite group.

The overall form is pleasingly self-contained, with the painted number acting almost as a historical marker on the surface. This gives the specimen a more personal and documentary character than many anonymous desert stones.

Collector Interest

This specimen will especially appeal to collectors who appreciate classified chondrites with strong individual identity. The combination of an unusual meteorite type, primitive classification, endcut format, and preserved painted number makes Sahara 97115 more engaging than a generic small cut stone.

It is equally suitable for a type collection, an enstatite chondrite grouping, or a broader meteorite cabinet where individuality and classification both matter.

A Documented Piece of a Rare Meteoritic Group

Some meteorites attract attention through size, others through beauty, and others through rarity of type. Sahara 97115 is compelling because it combines scientific interest with a clear catalogued identity. The painted number 97115 is part of that appeal: it ties the specimen directly to its recognized name and classification.

For that reason, this 52.90 g EH3 endcut should be regarded as a serious small specimen with both scientific and collector value.

Enstatite / EH3 / Sahara 97096, 97072, 97158

NAME: Sahara 97115, pairied with the Sahara 97096, Sahara 97072, Sahara 97158, Sahara 97093, Sahara 97161, Sahara 97166

TYPE: EH3 S2 W1, enstatite chondrite, high-iron subgroup, unequilibrated

This is perhaps the most primitive EH3 chondrite found to date. It contains early nebular components, including well-defined, layered, silicate-, sulfide-, and metal-rich chondrules, FeO-rich silicates with broad compositional ranges, and refractory inclusions, and it has experienced very low degrees of thermal metamorphism.

The meteorite SAH97096, and its pairing group(included Sahara 97072, Sahara 97158, Sahara 97093, Sahara 97161, Sahara 97166), classified EH3 were found during one of our meteorites collecting in 1997 in the Sahara Desert. It can be classified among the most primitive enstatite chondrite comparable to Qingzhen and Parsa. It contains olivine chondrules and types II chondrules fragments. This meteorite has been described as a highly primitive EH3 chondrite that has retained primary accretional nebular features in the form of sulfide-metal rich chondrules.

UNUSUALLY ABUNDANT REFRACTORY INCLUSIONS AND IRON OXIDE-RICH SILICATES IN AN EH3 CHONDRITE, SAHARA 97159. M. Kimura, Y. Lin, and H. Hiyagon