Brachinites are a group of meteorites that are classified either asprimitive achondrites or asasteroidal achondrites. Like all primitive achondrites, they have similarities withchondrites andachondrites. Brachinites contain 74 to 98% (volume)olivine.
Brachinites are named after theBrachina meteorite, the type specimen of this group, which in turn is named afterBrachina,South Australia.[1]
Brachinites consist almost entirely ofolivine (74 to 98% by volume). Other minerals includeplagioclase (6.7 to 12.9%), iron sulfides (1.8 to 4.0%),clinopyroxene (1.5 to 8.2%) andorthopyroxene (0 to 2.4%). Trace minerals include phosphates andmeteoritic iron. The only deviation fromchondrites is the very high olivine/orthopyroxene ratio.[2]
As of 2022, there were 56 meteorites classified as brachinites.[3] A notable example is the type specimen, theBrachina meteorite.