Composition of Asteroids

Based upon the meteor's mineralogical, chemical & physical properties, there are four major types of asteroids. The meteorites vary dramatically in composition. The following table provides a example from each of the four major categories. 

	Mineral	Carbonaceous metal-rich Type C2 (meteorite Renazzo)	Carbonaceous matrix-rich Type C1 or C2 (meteorite Murchison)	Chondrite  Low-High Type C3 - C4, (typical meteorite)	Iron meteorite
Free metals	Fe (iron)	10.7%	0.1%	6-19%	~88%
	Ni	1.4%	---	1-2%	~10%
	Co	0.11%	---	~0.1%	~0.5%
Volatiles	C	1.4%	1.9-3.0%	~3%	--
	H2O	5.7%	~12%	~0.15%	--
	S	1.3%	~2%	~1.5%	--
Mineral oxides	FeO	15.4%	22%	~10%	--
	SiO2	33.8%	28%	38%	--
	MgO	23.8%	20%	24%	--
	Al2O3	2.4%	2.1%	2.1%	--
	Na2O	0.55%	~0.3%	0.9%	--
	K2O	0.04%	0.04%	0.1%	--
	P2O5	0.28%	0.23%	0.28%	--
	Predominant minerals	Clay matrix Mg Olivine w/ FeO inclusions	Clay matrix Olivine	Olivine Pyroxene Free metal	Solid metal
Physical	Density	3.3 g/cm 3	2.0-2.8 g/cm 3	3.5-3.8 g/cm 3
	Metal grain size	~0.2 mm	---	~0.2 mm	Solid metal
	Strength	Moderately friable	Weak to moderately friable	Moderately friable	Steel

(Chemical analysis in percent by weight.) (Extracted from NASA SP-428, except for the iron meteorite.)

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