The LL chondrites are the least abundant group of the ordinary chondrites, accounting for about 10-11% of observed ordinary-chondrite falls and 8-9% of all meteorite falls (see meteorite fall statistics).

LL stands for Low (total) iron, Low metal. They contain 19-22% total iron and only 0.3-3% metallic iron. That means that most of the iron is present as iron oxide (FeO) in the silicates; olivine contains 26 to 32 mol% fayalite (Fa). The most abundant minerals are hypersthene (a pyroxene) and olivine. Other minerals include Fe-Ni metal, troilite (FeS), feldspar or feldspathic glass, chromite, and phosphates.

LL chondrites contain the largest chondrules of the ordinary chondrite groups, averaging around 1 mm diameter. The LL group includes many of the most primitive ordinary chondrites, including the well-studied Semarkona (type 3.0) chondrite. However, most LL chondrites have been thermally metamorphosed to petrologic types 5 and 6, meaning that their minerals are homogeneous in composition and chondrule borders are difficult to discern. This, together with the low content of metal, led the 19th century mineralogist Tschermak to determine that they formed a transitional stage between chondrites and achondrites, and name them amphoterites. We know now that LL chondrites and achondrites are quite different, so this name is no longer in use. Many of the LL chondrites are breccias.

References

See also:

F. Heide, F. Wlotzka, Meteorites - Messengers from Space. Springer-Verlag, 1995.