  Least-processed carbonaceous chondrites (carbonaceous chondrites that have
experienced minimal aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism) are
characterized by their predominately amorphous iron-rich silicate
interchondrule matrices and chondrule rims. The presence of abundant amorphous
material in a meteorite indicates that the parent body, or at least a region of
the parent body, experienced minimal processing since the time of accretion.
The CO chemical group of carbonaceous chondrites has a significant number of
these least-processed samples. We present visible/near-infrared and
mid-infrared spectra of eight least-processed CO meteorites (petrologic type
3.0-3.1). In the visible/near-infrared, these COs are characterized by a broad
weak feature that was first observed by Cloutis et al. (2012) to be at 1.3-um
and attributed to iron-rich amorphous silicate matrix materials. This feature
is observed to be centered at 1.4-um for terrestrially unweathered,
least-processed CO meteorites. At mid-infrared wavelengths, a 21-um feature,
consistent with Si-O vibrations of amorphous materials and glasses, is also
present. This spectral signature is absent in both the near- and mid-infrared
spectra of higher metamorphic grade COs because this material has
recrystallized as crystalline olivine. Furthermore, spectra of least-processed
primitive meteorites from other chemical groups (CRs, MET 00426 and QUE 99177,
and C2-ungrouped Acfer 094), also exhibit a 21-um feature. Thus, we conclude
that the 1.4- and 21-umm features are characteristic of primitive
least-processed meteorites from all chemical groups of carbonaceous chondrites.
Finally, we present an IRTF+SPeX observation of asteroid (93) Minerva that has
spectral similarities in the visible/near-infrared to the least-processed CO
carbonaceous chondrites. Minerva is likely the least-processed CO-like asteroid
observed to date.
