Lunar Meteorite: Dhofar 1769
![](https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/files/2020/01/lm_dho_1769_0021_q_1600.jpg)
![](https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/files/2020/01/lm_dho_1769_1.5g_ebay_b_1496.jpg)
![](https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/files/2020/01/lm_dho_1769_0453_q.jpg)
![](https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/files/2020/01/lm_dho_1769_1.02g_ebay_a_1451.jpg)
![](https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/files/2020/01/lm_dho_1769_2823.jpg)
from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 104 Dhofar 1769Zufar, Oman Classification: Lunar meteorite History: A single stone was found by an anonymous finder Oct. 28, 2012 Petrography: (A. Bischoff, M. Weyrauch, H. Haack) The anorthositic highland breccia contains clasts up to 1 cm, which are mainly anorthositic lithologies and crystalline impact melt breccias. It also contains glassy fragments, some of which are highly vesicular, veins, and impact spherules (mostly devitrified) embedded in a fine-grained, clastic matrix. The spherules indicate an origin at the lunar surface. Accessory minerals: ilmenite (abundant), troilite, FeNi metal (rare), and zircon (very rare). Geochemistry: SEM-EDS-analyses revealed that plagioclase in the bulk rock is anorthitic with a mean of An93.4±5.1 (total range: An70-97; n = 32). Olivine is highly variable in composition Fo20-60 (mean: Fo40±9; n = 16; Fe/Mn = approx. 110 (EDS)). Low-Ca pyroxene also shows variable composition with Fs20-58En29-77Wo2.5-15 (mean: Fs37.5±10En54.6±10Wo7.8±3.3; n = 28; Fe/Mn = approx. 60 (EDS). Some analyzed Ca-pyroxenes have Fs18-34En28-45Wo33-41. The meteorite is moderately weathered. Classification: Lunar meteorite (anorthositic breccia) Specimens: 20 g at NHMD; main mass with anonymous finder. |
Randy Says… Dhofar 1769 is a moderately KREEP-rich, feldspathic lunar meteorite somewhat similar to Apollo 16 soil in composition. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin DatabaseDhofar 1769 MapSchematic Map of Find Locations of Lunar Meteorites from Oman ReferencesBischoff A., Komnik M., Storz J., and Berndt J. (2023) Anorthositic lunar regolith breccia Dhofar 1769 – Clear indications for repeated mixing of impact melt lithologies. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 1260-1273. doi.org/10.1111/maps.14052 Korotev R. L. (2017) Update (2012–2017) on lunar meteorites from Oman. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 52, 1251-1256. All Korotev data on Omani lunar meteorites. Korotev R. L. and Irving A. J. (2017) Still not keeping up with the lunar meteorites – 2017. Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII, abstract no. 1498. Xu X., Hui H., Chen W., Huang S., Neal C. R., and Xu X. (2020) Formation of lunar highlands anorthosites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 536, 116138. doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116138 |