Lunar Meteorite: Ghardaïa 001 & Ghardaïa 002
assumed paired stones
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from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 110 Ghardaïa 001Ghardaia, Algeria Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) History: The meteorite was found south of El Guerrara, Algeria and subsequently purchased by the main mass holders. Physical characteristics: Many grayish fragments some of which almost completely covered by fusion crust. Petrography: (Ansgar Greshake, MNB) Fragmental breccia composed of mineral fragments, basaltic, gabbroic, and impact melt clasts set in a fine-grained partly shock-melted groundmass often showing flow textures . Most abundant minerals are calcic plagioclase, olivine, and exsolved pyroxene. Minor phases include ilmenite, apatite, and FeS. Cracks are often filled with secondary calcite. Geochemistry: low-Ca pyroxene: Fs21.3±0.5Wo4.6±0.9 (Fs20.4-21.8Wo3.0-6.1, FeO/MnO=48±4, n=9); Ca-pyroxene: Fs14.2±2.5Wo36.1±5.7 (Fs11.5-17.9Wo38.3-42.2, FeO/MnO=43±4, n=7); olivine: Fa28.4±0.6 (Fa27.5-29.1, FeO/MnO=84±7, n=11); calcic plagioclase: An96.8±0.5 (An96.3-97.7, n=9) Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) Specimens: Type specimen (31.3 g) at MNB. Main mass with Chnaoui Larbi and Lucian Cojocaru. |
from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 110 Ghardaïa 002Ghardaia, Algeria Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) Petrography: (J. Gattacceca, CEREGE) Mineral clasts (to 200 µm) set in a feldspathic mesostasis with abundant 50 µm vesicles. Main minerals are olivine and pyroxene. Other minerals include ilmenite, kamacite. Geochemistry: Olivine Fa25.8±2.1, FeO/MnO = 108.4±19.3 (n=10). Pyroxenes: low-Ca pyroxene Fs22.1±0.9Wo3.8±0.6 (n=5), Ca-pyroxene Fs17.1Wo31.9 (n=1), FeO/MnO = 55.2±7.8 (n=5). Feldspathic mesostasis An96.4±0.6Ab3.4±0.5Or0.3±0.1 (n=6). Classification: Achondrite (lunar, feldspathic breccia) Specimens: Type specimen at CEREGE. Main mass with Isabelle Pothier. |
| Randy Says… I have not studied Ghardaïa 001 or 002. Although the descriptions differ, the reported find locations are 1.85 km apart, so I assume that the stones are paired.. |