Lunar Meteorite: Lahmada 020, 046, & 047

assumed paired stones

I found some of these photos on websites of meteorite dealers and collectors, so I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the identifications.

Some of the Lahmada 020 stones. Photo credit: Wang Ziyao
Exterior of another Lahmada 020 stone. Photo credit: unknown
Exterior of another 2 other Lahmada 020 stones. Photo credit: Comet Meteorite Shop
Identified as Lahmada 046 but what what appear to be 4 small stones, which contradicts the MetBull description of one 71.24-g piece. The stone on the upper left is identified as weighing 4.6 g. Photo credit: Pierre-Marie Pelé
A 9-g and 26-g Lahmada 047 stones. Photo credit: Isabelle Pothier
Endcut of a Lahmada 020 stone, 13 cm wide. Photo credit: Heritage Auctions
Sawn face of a Lahmada 020 stone. Photo credit: Heritage Auctions
A large slice of Lahmada 020. Mendy says “The strange looking “scratches” appear to be contraction cracks. They are not due to the polish or prep.” Photo credit: Mendy Ouzillou
Inside of Lahmada 020: a large FeNi metal grain (top left), a larger anorthosite clast (bottom right), and veins filled with terrestrial evaporite minerals. Photo credit: Mendy Ouzillou
Lahmada 020: glassy melt with vesicles. Photo credit: Mendy Ouzillou
Lahmada 020: glassy melt with vesicles. Photo credit: Mark Lyon
Slices of some of some small stones of Lahmada 046. Photo credit: Pierre-Marie Pelé
Inside of two Lahmada 047 stones. Photo credit: Isabelle Pothier

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 108

Lahmada 020

Western Sahara
Find: 2018 November
Mass: 12,168 g (several pieces)

Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Found at a location north of Jdiriya, Morocco, near Oued Skikima, in November 2018. Material was obtained by Ahmad Bouragaa and Aziz Habibi, and some was purchased by Mark Lyon and Mendy Ouzillou in November 2018.

Physical characteristics: Multiple pieces (total 12.168 kg) of the same distinctive very fine grained, dark gray microvesicular material with sparse, irregularly distributed small milky clasts.

Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) Sparse, very small mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, pigeonite and augite occur within a dominant extremely fine grained, microvesicular matrix containing accessory kamacite, troilite and minor barite.

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa34.0-35.8, FeO/MnO = 86-94, N = 2), pigeonite (Fs22.7-28.6Wo8.2-8.8, FeO/MnO = 49-59, N = 2), augite (Fs17.1-17.4Wo38.5-36.6, FeO/MnO = 51-54, N = 2), anorthite (An95.8-96.9Wo0.4-0.2, N = 2).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic regolith melt breccia).

Specimens: 20.62 g including a polished slice and one polished thin section at UWB; remainder with A. Bouragaa, A. Habibi, M. Lyon and M. Ouzillou.

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 108

Lahmada 046

Western Sahara
Find: 2018 October 11
Mass: 71.24 g (1 piece?)

Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Bought from Amar Nogout in Erfoud in May 2015. [sic]

Physical characteristics: Gray rock without fusion crust. Cut surface reveals black interior with mm-sized, whitish clasts.

Petrography: (J. Gattacceca, CEREGE) Sparse mineral clasts (anorthite, olivine, pyroxene) in a melt-rock matrix. Melt rock has numerous vesicles with typical sizes 50 µm. Troilite and rare metal are found in the melt rock.

Geochemistry: Anorthite An96.8Ab3.0Or0.2 (n=2). Augite Fs16.8±0.3Wo36.3±0.1, FeO/MnO = 59.0 (n=2). Olivine Fa33.4±1.5, FeO/MnO=72.3±7.2 (n=3)

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic melt breccia). Possibly paired with Lahmada 020

Specimens: Type specimen at CEREGE. Main mass with Pierre-Marie Pelé.

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 108

Lahmada 047

Saguia el Hamra, Western Sahara
Purchased: 2018
Mass: 182 g (many pieces)

Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased in Morocco in 2018.

Physical characteristics: Dark-gray irregular fragments. Cut face shows a dark-gray interior.

Petrography: (J. Gattacceca, CEREGE) Sparse mineral clasts (anorthite, olivine, pyroxene) in a melt-rock matrix. Melt rock has numerous vesicles with typical sizes 40 µm. Troilite and rare metal are found in the melt rock fraction.

Geochemistry: Anorthite An97.0Ab2.8Or0.3 (n=2). Augite Fs17.0Wo36.8, FeO/MnO = 54 (n=1). Olivine Fa37.5±0.4, FeO/MnO=110±6 (n=2).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic melt breccia). Possibly paired with Lahmada 020.

Specimens: Type specimen at CEREGE. Main mass with Isabelle Pothier.

Randy Says…I have not studied these 3 meteorites. I am assuming that they are all paired until there is evidence to the contrary. They have a distinctive appearance.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

Lahmada  020 | 046 | 047

Lunar Meteorites
List – ABC123 Order
List – Al2O3 Order