Lunar Meteorite: Miller Range 090036

Classification from Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, Vol. 33, No. 2, 2010

Miller Range 090036 (MIL 090036)

Field Number: 20047
Dimensions: 9.0 x 6.5 x 3.0
Mass: 244.83 g (1 piece)

Classification: Lunar-Anorthositic Breccia

Macroscopic Description: Kathleen McBride. The exterior of this meteorite is smooth with no obvious fusion crust. There is a thin yellow ochre film on two surfaces, possibly weathered fusion crust. The meteorite is obviously brecciated and one face also has penetrating fractures. The interior reveals gray clasts in a matrix of dark material that has within it smaller

Thin Section (,2) Description: Cari Corrigan, Tim McCoy and Linda Welzenbach. The section consists of an extremely fine-grained matrix with isolated mineral grains and fine- to coarse-grained basaltic clasts in all size ranges up to 1 mm. Dark/opaque clasts exist in this meteorite that do not appear in MIL 090034. Microprobe analyses reveal olivine of Fa_16-46, pyroxene in a wide range of compositions from pigeonite Fs_19-30Wo_4-7 with intermediate and more FeO-rich compositions (one pyroxene of Fs₅₁), and plagioclase of An_86-96. The Fe/Mn ratio of the pyroxene averages ~62. This meteorite is a basalt-bearing anorthositic regolith breccia.

Randy Says…

MIL 090036 is a KREEP-bearing feldspathic breccia with more-albitic plagioclase than found in most breccias from the lunar highlands. It is a heterogeneous breccia. It is not paired with the MIL 090034 pair group, though it might be launch paired with NWA 7022.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

MIL 090036

Map

ANSMET Location Map

References

Calzada-Diaz A., Joy K. H., Crawford I. A., Spratt J. and Strekopytov S. (2015) Geochemical analysis and possible launch sites of lunar breccias Miller Range 090036 and Miller Range 090070. 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1585.

Calzada-Diaz A., Joy K. H., Crawford I. A., Spratt J., and Strekopytov S. (2017) The petrology, geochemistry, and age of lunar regolith breccias Miller Range 090036 and 090070: Insights into the crustal history of the Moon. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 52, 3–23.

Korotev R. L. and Zeigler R. A. (2014) Chapter 6. ANSMET Meteorites from the Moon, Thirty-five Seasons of U.S. Antarctic Meteorites (1976–2010): A Pictorial Guide to the Collection (editors K. Righter, R. P. Harvey, C. M. Corrigan, and T. J. McCoy), 101–130, Special Publications 68, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D. C., 296 pages, ISBN: 978-1-118-79832-4.

Korotev R. L., Jolliff B. L., and Carpenter P. K. (2011) Miller Range feldspathic lunar meteorites. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1999.

Liu Y., Patchen A., and Taylor L. A. (2011) Lunar highland breccias MIL 090034/36/70/75: A significant KREEP component. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1261.

McIntosh E. C., Day J. M. D., and Liu Y. (2018) Insights into impactor populations striking the moon from melt coat and regolith meteorite compositions. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1022.

Miao B., Chen H., Xia Z., Xie L., and Yao J. (2013) The type, occurrence and origin of symplectites in lunar meteorites. 76th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, abstract no. 5234.

Nishiizumi K. and Caffee M. W. (2013) Relationships among six lunar meteorites from Miller Range, Antarctica based on cosmogenic radionuclides. 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 2715.

Park J., Nyquist L. E., Shih C.-Y., Herzog G. F., and Yamaguchi A., Shirai N., Ebihara M., Lindsay F. N., Delaney J., Turrin B., and Swisher III C. (2013) Late bombardment of the lunar highlands recorded in MIL 090034, MIL 090036 and MIL 090070 lunar meteorites. 44th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 2576.

Shirai N., Ebihara M., Sekimoto S., Yamaguchi A., Nyquist L., Shih C.-Y., Park J., and Nagao K. (2012) Geochemistry of lunar highland meteorites MIL 090034, 090036 and 090070. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 2003.

Xie L., Chen H., Miao B., Xia Z., and Yao J. (2014) Petrography and mineralogy of new lunar meteorite MIL090036. Advances in Polar Science 25, 17-25.

Zeigler R. A., Korotev R. L., and Jolliff B. L. (2012) Pairing relationships among feldspathic lunar meteorites from Miller Range, Antarctica. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 2377.