Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 6721
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from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 100 Northwest Africa 6721 (NWA 6721)Morocco Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) History: Multiple stones were found together on Hamada du Drâa, Morocco, in late 2010 and purchased by Jack Schrader in April 2010 from a dealer in Taliouine, Morocco. Physical characteristics: A total of 17 dark gray, uncrusted stones (combined weight 184 g) containing small white clasts. Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) A fine grained, heterogeneous, fragmental breccia composed of mineral clasts and ophitic-textured lithic clasts. Mineral clasts include anorthitic plagioclase, orthopyroxene, subcalcic augite, pigeonite, olivine (some very fayalitic), sparse intergrowths of hedenbergite+fayalite+silica (after former pyroxferroite), ilmenite, irregular kamacite grains and troilite. Geochemistry: Pigeonite (Fs21.6-27.8Wo5.9-12.4, FeO/MnO=49-58), orthopyroxene (Fs32.3Wo3.1, FeO/MnO=61), subcalcic augite (Fs18.2-29.8Wo33.2-27.9, FeO/MnO=42-47), olivine (Fa52.2-85.5, FeO/MnO=90-100), plagioclase (An95.9-97.9Or0.1-0.2). Bulk composition: (R. Korotev, WUSL): FeO 5.0 wt%, La 3.5 ppm, Sm 1.6 ppm, Yb 1.25 ppm, Th 0.60 ppm. Classification: Achondrite (lunar, feldspathic breccia). Specimens: A total of 20.2 g of sample (3 stones) are on deposit at UWS. The main masses are held by J. Schrader. |
| Randy Says… Northwest Africa 6721 is a feldspathic lunar meteorite. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database References Korotev R. L. and Irving A. J. (2021) Lunar meteorites from northern Africa. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 206–240. Korotev R. L., Irving A. J., and Bunch T. E. (2012) Keeping Up With the Lunar Meteorites – 2012. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1152. 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 |