Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 10447

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 104

Northwest Africa 10447 (NWA 10447)

(northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2015 May
Mass: 21.73 g (1 piece)

Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purportedly found with other similar stones near Al Mahbas, southern Morocco, and purchased by Fabien Kuntz in May 2015 from a dealer in Agadir, Morocco.

Physical characteristics: A single small stone (21.73 g) lacking fusion crust. The interior exhibits white, pale orange and light gray clasts set in a gray matrix (~25 vol.%).

Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) Fragmental breccia composed of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, pigeonite, augite, subcalcic augite, ferropigeonite, fayalite, silica polymorph, Ti-Al-chromite, ilmenite, troilite and rare baddeleyite in a finer grained matrix.

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_37.0-39.9, FeO/MnO = 97, N = 2), pigeonite (Fs_29.1Wo­, FeO/MnO = 55), ferropigeonite (Fs_65.9Wo_7.3, FeO/MnO = 70), subcalcic augite (Fs_20.5Wo25.4; Fs_64.7Wo_25.2; FeO/MnO = 55-70), augite (Fs_31.6Wo_37.5, FeO/MnO = 74), fayalite (Fa_73.9, FeO/MnO = 106), plagioclase (An_91.1-91.4Or_0.1-0.4, N = 2). 

Bulk composition: (R. Korotev, WUSL): INAA of subsamples gave the following mean abundances (in wt.%) FeO 15.3, Na₂O 0.30; (in ppm) Sc 30.2, Ni 140, La 5.0, Sm 2.47, Eu 0.67, Yb 1.9, Lu 0.28, Hf 1.8, Th 0.8.

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: 4.44 g including a polished endcut at PSF; remainder with Kuntz.

Randy Says…

Northwest Africa 10447 is one of the most mafic (iron rich, 15% FeO) of the brecciated lunar meteorites. I am unaware of any pairs; it is most similar to the NWA 7661 clan.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 10447

References

Korotev R. L. and Irving A. J. (2016) Not quite keeping up with the lunar meteorites – 2016. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1358.

Korotev R. L. and Irving A. J. (2021) Lunar meteorites from northern Africa. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 206–240.