Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 11472

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 106

Northwest Africa 11472 (NWA 11472)

(northwestern Africa)
Find: 2017 March
Mass: 840 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: A single stone was found in March 2017 by a nomad in an undisclosed region of the Sahara. The stone was later purchased by Luc Labenne. 

Physical characteristics: A single grayish stone. Cut surface reveals a gray interior with mm sized light gray and white clasts. 

Petrography: (J. Gattacceca, H. Pourkhorsandi, CEREGE): Brecciated igneous rock. Clasts of anorthite (to 5 mm), olivine, pyroxene set in a feldspathic matrix. Opaque minerals: ilmenite, chromite, troilite, metal (to 40 μm).

Geochemistry: Olivine Fa_39.7±13.2, range Fa_19.6-55.1, FeO/MnO=101.0±19.1 (N=8). Pyroxene Fs_33.1±9.3Wo­, FeO/MnO=65.9±10.7 (N=8). Plagioclase An_96.1±1.0Ab_3.8±0.9Or_0.1±0.1 (N=6). Chromite Cr/(Cr+Al)=0.56, TiO2=11.4wt%, Al₂O₃=15.4wt%, Cr₂O₃=28.4wt% (N=2). Magnetic susceptibility log χ (× 10^-9 m³/kg) = 2.82.

Classification: Lunar, feldspathic breccia

Specimens: 2 g at CEREGE. Main mass with Luc Labenne.

Randy Says…

I have not studied NWA 11472. It may be another pair of the NWA 8046 clan.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 11472