Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 12279
NWA 8046-clan pair?

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 107 Northwest Africa 12279 (NWA 12279)Tindouf, Algeria Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia) History: The meteorite was purchased in Denver USA by Zhouping Guo and Guobing Zhong on September, 2017 from Adam Aaronson. Physical characteristics: A single bulk specimen, with sepia fresh fusion crust and low weathering degree. A large impact molten mass was observed in the specimen. Petrography: This lunar meteorite comprises two petrographic areas: impact melt breccia and anorthosite. The anorthosite includes forsterite, pigeonite, low-Ca pyroxene, plagioclase and minor minerals such as ilmenite, chromite, quartz and other opaque minerals. It has a subophitic structure. The impact-melt breccia contains various types of lithic clasts (anorthosite, olivine-gabbro, gabbro), mineral and glassy fragments. The matrix consists of very fine-grained, cryptocrystalline (~0.1mm) and vitric particles with sporadic small vesicles. Geochemistry: (J.K. Zhou, H.Y. Chen, Z.P. Xia, Guilin University of Technology, China): Olivine, Fa12.8-46.3Fo53.8-87.3, FeO/MnO=66.3-96.9 (n=29); Orthopyroxene, Fs15.5-32.2Wo2.98-4.22En64.9-80.3, Fe/Mn(mol)=54.5-69.3 (n=3); Pigeonite: Fs23.2-53.1Wo7.19-23.7En39.8-57.4, Fe/Mn(mol)=51.1-61.7 (n=6); Augite, Fs8.42-44.4Wo31.4-44.1En18.7-47.5, Fe/Mn(mol)=37.1-53.9 (n=14); Plagioclase: An92.9-98.5Or0.06-0.69 (n=15); Spinel: MgO, 20.1%-23.6%; Al2O3, 59.5%-69.2%; Cr2O3, 3.91%-6.00%; FeO,6.05%-7.46%. Classification: Lunar (anorthositic impact-melt breccia) Specimens: 30.2 g including one polished thin section are deposited in College of Earth Sciences, Guilin University of Technology, China; Remaining material with Guobing Zhong and Zhouping Guo. |
Randy Says… I have not studied Northwest Africa 12279. It might be another stone of the NWA 8046clan, considering the description and reported find location. I do not have a photo of the 1830-g NWA 12279 type specimen. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 12279 |