Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 12870

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 108

Northwest Africa 12870 (NWA 12870)

Algeria
Purchased: 2017
Mass: 30.07 g (1 piece)

Lunar Meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased in 2017 by Daoud Wabich from a seller in Laayoune, Morocco.

Physical characteristics: Single stone lacking fusion crust; composed of white and gray angular clasts set in a dark-gray matrix.

 Petrography: (D. Sheikh, FSU) Sample is a feldspathic fragmental breccia composed of olivine, anorthite, augite (some exsolved), pigeonite, orthopyroxene, ilmenite, and Ti-Al-chromite grains (10-80 µm) set in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix. One high-fayalite olivine grain was also observed..

Geochemistry: (D. Sheikh, FSU) Olivine (Fa_30.4±9.6, range Fa_17.3-46.7, Fe/Mn=95.6, n=30), Fayalite (Fa_91.3, Fe/Mn=93, n=1), Augite (Fs_17.5±4.8Wo_35.3±4.8, range Fs_6.8-21.5Wo_26.8-44.2, Fe/Mn=50.8, n=15), Pigeonite (Fs_33.3±10.7Wo_8.0±2.4, range Fs_16.9-54.4Wo_5.2-15.0, Fe/Mn=58.7, n=20), Orthopyroxene (Fs_25.5±8.0Wo_3.5±0.7, range Fs_16.4-42.1Wo_2.6-4.8, Fe/Mn=55.5, n=14), Anorthite (An_96.1±0.8, range An_93.7-97.9, n=35).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic fragmental breccia).

Specimens: 6.06 grams at UCLA; main mass with Daoud Wabich.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 12870. It may be another stone of the NWA 80466 clan.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 12870