Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 13450

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 109

Northwest Africa 13450 (NWA 13450)

Algeria
Purchase: 2020 June
Mass: 629 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite  (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purportedly found in Algeria and purchased in Tindouf, Algeria in June 2020. David Lehman is the American agent for the owners.

Petrography: (A. Irving, UWS and P. Carpenter, WUSL) Breccia composed of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, low-Ca pyroxene and augite, plus sparse anorthositic lithic clasts, in a finer grained matrix containing ilmenite, chromite (with variable Ti content), troilite and rare metal (with kamacitic and taenitic subdomains).

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_42.6-55.8, FeO/MnO = 87-98, N = 5), low-Ca pyroxene (Fs_36.0-52.8Wo_2.2-4.6, FeO/MnO = 56-58, N = 3), augite (Fs_14.5-25.1Wo_39.9-43.5, FeO/MnO = 40-58, N = 3), anorthite (An_96.3-97.9Or_0.1, N = 3).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: 24.0 g including a polished mount at UWB; remainder with Mr. D. Lehman.

Randy Says…

I have not studied NWA 13450.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 13450