Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 13951

Two sides of one of the Northwest Africa 13951 stones. Photo credit: Bonhams
Two sides (polished and unpolished?) of a 22.6-g slice of Northwest Africa 13951. Photo credits: Mark Lyon
Two views of a different slice of Northwest Africa 13951. Photo credits: Mark Lyon

Meteorite Picture of the Day: Northwest Africa 13951

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 110

Northwest Africa 13951 (NWA 13951)

Mauritania
Find: 2021-01
Mass: 4.3 gg (2 pieces)

Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased in January 2021 by Mark Lyon from a dealer in Mauritania.

Physical characteristics: Two identically appearing masses (2.5 and 1.8 kg) found together. Saw cut surface shows numerous clasts with gray and white grains, bounded by abundant darker gray melt veins. No fusion crust is present.

Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Electron microprobe analysis and imaging reveal a very fine-grained brecciated mix of plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine and melt. Numerous Fe-Ni metal grains are scattered throughout, some as large as 1 mm.

Geochemistry:  (C. Agee, UNM) Plagioclase An96.5±1.7Ab4.0±1.7Or0.4±0.2, n=6; pigeonite Fs31.9±4.0Wo9.7±3.5, Fe/Mn=52±4, n=9; augite Fs14.9Wo38.2, Fe/Mn=49, n=1; subcalcic ferroaugite Fs45.4±2.6Wo29.5±5.2, Fe/Mn=59±1, n=3; olivine Fa34.3±6.3, Fe/Mn=96±9, n=13; metal Fe=93.4±2.0, Ni=6.6±1.7 wt%, n=4.

Classification: Lunar feldspathic breccia

Specimens: 21.5 g on deposit at UNM, Sean Mahoney and Juan Poblador hold the 2.5 kg mass, Paul Hoyt holds 740 g of the 1.8 kg mass.

Randy Says…

I have not studied NWA 13951.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 13951

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