Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 14372

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 110

Northwest Africa 14372 (NWA 14372)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2021 September
Mass: 2525 g (many pieces)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased by Rachid Chaoui from a Mauritanian dealer and subsequently sold to Terry Boudreaux in September 2021.

Petrography: (A. Irving, UWS and P. Carpenter, WUSL) Breccia containing sparse basaltic lithic clasts but composed predominantly of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, low-Ca pyroxene, pigeonite and augite with accessory troilite, ilmenite, Ti-chromite and fayalite-hedenbergite-silica intergrowths. Rare spherical glass beads are present. A single grain of forsterite with a non-lunar FeO/MnO ratio and containing a kamacite inclusion was found, and may be derived from a chondritic impactor..

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_43.2-90.1, FeO/MnO = 85-102, N = 5), low-Ca pyroxene (Fs_25.5-56.6, FeO/MnO = 57-62, N = 3), pigeonite (Fs_33.0Wo_5.4; Fs_50.6Wo_15.1; FeO/MnO = 56-66; N = 2), augite (Fs_15.5-37.7Wo_36.1-45.5, FeO/MnO = 48-70, N = 4), plagioclase (An_95.3-95.5Or_0.1-0.0, N = 3), forsterite grain (Fa_3.2, FeO/MnO = 20, Cr₂O₃ 0.20 wt.%, CaO 0.19 wt.%).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: 26.8 g including one polished piece at UWB; remainder with Mr. T. Boudreaux.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 14372.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 14372