Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 14703

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111

Northwest Africa 14703 (NWA 14703)

Algeria
Purchased: 2021 January
Mass: 252 g (6 pieces)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased by Ziyao Wang from Aziz Zad in Ouargla, Algeria, in January 2021.

Physical Characteristics: The 6 irregular-shaped stones are all greyish white in color without fusion crust. The saw cut shows some white clasts set in a gray matrix. A patch of fusion crust can be seen in the PST.

Petrography: (H.Chen, L. Xie, Z.Xia, GUT): The meteorite shows a typical breccia structure and large-area melt. The matrix is dominated by glass, as well as few very-fine particles (<10 μm). The chemical composition of the glass is similar to that of anorthite. The main mineral is plagioclase, with a small amount of pyroxene, olivine, ilmenite, and troilite. Some pyroxenes show chemical zoning.

Geochemistry: (L. Xie, GUT): Plagioclase: An_95.3-96.4Or_0-0.26 (n=13); Olivine: Fo_55.2-57.0, Fe/Mn=76-95 (n=11); Low-Ca pyroxene: Fs_31.3-44.3Wo_2.1-9.4, Fe/Mn=52-61(n=11); High-Ca pyroxene: Fs_15.3-22.0Wo_40.4-45.5, Fe/Mn=42-50 (n=10).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: A polished thin section and about 20 g sample are on deposit at GUT. The owner Ziyao Wang holds the main mass

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 14703.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 14703