Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 14769

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111

Northwest Africa 14769 (NWA 14769)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2021
Mass: 885 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (fragmental breccia)

History: Purchased by Rob Wesel from a meteorite dealer in Algeria, 2021.

Physical Characteristics: Saw cut slice surface shows numerous white, light gray and dark gray clasts set in a dark gray to black host groundmass.

Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Electron microprobe analysis and reflected light microscopy indicate a lunar polymict breccia. There is a large range of olivine and pyroxene compositions present. Major phases are plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine; minor phases, chrome spinel (Ti-rich), Cr-Ti magnetite, ilmenite, Fe-sulfide, silica, and Fe-metal (low Ni) were detected. A significant portion of the groundmass consists of vesicular anorthositic shock melt.

Geochemistry: (A. Ross, UNM) Olivine Fa_48.3±12.1, Fe/Mn=89±16, n=7; low-Ca pyroxene Fs_36.0±9.3Wo_2.3±0.6, Fe/Mn=58±3, n=3; pigeonite Fs_33.7±13.6Wo_13.3±9.1, Fe/Mn=58±8, n=2; subcalcic augite Fs_27.0Wo_34.7, Fe/Mn=63, n=1; plagioclase An_95.8±0.4, n=4; anorthositic shock melt (proxy for bulk composition) SiO₂=41.3±1.7, Al₂O₃=30.2±1.4, TiO₂=0.19±0.06, MgO=3.4±1.3, FeO=4.0±1.3, CaO=17.0±0.7, Na₂O=0.29±0.13 (all wt%), n=3.

Classification: Lunar (fragmental breccia), polymict based on the olivine and pyroxene compositional spans.

Specimens: 23.8 g on deposit at UNM, Steve Arnold holds 16.8 g, Rob Wesel holds the main mass.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 14769.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 14769