Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 14905
| from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111 Northwest Africa 14905 (NWA 14905)Algeria Lunar meteorite (fragmental breccia) History: Reportedly found in the desert west of Fenoghil, Algeria, in 2020. Purchased by Jay Piatek from Cheikh El Fakraoui a meteorite dealer in Morocco in 2021. Physical Characteristics: Four identical appearing pieces found together. Dark colored, irregularly shaped, with smooth sandblasted patina. Saw cut surface shows a very dark groundmass with fine-grained gray and white clasts many of which are angular. Petrography: (A. Ross, C. Agee, UNM; D. Dickens, NMMS) Electron microprobe analysis indicates a lunar polymict breccia with clasts of minerals and rocklets. Major phases in descending order of modal abundance are plagioclase (57±2%), pyroxene (29±5%), olivine (8±2%). Minor phases Cr-spinel, ilmenite, troilite, merrillite, augite and zirconolite were detected. Zirconolite has REEs detectable with the electron microprobe. Vesicles occur throughout. Geochemistry: (A. Ross, UNM) Plagioclase An95.4±4.8Ab4.4±4.6, n=6; olivine Fa29.4±17.9, Fe/Mn=87±7, n=12; pigeonite Fs30.5±8.3Wo9.7±6.0, Fe/Mn=57±7, n=11. Classification: Lunar polymict fragmental breccia. Specimens: 23.6 g on deposit at UNM, Jay Piatek holds the main mass of 2782 g. |
| Randy Says… I have not studied Northwest Africa 14905. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 14905 |