Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 15349

Left: Two fit-together pieces, 174 g. Right: End cut of one of them. Photo credit: Matthew Stream
A 24-g endcut, left, and a 64-g end cut, right. Photo credit: Matthew Stream

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111

Northwest Africa 15349 (NWA 15349)

Algeria
Purchased: 2022
Mass: 364 g (3 pieces)

Lunar meteorite (fragmental breccia)

History: Matthew Stream purchased this meteorite from Ali Mftah in February 2022. The meteorite was reportedly found in Algeria in January 2022.

Physical Characteristics: Three identically appearing pieces found together. Two pieces appear to have been broken apart in flight and fit together perfectly weighing 280 g. A third stone weighs 85 g. Exterior is covered in fresh, green, glassy fusion crust. Saw-cut surface reveals a breccia with light and dark colored clasts set in a dark gray groundmass.

Petrography:  (C. Agee and A. Ross, UNM) Reflected light microscopy and electron microprobe analysis indicates a lunar fragmental breccia with lithic clasts, mineral clasts, and vesicular shock melt pockets. Major phases are plagioclase, clinopyroxene with lesser amounts of olivine. Minor phases include low-Ni iron metal, ilmenite, troilite, chromite, silica and Ti-Cr spinel.

Geochemistry: (A. Ross, UNM) Plagioclase An95.2±1.9Ab4.6±1.9, n=4; clinopyroxene Fs36.2±8.8Wo17.6±12.2, Fe/Mn=61±4, n=6; olivine Fa30.2±9.7, Fe/Mn=97±6, n=6; shock melt SiO2=45.9±1.7, TiO2=0.59±0.19, Al2O3=22.9±1.2, MgO=6.0±1.7, FeO=8.4±1.8, MnO=0.13±0.02, CaO=14.1±0.8, Na2O=0.48±0.06 (all wt%).

Classification: Lunar fragmental breccia.

Specimens: 20.5 g on deposit at UNM, Matthew Stream holds the main mass.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 15349.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 15349

Lunar Meteorites
List – ABC123 Order
List – Al2O3 Order