Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 15367
| from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111 Northwest Africa 15367 (NWA 15367)Mauritania Lunar meteorite (melt breccia) History: Edwin Thompson gave a 28.4 g slice to Cascadia for classification with the following information: A single 2238 g mass was found in Nov. 2021 in or near Bassikounou, Mauritania. Physical Characteristics: Physical Characteristics: Gray, cream, and white colored clasts set in a dark gray/black background are visible on the cut face of the slice received by Cascadia, with a rough alignment of elongate clasts. The largest clast in the slice (~1.5 cm × 0.7 cm) is light gray and contains both white and dark gray/black sub-clasts. Petrography: (M. Hutson, A. Ruzicka, D. Sheikh, Cascadia): Sample is a melt breccia consisting of sub-angular to sub-rounded lithic and mineral clasts set in a glassy matrix. Lithic clast lithologies identified in the sample are primarily highland lithologies and include: anorthosites, anorthositic troctolites, gabbroic anorthosites, and noritic anorthosites (Stoffler et al., 1980). Accessory phases include Cr-spinel and ilmenite. Geochemistry: (M. Hutson, D. Sheikh, A. Ruzicka, Cascadia; P. Carpenter, WUSL): Average of all data: Plagioclase feldspar: Ab3.6±0.9Or0.4±0.2An96.0±0.9, N=131; Olivine: Fa32.6±7.1, Fe/Mn=94.7±8.8, N=39; Low-Ca pyroxene: Fs26.6±8.2Wo3.6±0.7, Fe/Mn=57.0±3.9, N=29; Pigeonite: Fs30.9±5.8Wo9.3±2.9, N=34; Augite: Fs14.1±5.1Wo39.6±2.9, N=27. Classification: Lunar (melt breccia). This meteorite is best described as a lunar feldspathic melt breccia based on texture and chemistry. Specimens: Cascadia holds 25.7 g in five pieces, as well as a polished thin section and material in an epoxy butt; Thompson holds the main mass. |
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More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 15367 |