Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 15374

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 111

Northwest Africa 15374 (NWA 15374)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2020
Mass: 1300 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (melt breccia)

History: Purchased by Mark Lyon from a meteorite dealer in northwest Africa in 2020.

Physical Characteristics: Single stone with minor fusion crust.

Petrography: (D. Sheikh, Cascadia) Specimen is a polymict breccia comprised of sub-angular to sub-rounded mm-sized lithic and monomineralic clasts (up to ~3 mm) set within a dark, melt-rich matrix. Lithic clast lithologies identified include: anorthosites, impact-melt-rich clasts, dunites, olivine gabbronorites, norites, and noritic anorthosites. Accessory mineral phases include ilmenite and chromite (some Ti-bearing).

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_33.9±14.4, range Fa_5.9-48.4, Fe/Mn=89±12, n=14), Low-Ca Pyroxene (Fs_22.6±9.3Wo_3.3±0.4, range Fs_14.7-40.6Wo_2.6-3.9, Fe/Mn=50±5, n=7), Pigeonite (Fs_31.3±8.6Wo_14.7±5.1, range Fs_19.3-50.6Wo_7.1-23.4, Fe/Mn=50±4, n=19), High-Ca Pyroxene (Fs_25.6±9.2Wo_33.0±6.2, range Fs_13.3-37.3Wo_26.7-41.7, Fe/Mn=47±12, n=5), Calcic Plagioclase (An_96.4±0.6, range An_95.4-97.8, n=24).

Classification: Lunar  (melt breccia).

Specimens: 20.35 g at Cascadia, main mass with Mark Lyon.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 15374.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 15374