Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16095

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 112

Northwest Africa 16095 (NWA 16095)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2023
Mass: 4.62 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: A single sample weighing 4.62 g. Shun-Chung Yang purchased the sample from a Moroccan dealer in 2023.

Physical Characteristics: Stone has an irregular shape and small light-colored clasts set in a brown glass on the cut surface.

Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App) Sample shows a brecciated texture composed of troctolitic and anorthitic clasts composed of anhedral olivine and plagioclase set within a brown, quenched, microvesicular melt matrix. Additional minerals are: troilite, chromite, ilmenite and rare Fe grains.

Geochemistry: (A. Love, App) Olivine (Fa_22.1±3.5, Fe/Mn=79.8±5.6, n=14); low Ca-pyroxene (Fs_17.7±0.7Wo_3.4±0.8, Fe/Mn=51.8±2.7 n=7); pigeonite (Fs_16.8Wo_5.8, n=1); anorthite (An_97.7±0.3, n=10).

Classification: Lunar achondrite (feldspathic breccia A-S5 low weathering). Based on textures and mineral compositions, sample is a shocked feldspathic breccia.

Specimens: Shun Chung Yang (S-R meteorites) holds the main mass. A polished thin section and several small cut fragments weighing 0.96 g are on deposit at App.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 16095.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 16095