Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16267

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 112

Northwest Africa 16267 (NWA 16267)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2022 October
Mass: 1955 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Purchased by Luc Labenne in October 2022 from a Moroccan dealer.

Petrography: (A. Irving, UWS, and P. Carpenter, WUSL) Breccia composed of angular mineral clasts of calcic plagioclase, olivine and low-Ca pyroxenes, plus some fine-grained, melt-textured lithic clasts, within a very fine grained fragmental matrix. Some olivine is altered to serpentine-like phyllosilicates with low oxide sums and elevated FeO/MnO ratios. Accessory phases include Mg-ilmenite, Ti-free chromite, pentlandite, troilite and rare kamacite (altered to secondary Fe oxides).

Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa_20.2-43.2, FeO/MnO = 74-102, N = 10), low-Ca pyroxene (Fs_17.4-18.8Wo_3.6-3.8, FeO/MnO = 43-52, N = 3), pigeonite (Fs_25.1-31.7Wo_13.0-8.5; FeO/MnO = 41-59, N = 4), subcalcic augite (Fs_19.7-20.6Wo_29.6-29.4, FeO/MnO = 47-49, N = 2), anorthite (An_96.6-97.8Or_0.1-0.0, N = 4), calcic plagioclase (An_75.7Or_0.6; An_85.0Or_0.4; N = 2).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: 23.7 g including one polished thin section at UWB; remainder with Labenne.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 16267.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 16267