Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16626

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113

Northwest Africa 16626 (NWA 16626)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2023 November
Mass: 1465 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: Bought in Morocco in November 2023.

Physical Characteristics: Black stone. Cut surface reveals a gray interior with visible whitish or black clasts to 5 mm.

Petrography: (J. Gattacceca, CEREGE) Igneous rock with mineral clasts (olivine, pyroxene) to 500 µm set in a partially molten feldspathic matrix containing pyroxene crystallites 10-20 µm in size. Melt rock clasts with dendrite of pyroxene set in a feldspatic matrix are present. Opaque minerals: metal, troilite, ilmenite. Opaque minerals are metal, troilite, ilmenite.

Geochemistry: Olivine Fa_39.5±0.6, FeO/MnO 126±26 (n=4). Pyroxene Fs_31.2Wo_7.5, Fs_23.5Wo_31.0, FeO/MnO 48.8 (n=2). Feldspathic matrix An_96.0±0.6Ab_3.8±0.5Or_0.2±0.1 (n=4).

Classification: Achondrite (lunar, feldspathic breccia, polymict).

Specimens: Type specimen at CEREGE. Main mass with Labenne.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 16626. The description seems like that of a basaltic breccia.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 16626