Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16690
| from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113 Northwest Africa 16690 (NWA 16690)(Northwestern Africa) Lunar meteorite History: Purchased in 2023 by Habib-naji Naji from a meteorite dealer in Algeria. Physical Characteristics: Single stone with minor fusion crust. Petrography: (D. Sheikh, Cascadia) Sample is a polymict breccia comprised of mm-sized lithic and mineral clasts/fragments, and agglutinates, set within a fine-grained matrix. Lithic clast lithologies identified include: anorthosites, noritic anorthosites, olivine gabbronorites, troctolites, basalts, impact melt clasts, and high-Fe clasts; mineral clasts identified include irregularly zoned olivines and pyroxenes. Accessory phases identified include Fe-Ni metal, troilite, silica, ilmenite, ulvospinel, Ca-phosphates, chromite, and chromian spinel. Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa35.0±15.9, range Fa22.6-87.15, Fe/Mn=79±11, n=15), Low-Ca Pyroxene (Fs19.8±2.1Wo3.9±0.7, range Fs18.3-21.3Wo3.4-4.4, Fe/Mn=48±5, n=2), Pigeonite (Fs38.4±15.9Wo16.3±5.6, range Fs21.6-76.0Wo6.1-27.5, Fe/Mn=49±7, n=27), High-Ca Pyroxene (Fs41.0±17.7Wo32.6±5.4, range Fs10.0-60.5Wo25.0-41.0, Fe/Mn=51±12, n=8), Calcic Plagioclase (An95.9±2.0, range An87.6-98.2, n=28). Classification: Lunar (regolith breccia) due to its brecciated nature, clast diversity, and the presence of agglutinates. Specimens: 14 g at Cascadia, main mass with Habib-naji Naji. |
| Randy Says… I have not studied Northwest Africa 16690. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 16690 |