Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16717
from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113 Northwest Africa 16717 (NWA 16717)Mauritania Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) History: The specimen was found in January 2022 in Sahara by a anonymous meteorites hunter. In January 2023 the specimen was purchased by Luca Cableri, owner of the Theatrum mundi gallery in Arezzo, Italy, from a Mauritanian dealer. Physical Characteristics: One large grayish individual weighing 21.35 kg. Petrography: (G. Pratesi, T. Cuppone, X. Shehaj – UniFi): Two mounted sections were analyzed. The samples exhibit a fine-grained melt breccia texture consisting of whitish mineral clasts (olivine and pyroxenes ranging in size from few micrometers to hundreds micrometers) in an abundant greyish anorthite-rich melt rock matrix. Olivine and pyroxenes (both pigeonite and subcalcic augite) can be compositionally zoned.Minor phases include Fe-Ni metal (kamacite and taenite), tetrataenite, troilite, phosphates, and oxides. Shock stage high. The fusion crust is absent. Geochemistry: (G. Pratesi, T. Cuppone, X. Shehaj – UniFi; S. Hammond – OU): Minerals were analyzed by EPMA. Bulk chemistry composition was obtained by ICP-MS analyses. Olivine Fa34.21±2.61 FeO/MnO 90±6 (n=11); pigeonite Fs27.20±4.74Wo7.43±2.63 FeO/Mn= 55±4 (N=5); subcalcic augite Fs18.40±1.68Wo37.58±4.54 FeO/Mn=46±6 (N=3); plagioclase An97.0Ab2.8Or0.2 (N=12). Classification: (G. Pratesi, T. Cuppone, X. Shehaj – UniFi): Lunar (feldspatic melt breccia). Specimens: Two fragments weighing 38.01 g, one mounted and one polished thin section at MSN-FI. An anonymous collector holds the 21.35 kg specimen. |
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More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 16717 |