Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16760

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113

Northwest Africa 16760 (NWA 16760)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2024
Mass: 62 kg (several pieces)

Lunar meteorite (melt breccia)

History: This material (62 kg) was purchased in 2024 by Saeed Muftah Bachir in Mali.

Petrography: K. Metzler, IfP) Achondritic clast-rich melt rock, consisting of lithic clasts up to several mm (mostly fine-grained impact melt rocks) and mineral fragments (plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine) set in a partly vesicular crystallized melt. The latter is dominated by plagioclase, with smaller amounts of pyroxene and olivine. Accessories are Cr-spinel and troilite. Ubiquitous occurrence of terrestrial calcium sulfate and strontium sulfate.

Geochemistry: Mineral compositions and geochemistry: Mean mineral chemistry: Ca-poor pyroxene: Fs_21.9±1.0Wo_4.9±1.8 (Fs_19.5-22.8Wo_3.2-8.9); Fe/Mn (at.): 66.5; n=13. Ca-rich pyroxene: Fs_11.1±0.4Wo_40.5±1.0 (Fs_10.3-11.6Wo_39.4-42.0); n=6. Olivine: Fa_29.3±4.1 (Fa_25.0-36.0) Fe/Mn (at.): 89.4; n=11. Plagioclase An_95.4±1.4Or_0.1±0.2 (An_93.1-97.2Or_0.0-0.5); n=11.

Classification: Lunar melt breccia, based on texture, mean Fe/Mn value in olivine, and high An values in plagioclase.

Specimens: 20 g at IfP. Main mass with Saeed Muftah Bachir, Western Sahara.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 16760. It’s a big one.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 16760