Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 16974

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113

Northwest Africa 16974 (NWA 16974)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2024
Mass: 423 g (3 pieces)

Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)

History: The meteorite was purchased from a dealer in Mauritania.

Physical Characteristics: Three dark grayish fragments lacking fusion crust.

Petrography: (Ansgar Greshake, MNB) Breccia composed of up to 7 mm angular to subrounded mineral clasts of calcic plagioclase, olivine, patchily zoned pigeonite, and augite, plus impact melt clasts set in a fine-grained partly glassy and partly vesicular matrix. Minor phases include ilmenite, chromite, FeS, and FeNi metal. Vesicles are sometimes filled with secondary calcite.

Geochemistry:  (Ansgar Greshake, MNB) olivine: Fa_32.1±0.1 (Fa_31.9-32.4, FeO/MnO=91±4, n=7); more magnesian olivine: Fa_23.1±0.2 (Fa_22.9-23.4, FeO/MnO=78±3, n=7); zoned pigeonite: Fs_35.0±2.1Wo_8.2±3.7 (Fs_30.7-37.2Wo_5.0-15.9, FeO/MnO=52±4, n=7); Ca-pyroxene: Fs_30.9±0.9Wo_40.1±0.5 (Fs_29.5-32.2Wo_39.3-40.9, FeO/MnO=60±5, n=7); calcic plagioclase: An_97.4±0.2 (An_97.0-97.6, n=7).

Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia).

Specimens: 208 g at MNB. Main mass with Mateusz Szysko

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 16974.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 16974