Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 17209

from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 113

Northwest Africa 17209 (NWA 17209)

(Northwestern Africa)
Purchased: 2024
Mass: 1040 g (1 piece)

Lunar meteorite (melt breccia)

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

Physical characteristics: Brownish rock with some fusion crust.

Petrography: (A. Greshake, MNB) Melt breccia composed of up to 1 mm sized mostly angular to subrounded lithic and mineral clasts in abundant melt rock matrix showing pronounced flow textures. Major phases are calcic plagioclase, pigeonite, augite, and olivine. Minor phases include ilmenite, chromite, baddeleyite, and FeNi metal.

Geochemistry: (A. Greshake, MNB) zoned olivine: Fa_22.9±1.3 (Fa_20.7-24.6, FeO/MnO=97±4, n=7); homogeneous olivine: Fa_28.1±0.2 (Fa_27.9-28.4, FeO/MnO=81±4, n=7); zoned pigeonite: Fs_33.0±8.8Wo_8.4±2.7 (Fs_26.1-47.9Wo_6.3-12.7, FeO/MnO=49±5, n=7); zoned augite: Fs_44.8±3.1Wo_33.5±2.0 (Fs_40.5-49.4Wo_30.8-36.7, FeO/MnO=60±3, n=7); calcic plagioclase: An_95.4±1.4 (An_93.1-96.6, n=7).

Classification: Lunar meteorite (melt breccia).

Specimens: 21 g at MNB; main mass with Said Muftah Bachir.

Randy Says…

I have not studied Northwest Africa 17209.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

NWA 17209