Lunar Meteorite: Northwest Africa 17294
from The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 114 Northwest Africa 17294 (NWA 17294)(Northwestern Africa) Lunar meteorite (troctolitic anorthosite) History: Purchased by Jay Piatek from a Northwest African meteorite dealer in 2024. Physical Characteristics: Single stone, exterior is desert weathered and brown to tan in color, with no fusion crust present. Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Electron microprobe analysis and imagery indicate an anorthositic troctolite consisting of a plagioclase-rich host that poikilitically encloses fine- to medium-grained olivines and pyroxenes 20-200 μm in size. Together, the olivine and pyroxene make up approximately 25% of the modal mineralogy and anorthite makes up approximately 75% of the modal mineralogy. The olivine to pyroxene ratio is approximately 2:1, with the olivine grains being significantly larger and mantled in many cases by pyroxene. Many vesicles are scattered throughout. Accessory phases include Ti-chromite, Fe-oxide, and Fe-sulfide. There is also a population of altered olivines that are reddish in color and have low microprobe totals suggesting that they have been at least partially transformed into an iddingsite-like phase. Geochemistry: (M. Spilde, UNM) Plagioclase An96.3±0.3Ab3.6±0.3, n=4; olivine Fa27.4±0.5, Fe/Mn=85±8, n=4; pigeonite Fs22.9±0.3Wo6.3±0.3, Fe/Mn=51±4, n=4; “altered red olivine” Fa40.8±0.2, Fe/Mn=140±1, microprobe totals=94.1±1.6 (wt%), n=2. Classification: Lunar anorthositic troctolite, nomenclature based on figure 1 in Stoeffler et al. (1980). Some reddish olivines display features consistent with aqueous alteration resembling those reported in Oued El Hamim 001. Specimens: 25 g on deposit at UNM, Jay Piatek holds the main mass. |
Randy Says… I have not studied Northwest Africa 17294. |
More InformationMeteoritical Bulletin Database NWA 17294 |