A 750 g dense, broken, greenish-grey stone (one large and several smaller pieces) was purchased in Tagounite from a Moroccan dealer by A. and G. Hupé (xHupé) in 2004 April. Classification and mineralogy (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS): Mainly olivine (core Fa22.2, CaO = 0.31 wt.%, MnO = 0.43 wt.%, Cr2O3 = 0.53 wt.%) with subordinate pigeonite (core Fs17.9Wo9.1, Cr2O3 = 1.26 wt.%, FeO/MnO = 26.2) and interstitial metal plus finely granular carbon phases (including diamond, judging from difficulties in cutting this specimen). The rims of grains of both olivine (Fa13.8, CaO = 0.35 wt.%, MnO = 0.49 wt.%, Cr2O3 = 0.43 wt.%) and pigeonite (Fs12.1Wo9.4, Cr2O3 = 1.25 wt.%, FeO/MnO = 16.4) exhibit characteristic reduced compositions against interstitial matrix. Meteoritical Bulletin 89
Type: Achondrite
NWA 8046 LUNAR CLAN
We find it much clearer to understand individually “named” meteorites of western Sahara that have been paired by Dr. Randy Korotev of Washington University at St. Louis. Randy has studied the moon since the Apollo missions . While many of these Lunar are paired in the field to a previously analyze meteorite, others are sent for analysis and they receive their own NWA name. As the Randy says, about the Feldspathic Lunar meteorite from near “Tindouf, alias “Algerian Megafind,” they are paired with NWA 8046. As it was reported in 2012; the others have been found or purchased between 2015 and 2019. Nearly all are obviously weathered and only a few show hints of a fusion crust.”
A petrological characteristic of the NWA 8046 clan is the presence of olivine with Fa33 (mean, range = Fa20–42) composition.
The NWA 8046 clan is the largest known lunar meteorite, as there are many, many pieces of it. The mass of the 21 named pairs that I’ve analyzed is 191 kg. I suspect that at least 16 other stones that I have not analyzed are paired with the NWA 8046 clan on basis of the MetBull descriptions and photographs. Adding these, the mass increases to 243 kg. Also, I know that a lot of this stuff is being sold without being classified. Note that many of the stones are reported to come from Tindouf, Algeria, but others are said to come from Mauritania and Western Sahara. The Mauritanian border is 33 km southwest of Tindouf.
Northwest Africa 8306 Lunar
Purchased from a Moroccan Dealer in Tucson, February 2017 by Marvin Killgore. The brecciated stone lacked fusion crust with the presents of colorful angular clasts in a glassy matrix of gray. Some clast are basaltic clasts were found. According to Meteoritical Bulletin the mineral. Minerals are olivine, pigeonite, fayalite, anorthite, silica (as separate clasts), hedenbergite, Ti-poor chromite, Ti-rich chromite, ilmenite, and minor exsolved pigeonite, baddeleyite, kamacite and barite. One fine grained, quenched-textured basaltic clast was found.
Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa26.5-36.0; FeO/MnO = 102-116, N = 3), pigeonite (Fs19.8-24.0Wo19.9-17.0; FeO/MnO = 47-56; Fs28.8Wo6.5; FeO/MnO = 55), fayalite (Fa72.6; FeO/MnO = 104). Bulk composition (R. Korotev, WUSL) INAA of subsamples gave the following mean abundances (in wt.%) FeO 8.9, Na2O 0.41; (in ppm) Sc 17.1, Ni 230, La 7.3, Sm 3.30, Eu 0.93, Yb 2.30, Lu 0.317, Hf 2.4, Th 1.0. Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic regolith breccia)
Total known weight is greater than 1398 grams.
Northwest Africa 11273 Lunar
The According to the Meteoritical Society, many pieces, 2.8 kg. found near Tindouf, Algeria are a Lunar Breccia composed of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, pigeonite, augite, chromite, Ti-Cr-Fe spinel, kamacite, taenite and troilite in a finer grained matrix containing small vesicles and minor barite. Rare basalt clasts and glass fragments are also present. We purchased a complete stone from a Moroccan Dealer in 2017.
Due to access to great science sites like Lunar Meteorites – Washington University we are all better able to understand the Lunar classification system and the pairing of unique Lunar meteorites found at different times and places. Also, don’t miss NWA 8046 Lunar Meteorite Clan by Dr. Randy Korotev et al.
Class: Achondrite, Lunar meteorite, Feldspathic Breccia
Juvinas
An achondrite from a basaltic flow on its parent body. It has shiny, black fusion crust.
D’Orbigny
A 16.55kg stone, mostly covered with dark gray fusion crust, was found in a corn field after a farmer hit it with a plow; classification and mineralogy: has a subophitic texture, exhibiting laths of plagioclase with subhedral to euhedral augite and anhedral to subhedral olivine; augite shows marked optical zoning, with cores and reddish-brown rims; olivine is zoned. Anhedral kirschsteinite is intergrown with olivine; in places, abundant ultrabasic glass fills pore spaces; minor to accessory phases include transparent brownish spinel (up to 500 µm), ulvöspinel, troilite, and a silicophosphate; contains abundant round vugs, up to 2.3cm in diameter, and druses containing augite and rare cm-sized green olivine crystals; rock is fresh, but pores contain variable amounts of caliche (J.N.Grossman and J.Zipfel)
Agoult
The interior exhibits a homogeneous, sugary texture.
Northwest Africa 2714
Recently reclassified, NWA 2714 is a lodranite and paired with NWA 2656 Tkw ~7.5 kg.
Stannern
After detonations, some 200-300 stones fell of which about 66 were recovered, totalling about 52kg, the largest weighing about 6kg, C.von Schreibers, Ann. Phys., 1808, 29, p.225, M.H.Hey, Cat. Met., 1966, p.462. Description, map of find locations, and illustrations of specimens in Vienna, Naturhist. Mus., C.von Schreibers, Beitr
Tatahouine
The glassy texture of this diogenite is not like any other. If it were not a witnessed fall it probably would not have been recognized as a meteorite.