kasbah.jpg (6568 bytes) Northwest Africa 2995

a piece of the moon from the Sahara Desert

 

  • Northwest Africa 2995

  • Found in Algeria 2005

  • Achondrite (Lunar Feldspathic breccia)

A 538 g, fully crusted and minimally weathered stone was purchased in Morocco by A. Aaronson in November 2005. Petrography and Geochemistry: (T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU): The feldspathic fragmental breccia contains many highlands fine-grained lithologies including norite (orthopyroxene, Fs26.4Wo4, FeO/MnO = 66); olivine basalt (olivine, Fa87.2 FeO/MnO = 95; plagioclase, An84.7); subophitic basalt (Ca-pyroxene, Fs25-48Wo37.1-25.9; pigeonite, Fs27.8-31.7Wo15.4-9.3 FeO/MnO = 53; olivine Fa36.3 FeO/MnO = 90; plagioclase, An97); gabbro (olivine Fa34.7 FeO/MnO = 95; pigeonite Fs28.2Wo8.9 FeO/MnO = 67; plagioclase An94); KREEPy-like basalt (plagioclase, Ab50Or17.4; K-feldspar, Ab14.3Or83.6 in addition to silica, phosphate and Fe-rich pyroxenes); troctolite (Fa30.8 FeO/MnO = 94; plagioclase An94.7); granulitic impact melts (Fa31; orthopyroxene, Fs25.2Wo3.4; plagioclase An95); anorthosite (An92.7-96,8); glassy impact melts, coarse-grained mineral fragments, and a 0.350 mm sized grain of meteoritic Ni, Fe metal (Ni = 6.3 Co = 1.0, both wt %). In addition, the assemblage appears to be characterized by large amounts of breccias within breccias: at least 4 generations of brecciation were observed in one cm-sized breccia clast. Numerous shock-induced melt veins are present along large breccia clast margins as well as isolated melt pockets within clasts. Interior weathering grade is very low, all glasses are fresh and no apparent terrestrial alteration veins were noted.  Classification:  Achondrite (Lunar feldspathic breccia). Specimens: A 21.2 g specimen is on deposit at NAU.

 

Click images to enlarge:

nwa2995a.jpg (228324 bytes)  nwa2995b.jpg (390417 bytes)  nwa2995c.jpg (280601 bytes)  nwa2995d.jpg (287504 bytes)

521 gram complete meteorite minus the classification repository.

 

nwa2995cutface.jpg (338481 bytes)  nwa2995cutfacea.jpg (192074 bytes)

Images of polished, cut face on main mass above.

 

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The meteorite was cut using a precision wire saw in Europe.  The main mass, as shown here now weighs 88 grams. The cut face measures 71.5mm by 46.5mm.   The depth of the end cut is 28.5mm.

 

NWA2995LFBastich2P800x425.jpg (613602 bytes)   NWA2995LFBastichP800x432.jpg (642359 bytes)

Thin section photos by John Kashuba

 

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