Sample No.: LEW86408; 86417; 86436; 86505

Location: Lewis Cliff

Field No.: 3480; 3492; 3431; 4895

Weight (g): 1.4; 1.6; 3.9; 43.9

Dimensions (cm): 1x1x0.5; 1.2x1x0.8; 1.5x1x0.5; 4x3.5x1.5

Meteorite Type: L3 Chondrite

Macroscopic, Description: René Martinez

All of these , with the exception of LEW86505, show light and dark chondrules in a dark coherent matrix. 86505 is comparatively fresh with a light gray matrix and large, fresh inclusions up to 4 mm.

Thin Section (86408,2; 86417,2; 86436,2; 86505,2) Description: Brian Mason

These meteorites are very similar in all respects and are possibly paired with LEW86127 and several other LEW86xxx L3 chondrites (Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, v. 11, #1, p. 18). The sections show a close-packed aggregate of chondrules and chondrule fragments, up to 2.1 mm across, in a minimum amount of fine-grained dark matrix which contains a little nickel-iron and troilite. Chondrule types include granular and porphyritic olivine and olivine-pyroxene, and radiating and cryptocrystalline pyroxene. Weathering is extensive, with brown limonitic staining throughout. Microprobe analyses show olivine and pyroxene with a wide range of compositions: olivine, Fa1 30; pyroxene, Fs1-24. The low content of nickel-iron suggests L group, and the wide range of olivine and pyroxene compositions type 3, hence these meteorites are tentatively classified as L3 chondrites (estimated L3.5).