Sample No. MAC88136

Location: MacAlpine Hills

Dimensions (cm): 4x4x2.5

Field Number: 5726

Weight (g): 74.4

Meteorite Type: E3 chondrite

Macroscopic Description: Carol Schwarz

Rusty, smooth, unfractured fusion crust covers 70% of this chondrite. The interior is black and fine-grained with abundant metal evenly disseminated throughout. One 1 mm chondrule was exposed on the freshly broken surface. Except for one small corner, oxidation appears to be minimal.

Thin Section (,3) Description: Brian Mason

Chondrules and chondrule fragments are abundant, ranging up to 2.4 mm across; they consist of granular or cryptocrystalline pyroxene. The matrix consists largely of small pyroxene grains, with some nickel-iron and minor sulfides. One ellipsoid (chondrule?) of metal, 1.1 x 1.5 mm, is present in the section. Microprobe analyses show that the pyroxene is clinoenstatite, with variable but low iron content (FeO 0.1-2.1%); the metal grains show a low and variable silicon content, ranging up to 0.5%. The meteorite is tentatively classified as an E3 enstatite chondrite, but the metal has a lower Si content than is usual for these meteorites. MAC88136 resembles MAC88180 and MAC88184; the possibility of pairing should be considered.