Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for Northwest Africa 1242

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Northwest Africa 1242

Basic information

Name: Northwest Africa 1242
This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: NWA 1242
Observed fall: No
Year found: 1985
Country: (Northwest Africa)
Mass: 7 kg

Classification
history:

NHM Catalogue:	5th Edition	(2000)	Mesosiderite
Meteoritical Bulletin:	MB 86	(2002)	Mesosiderite-A2
MetBase:	v. 7.1	(2006)	Mesosiderite-A2
Recommended:			Mesosiderite-A2 [explanation]

This is 1 of 6 approved meteorites classified as Mesosiderite-A2. [show all]
Search for other: Class A mesosiderites, Mesosiderites, and Metal-rich meteorites

Writeup

Writeup from MB 86:

Northwest Africa 1242

Gillio, Libya

Found 1985

Mesosiderite

Two fully ablated pieces of a mesosiderite (total known weight ~7 kg) were found near the village of Gillio by unknown oil exploration workers and put into service as bookends for 13 years. Purchased in 1998 by an anonymous dealer. Reports of a strewn field are presently unconfirmed. Classification and mineralogy (T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU): type 2A; contains scarce, metal nodules up to 19 mm in diameter; Mg-rich pyroxene overgrowths on Ca-pyroxene clasts; moderate resorption of plagioclase. Orthopyroxene (Fs₃₃Wo₃) replaces pigeonite (Fs₃₄Wo₈) and exsolved augite (Fs₄₃Wo₄₂); plagioclase (An₉₂); pyrrhotite, chromite (Al₂O₃ = 8.4 wt%); kamacite, 5.8 wt% Ni; rare taenite (42 wt% Ni), silica and phosphate. Shock stage, S1; weathering grade, W0. Specimens: type specimen, 20.2 g thin section, NAU; main mass is with the anonymous purchaser.

Data from:
  MB86
  Table 6
  Line 157:

Origin or pseudonym:	Libya
Date:	1985
Mass (g):	~7000
Pieces:	2
Class:	Mesosiderite

Institutions
and collections

NAU: Geology, Bldg 12 Knoles Dr Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, United States; Website (institutional address; updated 12 Apr 2012)

Catalogs:

Search for this meteorite in the Natural History Museum collection (U.K.):

References:

Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 86, MAPS 37, A157-A184 (2002)

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Photos:

Credit	Photos
Photos from the Encyclopedia of Meteorites:
Photograph by Geoffrey Notkin © Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery
Photos uploaded by members of the Encyclopedia of Meteorites. (Caution, these are of unknown reliability)
Aeroliths Collection Theodossiou
Dirk Hohmann
Franco Vignato
George Barclay
Gerald Armstrong
Kamil Maciag (meteoryt)
METEORITICON
Mirko Graul
Piotr gural100
Robert Zdancewicz
Woreczko Jan & Wadi