Northwest Africa 2036

Morocco

Found 2002 August 24

Enstatite Chondrite EL6

A single stone of 390 g, with a well preserved, thick (up to 1 mm) fusion crust and clearly visible shiny flow lines, was found by Abdelaziz Ermili (boulevard Mohamed V, Boumalne Dades, Ouarzazate, Morocco) and Hay Abdelkrim, at Adrar Mkorn, NE Boulmane, Morocco. According to the discoverers, nomads reported seeing in late 1999 "a furious lighting… as a ball of fire falling from the sky" in the vicinity of the find. An end-cut of 26.6 g was entrusted to Alain Gallien for identification. Magnetic measurements (log= 5.56, compared to 5.44±0.1 for the mean on fresh EL) and visual examination by Pierre Rochette (CEREGE) indicated a probable enstatite chondrite. Classification and mineralogy (Bertrand Devouard, Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand, France): equilibrated texture with abundant metal, grain sizes 50-300 microns, no clear chondrules or relics of chondrules visible on the polished end-cut. Major phases are enstatite (En_98.3Wo_1.4Fs_0.3), kamacite (with 6.6 wt% Ni and 1.2 wt% Si), plagioclase (An 14), and troilite (with 0.65 wt% Ti and 0.94 wt% Cr). Minor phases include daubreelite, alabandite (4.0-7.6 wt% Mg, average 4.9), oldhamite, an SiO₂ phase containing some Al, and rare graphite, Weathering grade W0. Specimens: type specimen: 25.3 g, MNHNP. Main mass with the discoverers.