Lovina                   8°39'S, 115°13'E

Lovina, Bali, Indonesia

Find: January 1981

Iron (ataxite, ungrouped)

History: Found on the beach while the finder was picking seashells at low tide.

Physical characteristics: Striking oblong 8.2 kg, weathered iron with cm-scale pyramids projecting from upper surface (orientation as found on beach) and cm-sized vugs in lower surface. The pyramids have ribs spaced approximately at mm intervals.

Petrography: (R. Flemming, P. Corcoran UWO; S. Kissin, LU) Initial examination of the meteorite exterior by in situ micro-XRD identified taenite but no kamacite. Awaruite (Ni-dominant alloy) was also identified as co-structural with the taenite. Examination by reflected light microscopy and SEMEDX of a polished thin section from near the weathered surface of Lovina revealed abundant globular troilite nodules up to 0.8 mm in diameter in a featureless Fe-Ni-Co alloy matrix. The metal contains no kamacite exsolution lamellae nor are there Neumann lines. Many of troilite nodules are partially or totally oxidized and show Ni-enriched awaruite rims in the adjacent metal. Small Cr-oxide grains (~10 µm) occur with the troilite.

Geochemistry: (S. Kissin, LU) Bulk composition (INAA): Co = 0.87, Ni = 34.5 (both wt%); Cu = 395, Ga = 22, Ge = 150, As = 5.6, Sb = 390, W <10, Re < 0.01, Ir = 0.252, Pt < 0.5, Au = 0.07, Cr = 321 (all ppm).

Classification: (S. Kissin, LU; P. McCausland, UWO) Iron (ataxite, ungrouped).

Type specimens: A 32.5 g cut end piece and one polished thin section is deposited at UWO. Richer holds the main mass.

Submitted by: P. McCausland, UWO.