Sample No.: ALH83008

Location: Allan Hills

Weight (g): 272.0

Field No.: 2516

Dimensions (cm): 8.5 x 5 x 3

Meteorite Type: L3 Chondrite

Macroscopic Description: Carol Schwarz

Shiny black fusion crust with large (<1 cm) oxidation haloes covers nearly all of this specimen. The interior is dark in color and dotted with oxidization. Small (~1 mm) sized clasts/chondrules are barely discernible.

Thin Section (,3) Description: Brian Mason

The section shows a close-packed aggregate of chondrules, chondrule fragments, and irregular inclusions in a dark matrix which contains minor subequal amounts of nickel-iron and troilite. Chondrules range in size from 0.2-3 mm across, and show a variety of types, the commonest being porphyritic or granular olivine with or without polysynthetically twinned clinopyroxene. Considerable weathering is indicated by brown limonitic staining throughout the section. Microprobe analyses give the following compositions: olivine, Fa10-24, mean Fa17 (CV FeO 22); pyroxene, Fs5-24. The variability of olivine and pyroxene compositions indicates type 3, and the amount of nickel-iron suggests L group; hence the meteorite is tentatively classified as an L3 chondrite. It resembles ALHA78046.