Ksar Ghilane 002 (KG 002)        32°48.375’N, 9°49.970’E

Quibili, Tunisia

Found: 13 Jan 2010

Classification: Martian meteorite (Shergottite)

History: Found in a search campaign for meteorites in Tunisia.

Physical characteristics: Single 538 g stone, ~10% fusion crusted.

Petrography: (J. Llorca, UPC, and A. Bischof and J. Roszjar, IfP) Composed primarily of maskelynitized plagioclase (52 vol%) and pyroxene (37 vol%), Ca-phosphates (merrillite and Cl-apatite), minor silica or SiO₂-normative K-rich glass, Fe-rich olivine, pyrrhotite, Ti-magnetite, ilmenite, and accessory zircon and baddeleyite. The largest crystals of pyroxene and plagioclase reach sizes of 4 mm and 5 mm, respectively.

Geochemistry: Pyroxene Fs_26-96En_5-50Wo_2-41. They typically range from cores of near Fs₂₉En₄₁Wo₃₀ to rims of Fs₆₈En₁₄Wo_17. Most plagioclase (maskelynite) is Ab_41-49An_39-58Or_1-7, but some can be as anorthitic as An_94. Olivine mainly occurs within symplectitic intergrowths, in paragenesis with ilmenite, or at neighboring areas of symplectites. These minerals are Fa_90-95 in composition. Heavily shocked as indicated by mosaic extinction of pyroxenes, maskelynitized plagioclase, and the occurrence of localized shock melt glass pockets.

Classification: Coarse-grained basaltic shergottite.

Specimens: José Vicente Casado holds the main mass. Type specimen (20.2 g) at UPC.