Northwest Africa 10224 (NWA 10224)

Morocco

Purchased: January 2014

Classification: Iron meteorite (IID)

History: Two identical-looking specimens (288.5 and 29.3 g) were purchased in January 2014 by Fabien Kuntz from a Moroccan dealer in Tagounite.

Physical characteristics: Curved, elongated specimen has a reddish-brown exterior with no obvious regmaglypts and little evidence of terrestrial alteration or weathering.

Petrography: Optical investigation reveals a well-developed Widmanstätten pattern consistent with a medium octahedrite (0.95±0.21 mm, n = 55).

Geochemistry: Bulk composition: ICP-MS data, using sample of North Chile (Filomena) as standard (C. Herd, S. DuFrane and G. Chen, UAb): Ni = 9.7, Co = 6.0 (both wt%); Ir = 14.9, Ga = 70.0, As = 3.5, W = 2.6, Re = 1.45, Cu = 240, Ru = 15.0, Pd = 2.5, Pt = 18.9 (all μg/g).

Classification: (C. Herd, UAb): IID, medium octahedrite. Concentrations of Ni, Cu, As, Ru, W, Re, Ir and Pt are consistent with the IID group (see Wasson and Huber, 2006). Ga is a bit low for IID, but too high for other groups (e.g., IIE, III and IV).

Specimens: Type specimen of 24.0 g, including slice removed for ICP-MS, at UAb. Main mass with Kuntz.