Northwest Africa 10488 (NWA 10488)

(Northwest Africa)

Purchased: 2014

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L6)

History: 1 stone weighing 54.6 g was found in Morocco in 2014. David Holden acquired the sample from a meteorite prospector in Erfoud, 2014.

Physical characteristics: The stone is black and angular in shape displaying a few small, shallow regmaglypts. Weathered brown fusion crust covering approximately 100% of the exterior. A rollover lip surrounds one face that also shows a few small bubbles. The cut face of the interior of the stone is dark brown and displays small, closely packed chondrules and fresh and weathered flakes of metal.

Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App): Sample displays recrystallized chondritic texture crosscut by a few glassy shock veins. Few chondrules are defined. Porphyritic chondrules have recrystallized mesostasis. A single barred olivine chondrule is 3.4 mm in diameter.

Geochemistry: (A.Love, App) Olivine Fa_26.2±0.3, N=6; Low-Ca pyroxene Fs_21.7±0.3Wo_1.9±0.3, N=6.

Classification: Based on mineral compositions and textures, sample is an L6 S5 W3 ordinary chondrite.

Specimens: An endcut and one slice weighing 11.2 g, and a polished thin section are currently on deposit at App.