Northwest Africa 10627 (NWA 10627)

(Northwest Africa)

Purchased: 2010

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (LL3)

History: One stone weighing 85.9 g was found in Morocco in 2010. David Holden acquired the sample from a meteorite prospector in Erfoud 2010.

Physical characteristics: The oriented stone is dark brown and has a flattened, irregular shape. The stone is 80% covered by an oxidized fusion crust that displays shallow regmaglypts and distinct rollover lipping with minor bubbling on the trailing edge. The cut face of the interior of the stone is dark in color and displays small chondrules, many of which have FeS rims and a minor amount of interstitial fresh metal.

Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App): Sample is dark-colored and displays numerous close-packed unequilibrated chondrules (avg. dia. 678 μm, 153-1943 μm, n=52) and mineral fragments set within a fine-grained opaque matrix. Porphyritic chondrules show zoned phenocrysts and turbid mesostasis. The mesostasis of some porphyritic chondrules contains isotropic glass. Many chondrules display fine-grained rims composed of clastic silicates and metals and sulfides. Clinoenstatite is the dominant form of low-Ca pyroxene. Sample contains melt pockets and polycrystalline troilite.

Geochemistry: (A. Love, App) Olivine Fa_16.9±5.7 (Fa_6.5-24.6), N=14; Low Ca pyroxene Fs_12.3±6.1Wo_1.6±0.1 (Fs_6.1-24.4, N=10).

Classification: Based on textural relationships using optical, CL and SEM microscope images and mineral compositions, this is an LL3, S4, W2 ordinary chondrite.

Specimens: 3 slices and several small fragments weighing 19.6 g and a polished thin section are on deposit at App.