Dhofar 015

Oman

Found 2000 January 21

Carbonaceous chondrite (CK3)

A black stone weighing 184 g was found in the desert.  Mineralogy and classification (M. A. Ivanova, M. A. Nazarov, Vernad ; L. A. Taylor, UTenn ):  black fusion crust; meteorite consists of fine-grained matrix, chondrules, and plagioclase-rich objects; groundmass/chon­drules >>1; mineral modes (vol%) are olivine + pyroxene = 72, plagioclase = 16.6, Cr-magnetite = 9.7, ilmenite = 1 .4, hercynite < 0.5, sulfides (pyrite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, millerite) < 0.5, Cl-apatite < 0.5, Fe,Ni metal absent; olivine, Fa_28–34, contains NiO = 0.8 wt%; plagioclase, An_16–99; low-Ca pyroxene, Fs_25–28, is rare, whereas diopside, Wo₄₆En₄₆ is more abundant; bulk C content = 0.045 wt%; weathering grade, W1; shock stage, S3; fine-grained porous, friable matrix, distinct chondrule boundaries, and presence of glass in chondrules indicate petrologic type 3.  Oxygen isotopes (R.  Clayton and T.  Mayeda, UChi ) plot in the CV-CO-CK field. Specimens:  type specimen, 18 g and 2 thin sections, Vernad ; main mass with anonymous finder.