Wuerhe        46°01’01.1’’N, 86°16’34.4’’E

Xinjiang, China

Find: 2018 July 25

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L5)

History: Three small meteorites were first found by three anonymous people who were looking for wind-erosed stones of quartz in the desert. These meteorites were confirmed by Pengli Chen. On return back to this area, 10 more pieces were found within 3 days. On September 17-19, 2018, the meteorite hunting team organized by P. Chen searched this area again, and they found 10 other pieces. Counting an additional 3 pieces recovered by anonymous finders, a total of 26 meteorites were collected in this new meteorite strewn field. The total mass is about 6 kg, and the largest piece is 1.3 kg. All of these pieces were completely covered by fusion crust.

Physical characteristics: Two of the meteorites were studied. Black melt veins and pockets can be seen in the exposed surfaces of samples.

Petrography: (Y. Xu, N. Wang and Y. Lin, IGGCAS) Microscopic observations of a polished mount reveal a chondritic texture with recrystallized matrix. Chondrules are readily delineated. It consists mainly of olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, Fe-Ni metal, and troilite. Plagioclase size is less than 50 μm. Ringwoodite and wadsleyite were found within and close to shock veins and pockets.

Geochemistry: Olivine and pyroxene have homogeneous chemical compositions. Olivine Fa_24.6±0.9 (n=12), orthopyroxene Fs_{20.7± 0.8}Wo_1.6±0.2 (n=11), plagioclase: An₁₁ (n=5)

Classification: L5 (Y Xu, N. Wang and Y. Lin, IGGCAS)

Specimens: 2 slices with a total mass of 136 g in IGGCAS, 3 pieces with a total mass of ~400 g by P. Chen. Others with anonymous owners.