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Balcarce
Basic information Name: Balcarce
     This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite.
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2000
Country: Argentina
Mass:help 2.28 kg
Classification
  history:
Meteoritical Bulletin:  MB 108  (2020)  H4
Recommended:  H4    [explanation]

This is 1 of 6475 approved meteorites (plus 2 unapproved names) classified as H4.   [show all]
Search for other: H chondrites, H chondrites (type 4-7), Ordinary chondrites, and Ordinary chondrites (type 4-7)
Comments: Approved 7 Mar 2019
Revised 5 Sep 2021: Corrected longitude
Writeuphelp
Writeup from MB 108:

Balcarce        37°50’38.9"S, 58°21’50.0

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Find: 2000 Jun 2

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (H4)

History: As indicated in Turone (2001), several pieces, including the main mass of 1780 g, were found at the base of Cerro Amarante in June 2000. The total mass was 2280 g. Presently the main mass of 1366 g is in a private collection.

Petrography: M.E. Varela and M. Saavedra (ICATE). Different types of chondrules are visible: BO, RP and POP with apparent diameter up to 1.2 mm. Chondrule fragments and isolated euhedral crystals of olivine and pyroxene up to 600 µm are common. Most chondrules have well defined edges. When present, chondrule mesostasis is recrystallized. Both the metal and the sulfides have irregular shapes with sizes ranging from 20 µm to 1.2 mm. Polycrystalline troilite grains are scarce. Shock features include olivine undulatory extinction, planar fractures and the presence of polycrystalline troilite. Weathering is moderate.

Geochemistry: Mineral composition: A total of 80 analyses covered 10 areas in the two thin section studied. Olivine, Fa18.3; Pyroxene, Fs16.6Wo0.5. Minor phases: high-Ca pyroxene Fs7.8Wo38.4.

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (H4)

Specimens: Type specimen of 33.12 g is on deposit in the MLP. 54.8 g and four thin section are on deposit at ICATE. The main mass, 1366 g, is in the Eduardo Jawerbaum collection.

Bibliography:
  • Turone O. (2001) South American Report: The Balcarce Meteorite. Meteorite, 7, 40. (link)
Data from:
  MB108
  Table 0
  Line 0:
State/Prov/County:Buenos Aires
Origin or pseudonym:Balcarce
Date:2000 Jun 2
Latitude:37°50'38.9"S
Longitude:58°21'50.0"W
Mass (g):2280
Pieces:1
Class:H4
Shock stage:S2
Weathering grade:W2
Fayalite (mol%):18.3 (N=43)
Ferrosilite (mol%):16.6 (N=37)
Wollastonite (mol%):0.5
Classifier:M. E. Varela, ICATE
Type spec mass (g):33.12
Type spec location:MLP
Main mass:Eduardo Jawerbaum
Finder:Turone
Comments:Submitted by Maria Eugenia Varela (Icate-Conicet)
Institutions
   and collections
MLP: Museo de La Plata Paseo del Bosque s/no B1900FWA La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina (institutional address; updated 23 Dec 2017)
ICATE: Instituto de Ciencias Astronomicas de la Tierra y del Espacio Av. España Sur 1512 – San Juan , Argentina; Website (institutional address; updated 31 Oct 2021)
Catalogs:
References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 108 (2020) Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 55, 1146-1150
Find references in NASA ADS:
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Photos:
CreditPhotos
Photos uploaded by members of the Encyclopedia of Meteorites.
    (Caution, these are of unknown reliability)
John A. Shea   
Matteo Chinellato   
Woreczko Jan & Wadi   
Geography:

Argentina
Coordinates:
     Recommended::   (37° 50' 39"S, 58° 21' 50"W)

Statistics:
     This is 1 of 13 approved meteorites from Buenos Aires, Argentina (plus 3 unapproved names)
     This is 1 of 81 approved meteorites from Argentina (plus 9 unapproved names) (plus 2 impact craters)
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