Ramlat Fasad 522        19°07.114’N, 53°20.322’E

Zufar, Oman

Find: 05 Feb 2017

Classification: Ureilite

History: A single small fragment was found during a search for meteorites.

Physical characteristics: Dark brown-olive wind ablated stone, 1.3 cm maximum dimension. No fusion crust.

Petrography: (S. Rout, E. Gnos, B. Hofmann) The meteorite consists of dominant olivine (60 vol%) and minor pigeonite (25 vol%), with typical ureilitc texture, grain size of silicates is 0.6-1.5 mm. Rounded grains of chromite, up to 500 μm are common (~2 vol%). Olivine grains have reduced Fe-poor rims with minute inclusions of Fe metal, mostly oxidized due to weathering. Larger metal at grain boundaries is completely weathered. Carbon platelets have irregular shape, are up to 1 mm in size and consist of diamond. Shock stage of silicates is low (S1-2). Medium weathering (most iron metal oxidized, silicates are unaffected).

Geochemistry: (S. Rout, Bern): Olivine cores Fa_18.3±0.2, Fe/Mn = 36.2±1.0, Cr₂O₃ 0.71±0.12 wt% (N = 29); reduced olivine rims: Fa>8.8, Cr₂O₃ 0.73±0.09 wt% (N = 13). Pigeonite cores: Fs_15.8±0.1Wo_8.2±0.1, Cr₂O₃ 1.13±0.18 wt% (N = 13). Chromite: Cr₂O₃ 60.0±1.1 wt%, FeO 15.6±2.6 wt%, MgO 11.1±1.8 wt% (N = 3).

Classification: Based on texture, mineralogy and geochemistry this is a unbrecciated, monomict, chromite-bearing ferroan ureilite.

Specimens: 0.336 g including one polished thin section at NMBE, main mass: MHTO