Northwest Africa 14214 (NWA 14214)

Mauritania

Find: 2021

Classification: HED achondrite (Howardite)

History: Purchased in March 2021 by Matthew Stream from a meteorite dealer in Mauritania.

Physical characteristics: Sample contains minor fusion crust.

Petrography: (D. Sheikh, Cascadia) This sample is a polymict breccia composed primarily of sub-angular to sub-rounded clasts (up to 4 mm): tabular/blocky diogenite clasts dominated by coarse-grained orthopyroxene (~31 vol. %); fine-grained eucrite clasts containing low-Ca pyroxene, pigeonite (some exsolved), augite, and calcic plagioclase (~17 vol. %); coarse-grained cumulate eucrite clasts containing low-Ca pyroxene, pigeonite (some exsolved), augite (some exsolved), calcic plagioclase, and minor olivine (~52 vol. %). Accessory phases (<1 vol. %) include ilmenite, Fe-oxides, and SiO₂-rich glass.

Geochemistry: Diogenite clasts: Orthopyroxene (Fs_30.2±0.8Wo_4.3±0.3, range Fs_28.9-31.5Wo_4.0-5.2, n=5). Eucrite clasts: Low-Ca Pyroxene (Fs_44.9±9.7Wo_5.0±1.5, range Fs_33.9-58.7Wo_1.2-5.9, Fe/Mn=30±4, n=10), Pigeonite (Fs_51.3±9.6Wo_13.6±6.7, range Fs_33.5-68.6Wo_6.1-24.7, Fe/Mn=30±4, n=37), Augite (Fs_46.1±15.2Wo_32.4±5.1, range Fs_27.1-68.3Wo_26.1-40.0, Fe/Mn=34±6, n=9), Calcic Plagioclase (An_86.4±5.6, range An_76.8-96.7, n=37), Olivine (Fa_77.6±1.2, range Fa_76.2-79.1, Fe/Mn=43±5, n=5).

Classification: HED Achondrite (Howardite).

Specimens: 20.5 g and a thin section at Cascadia; main mass with Matthew Stream.