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Northwest Africa 15432
Basic information Name: Northwest Africa 15432
     This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: NWA 15432
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2021
Country: (Northwest Africa)
Mass:help 16 g
Classification
  history:
Recommended:  Lunar (melt breccia)    [explanation]

This is 1 of 24 approved meteorites classified as Lunar (melt breccia).   [show all]
Search for other: Lunar meteorites
Comments: Approved 11 Dec 2022
Writeuphelp
Writeup from MB 111:

Northwest Africa 15432 (NWA 15432)

(Northwest Africa)

Purchased: Sep 2021

Classification: Lunar meteorite (melt breccia)

History: Meteorite was purchased by Mr. Jasper Spencer from a Mauritanian dealer in September 2021 via Facebook Messenger, who said it was found in Algeria in 2021. Mr. Spencer sent a 4 g end piece to Cascadia for classification.

Physical characteristics: Physical Characteristics: The cut face shows small (< 1mm across) angular light-colored to white clasts set in a black background; only two rectangular clasts exceed 1mm across (both are ~1.5 × 0.75 mm in exposed area).

Petrography: (M. Hutson and A. Ruzicka, Cascadia): Sample is a melt breccia consisting of sub-angular to sub-rounded lithic, mineral and glass clasts set in a glassy matrix. Clasts are dominated by anorthitic feldspar; the largest (~1.5 × 0.75 mm) is a noritic anorthosite (Stoeffler et al., 1980). One clast (~0.7 × 0.5 mm in exposed area) is composed of anorthitic feldspar, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and olivine in the proportions described by Stoffler et al. (1980) as an anorthositic norite, but ~5% of the clast is comprised of coarse (50-100 µm across) irregularly-shaped troilite. Other accessory phases include Cr- and Al-rich spinel grains, SiO2, FeNi metal, and ilmenite.

Geochemistry: Plagioclase feldspar: Ab3.2±0.7Or0.5±0.1An96.2±0.8, N=19. Olivine grains within clasts were relatively uniform, but varied from clast to clast (Fa28-41). Mg-rich olivine grains (Fa6.2-7.5) were observed as individual grains between clasts. Average of all olivine grains: Fa27.9±14.3, Fe/Mn=92.0±9.3, N=13. Low-Ca pyroxene: Fs32.4±0.8Wo3.4±0.5, Fe/Mn=59.2±6.0, N=6; Pigeonite: Fs34.9±11.7Wo9.4±3.7, N=16; Augite: Fs22.9±5.3Wo31.3±6.1, N=9.

Classification: Lunar (melt breccia). This meteorite is best described as a lunar feldspathic melt breccia based on texture and chemistry.

Specimens: Cascadia holds 2.6 g in one piece, as well as a polished thin section and material in an epoxy butt; Mr. Jasper Spencer holds the main mass.

Bibliography:
  • Stoeffler D., Knoell H.-D., Marvin U.B., Simonds C.H., and Warren, P.H. (1980) Recommended classification and nomenclature of lunar highland rocks - A committee report. In: Conference on the Lunar Highlands Crust, Houston, Tex., November 14-16, 1979, Proceedings. (A81-26201 10-91) New York and Oxford, Pergamon Press, 1980, p. 51-70. (link)
Data from:
  MB111
  Table 0
  Line 0:
Place of purchase:Facebook Messenger
Date:P Sep 2021
Mass (g):16
Pieces:1
Class:Lunar (melt breccia)
Fayalite (mol%):27.9±14.3 (N=13)
Ferrosilite (mol%):32.4±0.8 (N=6)
Wollastonite (mol%):3.4±0.5 (N=6
Classifier:M. Hutson and A. Ruzicka, Cascadia
Type spec mass (g):3.6
Type spec location:Cascadia
Main mass:Mr. Jasper Spencer
Comments:Lab number CML 1506; submitted by Melinda Hutson
Institutions
   and collections
Cascadia: Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory, Portland State University, Department of Geology, Room 17 Cramer Hall, 1721 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201, United States; Website (institutional address; updated 28 Oct 2011)
Catalogs:
References: Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 111, in preparation (2022)
Find references in NASA ADS:
Find references in Google Scholar:
Geography: 
Coordinates:Unknown.

Statistics:
     This is 1 of 9429 approved meteorites from (Northwest Africa) (plus 1876 unapproved names)

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