El Hareicha 002 (EH 002)        21º16.1856’N, 5º20.301’W

Gao, Mali

Find: 2021 Dec

Classification: HED achondrite (Eucrite, melt breccia)

History: 3 samples were found in December of 2021, 11.8 km NE from the Elba Kourya well in western Mali.

Physical characteristics: Samples have a dark gray, wind-ablated exterior. The cut face shows the interior is a breccia composed of abundant white and orange clasts in a dark grey matrix.

Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App) Sample shows a brecciated texture composed of: up to 2mm anhedral, exsolved pyroxenes and plagioclase (spray-textured) and a single cumulate-textured lithic clast with 1-5 mm pyroxenes and plagioclase. These components occur within a vesicular glassy and quenched melt matrix. Additional minerals are: a SiO₂ polymorph, chromite containing laths of ilmenite, and rare Fe metal and troilite.

Geochemistry: low Ca pyroxene (Fs_35.0±0.8Wo_1.8±0.4, Mg#=64.3±0.8, Fe/Mn=28.7±0.9, n=12); high Ca Pyroxene (Fs_13.6±1.0Wo_43.2±0.6, Fe/Mn=25.2±2.6, n=12); plagioclase (An_94.7±0.9Or_0.1±0.1, n=8).

Classification: HED achondrite (eucrite melt breccia) Based on mineral compositions and textures, sample is an equilibrated melt breccia composed of cumulate eucrite clasts.

Specimens: Jatri Zuber holds the main masses. A slice and several small fragments weighing 20.71 g and a polished thin section and mount are on deposit at App.