| Bechar 003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Basic information | Name: Bechar 003 This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name. Abbreviation: There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite. Observed fall: No Year found: 2022 Country: Algeria Mass: 2.09 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification history: |
This is 1 of 365 approved meteorites classified as Lunar (feldsp. breccia). [show all] Search for other: Lunar meteorites | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comments: | Approved 20 Jun 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Writeup![]() | Writeup from MB 111: Bechar 003 30.887°N, 3.301°W Bechar, Algeria Find: 2022 Mar 24 Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) History: Many small, similar-appearing stones were found together in Algeria on March 24, 2022, by a team represented by David Lehman. Some of the material was also acquired by John Higgins, Jasper Spencer, Ziyao Wang, and Preston Allen. Physical characteristics: The stones (total 2090 g) lack fusion crust and have light brown weathered exteriors. Fresh interiors are medium gray with diffuse small white clasts and rare tiny metal grains visible. Petrography: (A. Irving, UWS and P. Carpenter, WUSL) Electron microprobe analyses were conducted on small slices from four separate stones. Although there is some mineralogical and compositional heterogeneity among these pieces, all consist of mineral clasts of calcic plagioclase (predominantly anorthite but also some sodic bytownite), olivine, low-Ca pyroxene and augite within a very fine grained, sparsely microvesicular matrix containing Ti-chromite, troilite, kamacite and minor secondary barite. Geochemistry: Calcic plagioclase (An70.7-97.7Or1.1-0.0, N = 12), olivine (Fa22.9-49.5, FeO/MnO = 86-114, N = 14), low-Ca pyroxene (23.1-26.5Wo4.3-4.4, Fe)/MnO = 56-57, N = 2), pigeonite (Fs22.0-32.3Wo6.9-12.5, FeO/MnO = 52-61, N =7), augite (Fs11.9-19.4Wo35.8-38.6, FeO/MnO = 42-52, N = 5). Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia). Specimens: 60.2 g including a composite four-slice polished thick section at UWB; 1064 g with Mr. D. Lehman; 483 g with Mr. J. Higgins and Mr. J. Spencer; 137 g with WangZ; 431 g with Mr. P. Allen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Data from: MB111 Table 0 Line 0: |
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