Meteorite: Northwest Africa 2046 (NWA 2046)
Location: Lakhbi, Algeria
Found: September 2003
Type: Shergottite (SNC)

From Mike Farmer
December 27, 2003

Northwest Africa 2046, Morocco, 2003

Martian basalt (shergottite)

A 63g complete and partially crusted stone was purchased in Rissani, Morocco, September 2003. Classification and mineralogy (J. Wittke and T. Bunch, NAU; A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS): olivine-orthopyroxene-phyric basalt; subhedral to euhedral olivine phenocrysts (< 2.2 mm) are strongly zoned from cores of Fa15.5 to rims of Fa 47.9and subhedral to euhedral orthopyroxene pheoncrysts (<2.1 mm) are zoned in a chaotic manner from cores of Fs 17.7Wo2.5 to pigeonite rims of Fs39.0Wo12.5. Interstitial maskelynite is zoned from cores of An74.4Or0.1to rims of An62.3Or1.1. Accessory minerals include chromite, Cr-uvvspinel, ilmenite, pyrrhotite, merrillite, chlorapatite, and fayalite that mantles some ilmenite. Trapped melt inclusions in olivine contain Al-pigeonite, Al-diopside, pleonaste and glass. Large opx phenocrysts show preferred orientation; olivine phenocrysts are weakly oriented and tend to occur in clusters. The stone has a 1-2 mm weathering rind; interior is very fresh. Specimens: 12.2g, NAU; main mass, Strope.