Official Meteoritical Bulletin entry for Northwest Africa 5406:
Northwest Africa 5406 Morocco Find: July 2008 Achondrite (lunar, feldsparthic breccia)
History: Purchased by Greg Hupé in July 2008 from a dealer in Ouarzazate, Morocco, who reported that these stones were found in the same area as NWA 4936 near Siksou Mountain in southern Morocco. Physical characteristics: Six, dark gray, mostly very fine-grained stones (total weight 281 g) with hackly fracture and lacking obvious fusion crust. The interior of each stone resembles devitrified glass with dispersed small white clasts. Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) All specimens are composed of small mineral clasts and sparse lithic clasts in a very fine-grained matrix (which has the texture of an impact melt with heterogeneous, “swirly” glass). Mineral clasts include anorthite, olivine, pigeonite, subcalcic augite, ilmenite, troilite, and irregular-shaped grains of kamacite. Geochemistry: Pigeonite (Fs34.7Wo9.8, FeO/MnO = 59.9), augite (Fs55.8Wo26.4, FeO/MnO = 72.6), olivine (Fa25.7–27.0, FeO/MnO = 85.3–120), plagioclase (An96.2–97.2Or0.0). Bulk composition (R. Korotev, WUSL): FeO 5.8 wt%, Th 2.0 ppm, Sc 9.1 ppm, Ni 520 ppm, Sm 6.3 ppm. Classification: Achondrite (lunar, feldspathic breccia). These stones have essentially the same distinctive textures, mineral compositions and bulk composition as NWA 4936, and are almost certainly paired with the latter stones. Specimens: A total of 20.0 g of is on deposit at UWS. The main masses are held by Mr. G. M. Hupé.
Scientific abstracts and news regarding NWA 5406:
Korotev R. L., Irving A. J., and Bunch T. E.
(2012) Keeping Up With the Lunar Meteorites — 2012 (abstract).
In Lunar and Planetary Science XLIII, abstract no. 1152,
43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/pdf/1152.pdf
Korotev R. L., Zeigler R. A., Irving A. J., and Bunch T. E. (2009)
Keeping up with the Lunar Meteorites — 2009 (abstract).
In Lunar and Planetary Science XL, abstract no. 1137,
40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2009/pdf/1137.pdf
Korotev R. L., Irving A. J., and Bunch T. E.
(2008) Keeping up with the lunar meteorites – 2008 (abstract).
In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, abstract no. 1209,
39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2008/pdf/1209.pdf
179.2 gram NWA 5406 individual with Siksou Mountain in background.
Thin section image in Cross Polarized Light.
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