Several weathered brown stones were recovered from the Moroccan Sahara in 2013. Upon cutting, it was obvious that the meteorites were Vestan achondrites of some kind. They were sent for analysis and classified as a howardite that is composed of approx. one third diogenite and two thirds mixed eucrite components in a shock darkened matrix.
Refer to the photo. The black centimeter cube is shown for scale and is not included. You are purchasing a single small fragment like the one shown. Your purchase includes a labeled gemjar for safe storage.
From the Meteoritical Bulletin entry on NWA 8343 :
Purchased: 2013
Classification: HED achondrite (Howardite)
History: Purchased by Brahim Tahiri from a Moroccan hunter and sent for classification in 2013.
Physical characteristics: Four stones with identical appearance (338.70 g, 192.18 g, 96.79 g, 73.25 g), irregular dark brown weathered exterior. Saw cut reveals breccia with white, green, and dark gray clasts.
Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Microprobe examination of a polished mount shows a fragmental to cataclastic breccia with equilibrated (exsolution lamellae) and unequilibrated (igneous zoned) pyroxenes throughout. Silica, ilmenite, chromite, and iron-nickel metal present. Approximately 30% of this meteorite is diogenitic, ~60% is basaltic eucrite, and ~10% is cumulate eucrite.
Geochemistry: (C. Agee and N. Muttik, UNM) Diogenite minerals: low-Ca pyroxene Fs29.5±5.2Wo3.6±1.3, Fe/Mn=30±3, n=4; olivine Fa33.5, Fe/Mn=61, n=1; plagioclase An93.2±0.7Ab6.5±0.6Or0.3±0.1, n=3. Basaltic eucrite minerals: low-Ca pyroxene Fs55.3±2.7Wo8.1±2.9, Fe/Mn=32±0, n=9; augite Fs39.1±1.2Wo39.8±0.5, Fe/Mn=33±1, n=2, olivine Fa77.4, Fe/Mn=41, n=1; plagioclase An88.4±2.2Ab11.1±2.2Or0.5±0.0, n=2. Cumulate eucrite minerals: low-Ca pyroxene Fs37.9.3±2.2Wo5.0±2.0, Fe/Mn=30±1, n=3; plagioclase An91.5±0.3Ab8.0±0.3Or0.5±0.1, n=2.
Classification: Achondrite (howardite)
