Rafsa 005 ( 1,480 g )
Frontside polished,
Vorderseite poliert.
Rafsa 005 28º39.1811’N, 8º12.571’W
Tindouf, Algeria
Find: 2023
Classification: Angrite
History: Many stones weighing a total of 2027 g were found by Hameti and Omar Harras and family members of Salek Mrabih in July of 2023 2.8 km NW of Rafsa 004, north of Tindouf, Algeria. Salek Mrabih purchased the samples from the finders.
Physical characteristics: Stone has an oriented shape a with a wind-ablated exterior. The cut face shows dark red silicates and small metal grains with a protogranular texture.
Petrography: Description and classification (A. Love, App) Sample shows heterogeneous, brecciated, protogranular texture dominated Ca-bearing olivine, subordinate Al-Ti diopside and anorthite showing well developed triple grain boundaries. Average grain size 475 µm. Sample contains Cr-bearing pleonaste spinels with plagioclase coronas similar to those described from NWA 2999 by Kuehner et al., 2006. Additional minerals are: kamacite and troilite.
Geochemistry: (A. Love, App) Olivine (Fa39.8±0.5, Fe/Mn=79.7±4.1, CaO=0.8±0.1wt%, n=14); diopside (Fs11.1±0.5Wo51.8±0.8, Al2O3=5.9_0.7wt%, TiO2=1.5±0.4wt%, Fe/Mn=101.5±21.6 n=14); anorthite (An99.4±0.2Or0.0±0.0, n=8); Cr-bearing pleonaste spinels (Mg#=48.7±0.8, Al2O3=56.1±0.9wt%, Cr2O3=6.7±0.8wt%, n=11).
Classification: achondrite (angrite U-S2 W3) Protogranular texture and mineral compositions indicate sample is a plutonic angrite. Sample may be paired with Rafsa 004.
Specimens: Salek Mrabih (Dominions Meteors) holds the main masses. A polished thin section and a cut individual weighing 22.40 g are on deposit at App.
State/Prov/County: | Tindouf |
Date: | 2023 |
Latitude: | 28º39.1811'N |
Longitude: | 8º12.571'W |
Mass (g): | 2027 |
Pieces: | many |
Class: | Angrite |
Shock stage: | U-S2 |
Weathering grade: | W3 |
Fayalite (mol%): | 39.8±0.5 |
Ferrosilite (mol%): | 11.1±0.5 |
Wollastonite (mol%): | 51.8±0.8 |
Classifier: | A. Love, App |
Type spec mass (g): | 22.4 |
Type spec location: | App |
Main mass: | Salek Mrabih (Dominions Meteors) |
Comments: | Submitted by Anthony Love |