NWA 2995 Lunar endcut MAIN MASS of RARE MOON Meteorite

• Northwest Africa 2995

• Found in Algeria 2005

• Achondrite (Lunar Feldspatic breccia)

A 538 g, fully crusted and minimally weathered stone was purchased in Morocco by A. Aaronson in November 2005. Petrography and Geochemistry: (T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU): The feldspathic fragmental breccia contains many highlands fine-grained lithologies including norite (orthopyroxene, Fs_26.4Wo₄, FeO/MnO = 66); olivine basalt (olivine, Fa_87.2 FeO/MnO = 95; plagioclase, An_84.7); subophitic basalt (Ca-pyroxene, Fs_25-48Wo_37.1-25.9; pigeonite, Fs_27.8-31.7Wo_15.4-9.3 FeO/MnO = 53; olivine Fa_36.3 FeO/MnO = 90; plagioclase, An₉₇); gabbro (olivine Fa_34.7 FeO/MnO = 95; pigeonite Fs_28.2Wo_8.9 FeO/MnO = 67; plagioclase An₉₄); KREEPy-like basalt (plagioclase, Ab₅₀Or_17.4; K-feldspar, Ab_14.3Or_83.6 in addition to silica, phosphate and Fe-rich pyroxenes); troctolite (Fa_30.8 FeO/MnO = 94; plagioclase An_94.7); granulitic impact melts (Fa₃₁; orthopyroxene, Fs_25.2Wo_3.4; plagioclase An₉₅); anorthosite (An_92.7-96,8); glassy impact melts, coarse-grained mineral fragments, and a 0.350 mm sized grain of meteoritic Ni, Fe metal (Ni = 6.3 Co = 1.0, both wt %). In addition, the assemblage appears to be characterized by large amounts of breccias within breccias: at least 4 generations of brecciation were observed in one cm-sized breccia clast. Numerous shock-induced melt veins are present along large breccia clast margins as well as isolated melt pockets within clasts. Interior weathering grade is very low, all glasses are fresh and no apparent terrestrial alteration veins were noted.  Classification:  Achondrite (Lunar feldspathic breccia). Specimens: A 21.2 g specimen is on deposit at NAU.