Name: Essential 08878 - Martian Nwa 6963 Shergottite Meteorite 0.316 G Thin Section With Fusion Crust Save 90% Now [RNTGV7uW]
Brand: mappa-mercia.org
SKU: HBS8968465701
Price: 22.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 3.72 (72 reviews)

Beautiful and authentic example of 0.316 g of this RARE type of MARTIAN Shergottite METEORITE named as NWA 6963. Beautiful thin section with black tiny fusion crust on its back part.

The authenticity of this specimen is guaranteed by the geologist Juan Avilés Poblador, member of International Meteorite Collectors Association (IMCA 5681).

Northwest Africa 6963

Basic information

Name: Northwest Africa 6963
This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: NWA 6963
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2011
Country: Morocco
Mass: 8 kg

Classification
history:

Meteoritical Bulletin:	MB 100	(2012)	Martian (shergottite)
Recommended:			Martian (shergottite) [explanation]

This is 1 of 198 approved meteorites (plus 1 unapproved name) classified as Martian (shergottite). [show all]
Search for other: Martian meteorites

Comments:

Approved 24 Oct 2011
Revised 8 Jun 2012: New information received from H. Chennaoui

Writeup

Writeup from MB 100:

Northwest Africa 6963 (NWA 6963) 28°00.148'N 11°07.895'W

South, Morocco

Found: 2011

Classification: Martian meteorite (Shergottite)

History: (H. Chennaoui Aoudjehane, FSAC) In September, 2011, a Moroccan meteorite hunter found the first pieces of NWA 6963 and sold it to AHabibi without giving the exact provenance. The hunter continued collecting pieces in the same area for about 6 months. In mid-May, 2012, the NWA 6963 locality, near the river Oued Touflit, became widely known and hundreds of meteorite hunters went to the area searching for more pieces. Pieces ranging from 100 to 700 g have been recovered, as well as a few small pieces (3-10 g), most of them are broken and partially covered by a thin fusion crust. The total mass may be as much as 8-10 kg.

Physical characteristics: The original recovered material was a shiny, dark, 83 g fusion-crusted stone in three pieces. Minimal weathering. Interior shows abundant maskelynite and shock melt vein.

Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) Microprobe examination of a polished epoxy mount shows 60% pyroxene, 35% maskelynite, 2% ulvöspinel, 2% melt pockets with silica, minor merrillite, trace chlorapatite and pyrrhotite. Pyroxenes show core-to-rim zonation. Pyroxene grains 200 μm to >1 mm, maskelynite domains 50 μm to >1 mm.

Geochemistry: (C. Agee and N. Wilson, UNM) Two distinct pyroxene compositional trends. Pigeonite Fs₂₉Wo₁₁En₅₉to Fs₅₈Wo₁₆En₂₆, average: Fs_39.7±7.7Wo_13.0±2.3Fe/Mn=33±3 N=108. Augite Fs₂₁Wo₃₄En₄₅to Fs₃₉Wo₃₁En₃₀, average: Fs_28.1±6.2Wo_31.6±1.9Fe/Mn=31±3 N=24. Maskelynite Or_2.3±0.7Ab_48.3±2.1An_49.4±2.6N=9. Oxygen isotopes (Z. Sharp, UNM): δ¹⁸O=4.332; δ¹⁷O=2.528; Δ¹⁷O=+0.241 (all per mil).

Classification: Achondrite (Martian, shergottite); minimal weathering, high shock grade based on complete transformation of plagioclase to maskelynite. Pyroxene compositional trends are similar, but not identical to Shergotty.

Specimens: 17 g including microprobe mount on deposit UNM. AHabibi holds the original recovered mass.

Data from:
  MB100
  Table 1
  Line 1558:

Place of purchase:	Morocco
Date:	2011
Latitude:	28°00.148'N
Longitude:	11°07.895'W
Mass (g):	8-10 kg
Pieces:	3
Class:	Martian (shergottite)
Ferrosilite (mol%):	39.7±7.7, 28.1±6.2
Wollastonite (mol%):	13.0±2.3, 31.6±1.9
Classifier:	C. Agee, UNM
Type spec mass (g):	17
Type spec location:	UNM
Main mass:	AHabibi
Comments:	Submitted by C. Agee and H. Chennaoui

Plots:

O isotopes:

Institutions
and collections

FSAC: Universite Hassan II Casablanca, Faculte des Sciences Ain Chock, Departement de Géologie, BP 5366 Maârif, Casablanca, Morocco (institutional address; updated 9 Jan 2013)
UNM: Institute of Meteoritics MSC03 2050 University of New Mexico Albuquerque NM 87131-1126 USA, United States; Website (institutional address; updated 12 Feb 2015)
AHabibi: Palms Hotel Club, Erfoud 52200, Morocco (private address; updated 3 Jan 2010)