Meteorite**Gadamis 003, Lunar Ferroan Anorthositic**5.998 grams, Apollo 16!!!

Description

Hello up for sale is Gadamis 003 classified as a rare Lunar Ferroan Anorthositic cataclastic. This gorgeous slice weighs 5.998 grams with a perfect polish to one side, and fusion crust on the edge of the slice. Microprobe analysis reveals a significantly brecciated, cataclastic anorthitic plagioclase host making up 98-99% of this meteorite. Poikilitically enclosed in the plagioclase are sparse, very small olivine and pyroxene blebs (most in the range 5-10 μm). Larger pyroxene grains are scarce with two larger grains in size range of 300 μm observed in the microprobe mount. Together, olivine and pyroxene make up a total of ~1-2% of this meteorite. Lunar ferroan anorthosite, cataclastic. Olivine, pigeonite and plagioclase compositional values plot within the FAN suite field (after Warren, 1993).
The very high anorthite content (98-99%) and cataclastic texture is similar to Apollo 16 cataclastic FANs.
I recently purchased 143 gram slice from Mark Lyon and broke it up to sell smaller affordable slices. This meteorite comes with a COA card and display case. Thanks for your interest and take care.
Name:
Gadamis 003
This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite.
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2021
Country: Libya
Mass: 1270 g
Gadamis 003        30.284°N, 11.005°E
Ghadamis, Libya
Find: 2021
Classification: Lunar meteorite (anorth)
History: This meteorite was reportedly found in Libya at the same location as Gadamis 002 in 2021, purchased by Abdelhadi Aithiba in 2021.
Physical characteristics: Two identically appearing stones (670 and 600 g) found together at the Gadamis 002 site. The stones have a light green sand-blasted exterior, patches of smoothed dark fusion crust, as well as some light tan desert weathering. Polished sawcut surfaces reveal a brecciated, very fine-grained light gray interior with a few scattered white grains.
Petrography: (A. Ross and C. Agee, UNM) Microprobe analysis reveals a significantly brecciated, cataclastic anorthitic plagioclase host making up 98-99% of this meteorite. Poikilitically enclosed in the plagioclase are sparse, very small olivine and pyroxene blebs (most in the range 5-10 μm). Larger pyroxene grains are scarce with two larger grains in size range of 300 μm observed in the microprobe mount. Together, olivine and pyroxene make up a total of ~1-2% of this meteorite.
Classification: Lunar ferroan anorthosite, cataclastic. Olivine, pigeonite and plagioclase compositional values plot within the FAN suite field (after Warren, 1993). The very high anorthite content (98-99%) and cataclastic texture is similar to Apollo 16 cataclastic FANs. Paired with Gadamis 002.
Specimens: 24.32 g on deposit at UNM, Mark Lyon and Craig Zlimen hold the main masses.
Bibliography:
Warren P.H. (1993) A concise compilation of petrologic information on possibly pristine nonmare Moon rocks. American Mineralogist 78 (3-4), 360-376. (link)
Data from:
MB110
Table 0
Line 0:
State/Prov/County:Ghadamis
Date:2021
Latitude:30.284°N
Longitude:11.005°E
Mass (g):1270
Pieces:2
Class:Lunar (anorth)
Shock stage:high
Weathering grade:moderate
Fayalite (mol%):39.1±0.8
Ferrosilite (mol%):32.9±4.9
Wollastonite (mol%):6.1±2.5
Classifier:C. Agee, UNM
Type spec mass (g):24.32
Type spec location:UNM
Main mass:Mark Lyon and Craig Zlimen
Comments:Fieldname ABA-1044; submitted by C. Agee
LPI says:
Apollo 16 Lunar Samples
The overall set of lunar samples collected during the Apollo program can be classified into three major rock types, basalts, breccias, and lunar highland rocks. The Apollo 16 sample collection is dominated by breccias, and there are also some important examples of highland crustal rocks. There are no basaltic rocks in the Apollo 16 samples except for tiny clasts within some of the breccias. The Apollo 16 crew collected 731 individual rock and soil samples, including a deep drill core with material from 2.2 meters below the lunar surface, with a total mass of 95.7 kilograms.
Rocks from the Lunar Highland Crust
Very early in the Moon's history, much of its outer region was molten, a stage in lunar history known as the magma ocean. As the magma ocean cooled and solidified, a type of rock known as anorthosite, which consists mostly of the mineral plagioclase, floated to the surface. Small fragments of anorthosite were found beginning on Apollo 11, and a larger sample was found on Apollo 15. Two anorthosite samples collected on Apollo 16 are much larger than those found on any other Apollo mission. 60025, the sample shown here, solidified 4.36 billion years ago.