Description
Bechar 006 30.894°N, 3.395°W
Bechar, Algeria
Purchased: 2022
Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)
History: Hundreds of stones were reportedly found in March 2022 and subsequent months by meteorite hunters within the Bechar region, Algeria. About 7 kg of this material were bough by Mohamed Ali Loud, Miguel Angel Contreras Gomez, and Viktor Plamenov Ivanov
Physical characteristics: The material occurs in two different varieties. Samples found on the surface have light brown exteriors. The ones found buried have whitish exteriors with orange caliche. All stones lack fusion crust. Interiors are predominately gray with dark gray and white clasts. Some metal grains are macroscopically visible.
Petrography: (K. Metzler, IfP) Fine-grained polymict breccia, consisting of mineral fragments (mainly plagioclase, pyroxene, Ca-rich pyroxene, and olivine) and a few anorthositic lithic clasts, set in a compacted fine-grained matrix. The matrix partly represents a crystallized melt. Subrounded units of clast-rich impact melt rocks are admixed. Accessories are ilmenite, troilite, and Ni-bearing metal; one zircon grain (~25 µm) was observed.
Geochemistry: Mineral compositions and geochemistry: Olivine Fa28.3±6.4 (Fa17.5-40.1); mean Fe/Mn (at.): 112; n=8. Low-Ca pyroxene Fs26.4±4.0Wo4.1±2.1 (Fs20.0-31.6Wo1.8-8.3); mean Fe/Mn (at.): 67; n=11. Ca-rich pyroxene Fs17.9±0.8Wo39.4±1.4 (Fs17.3-18.4Wo38.4-40.3) mean Fe/Mn (at.): 48; n=2. Plagioclase An96.2±0.8Or0.1±0.1 (An95.4-98.0Or0.0-0.3); n=11.
Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia), based on texture and mineral chemistry
