Rantila (aubrite)

Description

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Rantila        24°14’26’’N, 71°46’45″E

Gujarat, India

Confirmed fall: 2022 Aug 17

Classification: Enstatite achondrite (Aubrite)

History: The meteorite fall was observed in two nearby villages, Rantila and Ravel, ~10.5 km apart. The meteorite fell at Rantila village in soft, clayey agricultural land. While falling, the meteorite hit a branch of a tree and broke into fragments, also breaking the branch into several pieces. Several fragments of the meteorite were found scattered around a field, with the larger pieces producing small pits (~28 cm diameterm ~15 cm deep) due to impact on soft, wet soil.

Physical characteristics: Broken pieces reveal a fragmental breccia. Theses pieces are fragile and the inner materials are brittle. They contain olivine, plagioclase feldspar, iron-nickel metal, and numerous sulfides. Large pyroxene grains (up to 2 cm) occur as bright white crystals.

Petrography: The dominant mineral phase is enstatite, followed by diopside, olivine, and plagioclase. Sulfides include troilite, alabandite, heideite, daubréelite, oldhamite; Fe-Ni alloys are also present.

Geochemistry: Enstatite Mg# 99.7, En_98.4Wo_1.0, diopside Mg# 99.8, En_54.5Wo_45.1, Olivine Mg# 99.7, plagioclase Or_3.3Ab_95.9An_0.7.

Classification: The meteorite is an aubrite (enstatite achondrite) and is a fragmental breccia. Degree of shock is moderate and the weathering is minimal

Specimens: Type specimen ~200 g at PRL. Main mass with District Officials of Banaskantha, Gujarat, India