On Offer: UNGROUPED CHONDRITE METEORITE PARTIAL 1.64g

Official name: NWA 12273

Description: A beautiful 1.64 gram partial slice of the ungrouped chondrite NWA 12273. Polished on one side, and rough wire cut finish on reverse. This meteorite defies any known classification, hence the "ungrouped, or "-ung" designation. All that the researchers can say about how this meteorite fits into the current meteoritic taxonomy, is that it is a chondrite. Which is much like asking an ornithologist what type of bird you had discovered and having them come back after extensive analysis and saying its official taxonomy was, "Bird Ungrouped". With visual characteristics similar to a Bencubbinite but with Oxygen isotopic overlap with the LL chondrites, this is a very strange and scientifically significant meteorite. This meteorite is a bit of a cosmic irony seeing as it is extremely metal rich and the LL chondrites are so named for being relatively metal poor. This meteorite pairs with the Chondrite-ung NWA 12379.

What you get: 1.64 gram Ungrouped Chondrite Meteorite Specimen as Shown, Membrane Storage/Display Box, signed 5x7 double sided color Certificate of Authenticity

I offer a 100% no questions asked 30 day return policy.

OFFICIAL METEORITICAL SOCIETY ENTRY BELOW

Northwest Africa 12273

Basic information

Name: Northwest Africa 12273
This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: NWA 12273
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2018
Country: (Northwest Africa)
Mass: 280 g

Classification
history:

Recommended:

Chondrite-ung [explanation]

This is 1 of 24 approved meteorites classified as Chondrite-ung. [show all]
Search for other: Ungrouped chondrites

Comments:

Approved 11 Dec 2018

Writeup

Writeup from MB 107:

Northwest Africa 12273 (NWA 12273)

(Northwest Africa)

Purchased: 2018

Classification: Ungrouped chondrite

History: Purchased by Jay Piatek from a Moroccan meteorite dealer on October 25, 2018.

Physical characteristics: Dense, single individual. Fusion crust absent; abundant bright metal; scattered small chondrules are visible.

Petrography: (C. Agee, UNM) This meteorite consists of approximately 75% metal in the form of kamacite (~90%) and taenite (~10%) grains, diameters ranging from 50-500 μm. Minor troilite was observed throughout. Silicates occur primarily in the form of chondrules, most are porphyritic, diameters in the range 100-500 μm, making up approximately 20% of this meteorite.

Geochemistry: (C. Agee) Olivine Fa_26.2±3.3, Fe/Mn=55±5, n=29; low-Ca pyroxene Fs_15.3±1.8Wo_0.7.±0.2, Fe/Mn=23±2, n=11. Oxygen isotopes (K. Ziegler, UNM): 3 acid-washed fragments analyzed by laser fluorination gave δ¹⁸O= 5.258, 5.613, 7.249; δ¹⁷O= 3.939, 3.971, 4.786; Δ¹⁷O= 1.163, 1.007, 0.959 (linearized, all per mil, TFL slope=0.528).

Classification: Ungrouped chondrite. This is a metal-rich chondrite with oxygen isotopes that overlap with LL-chondrites. The olivine Fa content is consistent with L3, however the low-Ca pyroxene Fs is consistent with H4. The high metal content is inconsistent with ordinary chondrite. Texturally, this meteorite resembles a CB-b, however the oxygen isotopes and Fa and Fs are unlike CB chondrites.

Specimens: 23.2 g including a probe mount on deposit at UNM, Jay Piatek holds the main mass of 240 g.

Data from:
  MB107
  Table 0
  Line 0:

Place of purchase:	Morocco
Date:	P 2018
Mass (g):	280
Pieces:	1
Class:	Chondrite-ung
Shock stage:	low
Weathering grade:	low
Fayalite (mol%):	26.2±3.3
Ferrosilite (mol%):	15.3±1.8
Wollastonite (mol%):	0.7±0.2
Classifier:	C. Agee, UNM
Type spec mass (g):	23.2
Type spec location:	UNM

ID: NWA122731906