[meteorite-list] Martian Meteorite MIL 03346

From: bernd.pauli_at_paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Jul 20 15:28:38 2004
Message-ID: <DIIE.0000003C000024FF_at_paulinet.de>

> New Martian Meteorite Found In Antarctica (MIL 03346)

Not only is it a new martian meteorite but it is also the
first n a k h l i t e from the US Antarctic icefields !

There are two nakhlites from the Yamato icefields and they
are probably paired: Yamato 000593 and Yamato 000749.

Can MIL 03346 be paired with Y-000593 and Y-000749? Probably
not, because the Yamato nakhlites do contain some olivine as
an accessory mineral whereas "olivine was not observed" in
MIL 03346, which is unusual for nakhlites.

I am really glad I was able to acquire 0.61 grams of the NWA 998
nakhlite from Jim Strope some time ago. Some list members will
remember that he offered a NWA 998 combo (thin section + meteorite).
The thin section is an aesthetic feast for the eyes under crossed polars:

- long augite prisms showing simple twinning
- some augite crystals showing zoning
- some augite crystals having a striated pattern
- a few iron-rich olivine crystals with purple rim zoning (= poorer in iron)
- colors, colors, colors!

For those of you who can access the German Meteorite List (Yahoo List)
and who can open the photo files, click on "D?nnschliffe" (= thin sections)
and you will find my thin section photo of NWA 998, a stunning cascade
of colors!

Bernd
Received on Tue 20 Jul 2004 03:28:32 PM PDT