[meteorite-list] NEW - Intriguing Ungrouped Achondrite - NWA 6704

From: Greg Hupé <gmhupe_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 08:16:12 -0400
Message-ID: <C039D1D99D184FEAA4C7D80AF99C5539_at_Gregor>

Dear List Members,

Over the last four months I have been reorganizing my company to make things
easier for me in order to better serve the meteorite community.
To start my official Grand Re-Opening, I have the honor and privilege to
introduce to you...


Northwest Africa 6704...
...a 'most intriguing' New Ungrouped Achondrite.

NWA 6704 is a most intriguing meteorite unlike any others known to man! Not
only does it have tremendous scientific value, it is one of the most
visually appealing meteorites with its dazzling display of yellowish-green
orthopyroxene crystals containing small grains of olivine and chromite
surrounded by large intercumulus grains of albite enclosing small grains of
awaruite (a rare very nickel-rich metal alloy). Oxygen isotope results plot
this achondrite within the field for acapulcoites-lodranites, but that is
where any comparison stops. NWA 6704 is unlike any other meteorite! If that
isn?t enough, this incredible meteorite contains an abundance of ?bubble
trains? within the orthopyroxene which appear to be devoid of fluid upon
initial inspection. Ongoing analyses are currently being performed to
measure the cosmogenic noble gases to determine its CRE age (time spent in
space) and to possibly detect trapped gases or even atmosphere from the NWA
6704 parent body!

Close-up image of the NWA 6704 matrix:
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704matrix.jpg

Bubble trains and cleavages in orthopyroxene (width of field 0.593 mm)
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704bubbleTrain1.jpg

Bubble trains and cleavages in orthopyroxene (width of field 0.237 mm)
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704bubbleTrain2.jpg

NWA 6704 has a Total Known Weight of 8387 grams in a single, naturally
fractured stone that was discovered in Northwest Africa in 2010. In their
eagerness to see what was ?inside? the stone, the Algerian finders
unfortunately broke the largest pieces, as can be seen in the image of the
reassembled stone below. Also visible are the natural breaks along extended
segment boundaries which have been sandblasted over time in the Sahara,
smoothing the edges on the largest pieces and a more ?rounding? of the
smaller fragments. Oddly, NWA 6704 is almost entirely devoid of visible
fusion crust; only a single 1.5cm x 2cm patch exists, raising questions as
to how this can be. Through a determined effort over a four month period,
the distributed parts were purchased by Greg Hup? and reassembled into a
single stone resembling a ?puzzle?. It is remarkable that the finders were
able to collect even the smallest of fragments!

Reassembled mass of the NWA 6704 ?puzzle? meteorite (measures 27cm x 16cm x
14cm):
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704complete1.jpg

Close-up image of only fusion crust ?patch? on NWA 6704 (measures 1.2cm x
2cm):
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704crust1.jpg

Thin section image of NWA 6704 in cross-polarized light (width of field 5
mm):
http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa6704/nwa6704ThinSection1.jpg

Officially accepted classification of NWA 6704 entered in the Meteoritical
Bulletin:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=53609
(Note: the TKW is 8387 grams with 42 pieces, entry errors should be
corrected soon).

Best Regards,
Greg

====================
Greg Hup?
The Hup? Collection
gmhupe at centurylink.net
www.LunarRock.com
NaturesVault (eBay)
AncientDiscoveries (eBay)(formerly 'NaturesVault')
IMCA 3163
====================
Click here for my current eBay auctions, I have two accounts now:
1) NaturesVault - http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault
2) AncientDiscoveries (formerly 'NaturesVault') -
http://shop.ebay.com/ancientdiscoveries/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1
Received on Tue 31 May 2011 08:16:12 AM PDT