Lunar meteorites

Lunar meteorite NWA 11472

This feldspathic breccia from the Moon was found in the Sahara Desert by a nomad in 2017. It was subsequently purchased by Luc Labenne, who prepared this meteorite into several sliced and polished sections. Mr. Labenne donated one of these sections to the Museum of Mineralogy in November 2017.

The lunar meteorite NWA 11472 consists of a dark matrix and clasts of white anorthite, as well as green olivine and pyroxene.

A slice of lunar meteorite NWA 11472, which is a feldspathic breccia; donated by Luc Labenne (ENSMP 83523; 5.5 x 3.6 x 0.2 cm; 8.98 g). © Musée de Minéralogie Mines Paris – PSL / E. Gaillou.

Lunar meteorite NWA 10782, donated by meteorite hunter Alain Carion (ENSMP 83497; 2 x 1.5 x 0.2 cm; 1.63 g). © Musée de Minéralogie Mines Paris – PSL / E. Gaillou.

Lunar meteorite NWA 10782

This lunar regolith fragment, designated NWA 10782, was discovered in the Almabas region near the border between Morocco and Algeria in 2015. It was purchased by Luc Labenne, who identified it as a lunar meteorite.

Some feldspar and pyroxene clasts are visible within the dark, basaltic, glassy matrix. Interestingly, the feldspar clasts of igneous origin have a texture similar to that of the clasts in the Apollo 14310 lunar rock, but are slightly finer-grained. This lunar meteorite, NWA 10782, exhibits Fe/Mn ratios characteristic of its olivine and pyroxene crystals, corresponding to those of lunar samples brought back during the Apollo mission.

This beautiful specimen, which visitors are encouraged to touch, was donated by meteorite hunter Alain Carion.