The Tom Phillips Microscopic Meteorite Gallery of Images

Meteorite: NWA 2965
Classification: EL6/7
Process: Cross Polarized Light
NWA 2965 was originally classified as an EL7 and NWA 2828 was classified as an Aubrite. They have both been reclassified as being EL6/7 and NWA 2965 is said to be paired with NWA 2828 as they came from the same find and were only different due to leaching out of matrix by the salt in the ground causing different colored interior at times.

I seem to see structural differences in the two which causes me to wonder if it could of been a breccia.

Jeff Hodges had this thin section of NWA 2965 (NWA 2828 is on it's way) made to our new standards of 1/4 micron polish on both sides.

This set of micrographs was taken at a magnification of 700X in cross polarized light.

This is the ©Meteoritical Society posting.
Northwest Africa 2965
Algeria
Find: August 2004
Enstatite chondrite (EL6/7)
History and physical characteristics: Hundreds of fragments that weigh >100 kg were collected in the Algerian desert in 2004. Small fragments (~100 g) are commonly weathered to a dark brown with very dark weathering veins. Large pieces may retain portions of weathered fusion crust with only moderate to lightly weathered interiors. Petrography: (T. Bunch and J. Wittke, NAU) A completely recrystallized enstatite chondrite with polygonal to irregular grain outlines. The grain size varies from 0.02 to 0.7 mm. Round, curved, blocky objects contain coarser-grained orthopyroxene than in the matrix. No relict chondrules were observed in ~32 cm2 that were analyzed. Metal, daubreelite, and tiny, vermicular grains of graphite are also present and constitute <3 vol%. Mineral compositions: Orthopyroxene (Fs98.4±0.02), plagioclase (An17.8Or4.4), troilite with Ti = 0.91, Cr = 1.10, Zn = 0.6 (all wt%). Classification: Enstatite chondrite (EL6/7); minimal shock, variable weathering (W2–W5). It has absolutely no evidence of chondrules. Type specimen: A 24 g sample is on deposit at NAU. Turecki and Reed hold the main mass.

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