MAIN MASS!
Found in the Sahara Desert near Tindouf by Nomads in 2008
This is a rare opportunity to become The Only Person In The World to own the MAIN MASS of this top, classified Carbonaceous CV3 Meteorite Specimen. This can be the highlight of your Meteorite Collection.
Dimensions: 80.1 x 54.1 x 46.8 mm max.
Name: NWA 4753 CV3 (prov.)
Location: near Tindouf, Sahara Desert
Country: ALGERIA
S1, W2, Fa mol % 1.1 to 40.8 ave 19.3
Total Known Weight: 317.0 g
A very beautiful end cut, about 60 % prestine, primary fusion crusted and the rest secondary fusion crust. The cut face showing beautiful chondrules and CAI's in a dark matrix.
Description for North West Africa 4753 (Provisional):
Purchased Morocco : 2006
Carbonaceous chondrite petrological type CV3
History: Purchased by Norbert Kammel via Erfoud in 2006. Reported to have been found in the Tindouf Basin .
Physical characteristics: A mass of 317g was purchased by Norbert Kammel. The mass is a single stone showing areas of remnant crust. The stone is black on the exterior and areas of desert varnish are apparent where the crust has weathered away. The matrix appears dark grey , with many lighter coloured chondrules present. Chondrules and CAI's are highly visible and slightly weathered rimmed chondrules up to 4mm are evident. Chondrules are distinct and represent about 50% of the visible matrix. A few chondrules appear to have weathered brown.
Petrography: By Bathurst Observatory Research Facility , 624 Limekilns Road , Bathurst NSW, Australia 2795 ( Bath —abbreviation) , Ray Pickard.The texture is very heterogeneous and chondrules range from a small B.O at 0.3mm up to POP's at 2 to 4 mm. Amoeboid chondrules and CAI's are present, though most chondrules are very distinct. Chondrule ratio to matrix is approximately 45 %. Shock features appear to be absent, hence a shock value of 1 is assigned. Weathering is W2 based on slight alteration of chondrules in the bulk mass. The petrology is similar to NWA 4647, though different enough to warrant separate classification.
Geochemistry: EMP data by University of Western Sydney (UWSA—abbreviation) shows Fa (mol%) 1.1 to 40.8 ave 19.3 (Chondrule olivine measurements)
Classification: Carbonaceous Chondrite CV3, S1, W2, by Ray Pickard of Bath , relying on data from UWSA .
Type specimens: A sample of 20 grams is held by AMS. Mr. Norbert Kammel of Victoria , Australia , holds the main mass.
Carbonaceous Chondrites are some the most primitive of Meteorites. The most distinctive Characteristic of this Vigarano Type of meteorites is the presence of irregular white inclusions, CAI's (Calcium-Aluminum Inclusions). They have been intensely studied, resulting in the assumption that some of the material forming the CAI's came from preexisting Interstellar Grains that mixed with the forming Solar Nebula.