NWA 2965 EL3

Probably paired with NWA 002, 1067, 2736, 2828, 4232, 4295, 4415, 4416, 4420, 4642, 4643 and Al Haggounia 001.

 

This meteorite has been classified as aubrite, primitive aubrite, E6, EL6, EL6/7, achondrite enstatite rich and achondrite enstatite EL6. Other workers cite the (sparse) chondrules and have proposed the EL3 classification.

I have looked at thin sections of NWA 2965, both the brown and the gray/blue lithologies, and of an unnumbered probable pairing, also both brown and gray/blue lithologies, and found chondrules in all - ten sections total. Some chondrules are well defined and many are not. The thin sections of the probable pairings are courtesy of Hanno Strufe.

 

 

 

NWA 2965 EL3 Gray/Blue Lithology

 A well defined chondrule

 

XPL
FOV 3.1 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 4643 probably paired with NWA 2965 EL3 Brown Lithology

A round, well defined chondrule
 

XPL
FOV 3.1 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 4643 probably paired with NWA 2965 EL3 Brown Lithology

A well defined chondrule

XPL
FOV 3.1 mm

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 4642 probably paired with NWA 2965 EL3 Gray/Blue Lithology

A large, less distinct chondrule

It is easier to see the limits of this feature when the polarizing filters are rotated. Roll over image to animate.

 XPL
FOV 10 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 2965 EL3 Brown Lithology

Metal associated with dark veins

 

Reflected light
FOV 3.1 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 2965 EL3 Brown Lithology

Metal not associated with dark vein

 

Reflected light
FOV 3.1 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

NWA 2965 EL3 Gray/Blue Lithology

Within the gray/blue lithology I found only small bits of metal like this one and those were in only brownish areas.

 

Reflected light
FOV 3.1 mm