A COMPLETE METEORITE SLICE POSSIBLY FROM THE PLANET MERCURY . ...

Description

A COMPLETE METEORITE SLICE POSSIBLY FROM THE PLANET MERCURY
NWA 4662, angrite - paired with NWA 2999 and NWA 3164
Sahara Desert
Morocco
Angrites are an exceptionally rare type of achondrite meteorite, of which there have been only 17 classified examples. Extensive scientific analysis has determined that they are from a parent body much closer to the Sun than the Earth, and it has been supposed that they originated on the planet Mercury. They were formed from a very large impact which penetrated the mantle of the parent body, blasting off mixed crust and mantle material, along with the impact body, itself thought to be a very large iron meteorite. The result is a unique set of characteristics found only in angrites. Several mineralogical and structural characteristics suggest Mercury as the parent body, but the evidence is insufficient to prove that supposition beyond reasonable doubt; it can only be hoped that further specimens are recovered that allow us to expand our knowledge of these mysterious space rocks which are much rarer than those from the Moon or from Mars, and thus considered to be the rarest and most desirable class of meteorite. The example offered here is a full slice from a complete individual meteorite, discovered in North Africa in 2004. It boasts a nice lining of fusion crust, large polygonal grains of pink-purple anorthite, shocked black olivine and ruby-red spinel in a fine-grained matrix, a beautiful combination, and measures approximately 1¾ x 1 3/8 x 1/16 inch; weighing 8.14g.

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