Star-Stones
& OuterSpacer Meteorites
Sourcing and supplying minerals & gemstones since 1991
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ERG CHECH 002
Ungrouped
Achondrite
One of the most unusual
& unique meteorite finds in recent years.
Erg Chech 002 is an ancient Andesite meteorite discovered in the Erg Chech region of the Sahara Desert in Algeria.
It is believed to be a fragment of a chondritic protoplanet that is over 4.5 billion years old.
It is also believed to be the oldest known
volcanic rock found on Earth.
Specimen Type
Slice, as found in the Erg Chech sand-sea.
Item Specifications
There is 1pc in
this lot. The total weight of this piece is 1.75g
See the 1cm
(10mm) scale cube to get an accurate idea of this item's size.
Please note:
The scale cube is not included with this item.
Item
Information
Observed
Meteorite Fall; No
Date of Find; 2020
Location of
Find; Algeria
Total Known
Weight (TKW); 31.78 kg
Item
Information (Meteoritical Bulletin)
Physical
characteristics: The stones under classification (combined weight 31.783 kg)
lack fusion crust, and have an overall relatively coarse grained, tan and beige
appearance with sporadic larger green, yellow-green and less commonly
yellow-brown crystals (up to 9 cm by 4 cm in some specimens). Some minor
reddish-brown staining is evident in the groundmass regions. This
classification is based on direct analysis of samples from the 1839 g stone
augmented by examination of photographs and descriptions of other stones found
with them.
Petrography:
(A. Irving, UWS and P. Carpenter, WUSL) Unbrecciated igneous texture. Sporadic
pyroxene megacrysts (ranging in size from 1.7 to 11.5 mm in the studied thin
section), exhibiting angular or ellipsoidal and embayed shapes, and comprising
orthopyroxene (of varying composition), pigeonite and augite occur within a
dominant, medium to relatively coarse grained groundmass. The cores of each of
the analyzed megacrysts are fairly homogeneous in composition, but all are
mantled by zones of different composition and distinct, fine grained rim
overgrowths against the groundmass parallel to grain outlines (irrespective of
geometry). Some low-Ca pyroxene cores contain thin lamellae and some larger
inclusions (up to 300 µm) of Ti-poor chromite. The groundmass representing the
major portion of the specimens (mean grainsize ~1.5 mm) is composed
predominantly of exsolved pigeonite (commonly as radiating clusters of
prismatic grains) and lath-like sodic plagioclase (zoned from irregular
oligoclase cores to albitic rims with oriented dagger-like K-feldspar
exsolution blades) together with accessory Ti-chromite, ilmenite (some as rims
on chromite), troilite, silica polymorph (with a curved "fish-scale"
fracture pattern suggestive of cristobalite), merrillite, and rare Ni-poor
metal (in composite grain clusters with ilmenite, Ti-chromite and troilite).
Secondary weathering products include minor goethite after primary troilite and
metal, and sporadic very thin veinlets of calcite.
Geochemistry:
Orthopyroxene megacryst #1 (core Fs17.7Wo3.3; mantle Fs23.4-31.1Wo3.4-3.8; rim
Fs37.6-42.5Wo2.9-3.3; FeO/MnO = 21-26, Cr2O3 = 0.3-0.5 wt.%; N = 6),
orthopyroxene megacryst #2 (core Fs14.4±0.0Wo2.2-2.3; mantle
Fs19.2-28.7Wo2.0-2.1; rim Fs33.1-36.8Wo2.8-3.5; FeO/MnO = 17-26; Cr2O3 =
0.3-1.0 wt.%; N = 7), orthopyroxene megacryst #3 (core Fs22.8Wo1.2; mantle Fs30.8Wo2.2;
rim Fs43.5Wo2.5; FeO/MnO = 16-23; Cr2O3 = 0.2-0.4 wt.%; N = 3), pigeonite
megacryst (core Fs21.3Wo7.0; mantle Fs23.4Wo11.8; rim Fs40.7Wo5.0; FeO/MnO =
17-20; Cr2O3 = 0.3-0.8 wt.%; N = 3), augite megacryst (core
Fs14.7-19.4Wo38.5-30.2; rim Fs24.7Wo38.1; FeO/MnO = 15-18; Cr2O3 = 1.1 wt.%; N
= 4), groundmass exsolved pigeonite (low-Ca pyroxene host Fs42.3-52.2Wo2.9-4.6,
FeO/MnO = 21-23, N = 6; augite exsolution lamellae Fs18.1-25.9Wo40.8-38.1,
FeO/MnO = 18-22, N = 5), groundmass plagioclase (oligoclase cores and
intergrown with pyroxene megacrysts Ab68.8-79.0An26.7-17.9Or4.4-2.6, N = 6;
albitic rims on laths Ab84.4-86.7An11.4-7.1Or4.2-7.0, N = 5), K-feldspar
exsolution blade in albite (Or84.1Ab11.3An4.6), Fe metal (Ni = 0.13-0.18 wt.%,
N = 2). Oxygen isotopes (K. Ziegler, UNM): analyses of acid-washed subsamples
of groundmass and an orthopyroxene megacryst by laser fluorination gave,
respectively: groundmass δ17O 1.548, 1.788, 1.831, 1.773; δ18O 3.201, 3.657,
3.728, 3.593; Δ17O -0.142, -0.143, -0.137, -0.123 (linearized, all per mil, TFL
slope = 0.528); megacryst δ17O 1.780, 1.639, 1.682; δ18O 3.594, 3.329, 3.379;
Δ17O -0.117, -0.119, -0.103 (linearized, all per mil, TFL slope = 0.528).
Magnetic susceptibility log χ (× 10-9 m3/kg) = 3.06.
Classification:
Achondrite (ungrouped, gabbroic with pyroxene megacrysts, sodic). Although the
exsolved pigeonite in this meteorite is reminiscent of pyroxene in typical
eucrites (with the notable exception of systematically much lower FeO/MnO
ratios), the highly sodic and mildly potassic plagioclase is very different
from the much more calcic plagioclase in eucrites (typically bytownite to
anorthite, and only rarely as sodic as calcic labradorite Ab33An67). The cores
of orthopyroxene megacrysts differ from typical diogenitic orthopyroxene in
usually being more magnesian, more Cr-rich and having lower FeO/MnO ratios.
Oxygen isotopes (Δ17O values) plot between the field for the majority of
eucrites and the trend for angrites, in the vicinity of values for anomalous eucrites
Bunburra Rockhole, Emmaville, Asuka 881394 and EET 92023. However, Erg Chech
002 is mineralogically quite different from those four meteorites in many
respects, most notably the prevalence of highly sodic plagioclase and lower
FeO/MnO ratios in pyroxenes.
Meteoritical Bulletin entry containing further information;
https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=72475
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About Us
Star-Stones is
owned and operated by husband & wife team, Sean & Wendy Mahoney, who
have been traveling the world, sourcing, and supplying gemstones and minerals
since 1991. Following the sale of their crystal & mineral warehouse and
wholesale business in Byron Bay , Australia in 2016, they moved with their
children to Andalucía in Spain. There, they established Star-Stones as a
means of continuing their life's work of bringing some of the best crystals and
minerals that nature has to offer, to the rest of the world. Their
businesses are registered in Estonia and operate from their showroom in
Spain.
OuterSpacer
Meteorites is owned and operated by Sean Mahoney. He is a 30-year veteran
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Show since 1999 as well as many other trade shows worldwide. His
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