Meteorite from Mars

DAG 975

1 meteorite of 27.55g was found 1999 August 21 in the sand desert of Dar al Gani. Classification and mineralogy (A. Greshake and M. Kurz): a basaltic shergottite with porphyritic texture; large chemically zoned olivine phenocrysts are set into a fine-grained groundmass consisting mostly of pyroxene and maskelynite; minor phases include chromite, Ti-rich chromite, sulfides, phosphates, and small Fe-rich olivines; olivine phenocrysts often contain melt inclusions, small chromites and exsolution lamellae; pyroxenes are mostly chemically zoned pigeonites, some contain orthopyroxene cores; olivine phenocrysts, Fa24.3-38.3; pigeonite, Fs21.1-29Wo5.9-13.8; orthopyroxene, Fs17.4-21.8Wo1.8-3.4; augite, Fs18.5Wo34; matrix olivine, Fa35.9-39.8; maskelynite, An66.5-71.4; shock stage, S4; contains melt veins and melt pockets; low degree of weathering. Possibly paired with Dar al Gani 467 ,489,670 ,735 and 876. Specimens: main mass with anonymous finder; type specimen 8.5 g plus one polished thin section MNB.