Gadamis 003

Gadamis 003 is a lunar meteorite classified as a ferroan anorthosite with a cataclastic structure. This type of rock is characterized by a high content of iron-enriched plagioclase (anorthite) and has undergone extreme mechanical stresses that have caused it to fragment and form its characteristic mosaic structure. The cataclastic texture is the result of impact events in which the lunar rocks were subjected to strong shocks, a common feature of rocks originating from the lunar highlands.

Discovery and basic characteristics

The Gadamis 003 meteorite was found in 2021 near the town of Ghadames in Libya. The total weight of the find was 1,270 grams, and it was divided into two main stones weighing 670g and 600g. The surface of these fragments is light green, with visible darker areas of molten crust, which was formed during the impact with the Earth.

#ShowMore#

Mineralogical composition and similarity to lunar samples

Analyses have shown that Gadamis 003 is composed of 98-99% anorthitic plagioclase, with olivine and pyroxene making up only 1-2% of the total volume. The presence of these minerals suggests that it is a fragment derived from the lunar crust, probably ejected into space by an asteroid impact on the Moon. This meteorite is very similar in texture and composition to samples brought back from the Moon during the Apollo 16 mission.

Paired meteorites and the original impact

Gadamis 003 is part of a wider group of meteorites found in the area, including Gadamis 002, 004, 005 and 006. Scientists believe that these meteorites came from the same impact event on the Moon, meaning they may have been ejected in the same impact and subsequently hit Earth as fragments of a single larger body.