Lunar meteorite Gadamids 004 – 0,6g – Libya
Type: Lunar / Anorth
Locality: Ghadamis, Libya
Weight: 0,6g
Dimensions: 15 x 15 x 2 mm
Year found: 2022
Total known weight: 12,66 kg
Surface treatment: cut slice, polished on one side
| Category: | Gadamis 004 |
|---|---|
| By name: | Gadamis 004 |
| ? Type: | Stony |
| Subspecies: | Achondrite |
| ? Surface treatment: | Cut |
| ? Origin: | Moon |
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Lunar Meteorite Gadamis 004
Gadamis 004 is a lunar meteorite classified as a ferroan anorthosite with cataclastic structure. This type of rock is characterized by a high content of iron-rich plagioclase (anorthite) and has undergone extreme mechanical stress, which caused its fragmentation and the formation of a mosaic-like texture. The cataclastic texture is the result of impact events, which are typical for rocks originating from the lunar highlands.
Discovery and General Characteristics
The Gadamis 004 meteorite was discovered in 2022 near the city of Ghadames, Libya. The meteorite originally formed a single compact mass weighing approximately 12.66 kg. After its discovery, it was cut into several smaller fragments, part of which was used for laboratory analyses while the rest became collector material.
Mineralogical Composition and Comparison with Lunar Samples
Analyses have shown that the meteorite consists of 98–99% anorthitic plagioclase, with the remaining 1–2% composed of olivine and pyroxene. Its structure and composition indicate that it is a fragment of the lunar crust, probably ejected by an impact event. This combination of composition and texture closely resembles rocks returned from the Moon during the Apollo 16 mission.
Paired Meteorites and Original Impact
Gadamis 004 belongs to a group of meteorites found in the same region – including Gadamis 002, 003, 005, and 006. Scientists believe that they originated from a single impact event on the Moon and fell to Earth as fragments of one larger body.
Lunar meteorites are among the rarest natural materials on Earth – only a few kilograms of these rocks exist outside the samples brought back by the Apollo missions. Even small fragments of Gadamis 004 are considered highly desirable collector’s specimens.
