Meteorite NWA 15200 – Algeria, Northwest Africa
Type: Martian meteorite / Nakhlite
Locality: Algeria, Northwest Africa
Weight: 0,09g
Dimensions: 6 x 3 x 3 mm
Year found: 2022
Total known weight: 196g
Surface treatment: none – raw
Packaging: Transparent plastic box (5,8 x 3,8 x 1,6 cm)
| Category: | NWA 15200 |
|---|---|
| By name: | NWA 15200 |
| ? Type: | Stony |
| Subspecies: | Achondrite |
| ? Surface treatment: | Natural (raw) |
| Packaging: | In box |
| ? Origin: | Mars |
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Martian Meteorite NWA 15200 – A Rare Nakhlite from Algeria
Martian meteorite NWA 15200 belongs to the achondrites, more specifically to the nakhlite group. It was discovered in Algeria in 2022, and the total recovered weight is only 196 grams, making it a very rare and highly valued specimen among collectors. Nakhlites come from Mars and are named after the village of El-Nakhla in Egypt, where the first known nakhlite was found in 1911. Nakhlites are composed mainly of pyroxene and olivine, and their structure suggests formation in the presence of water, which is crucial to understanding conditions on ancient Mars. Scientific analysis of these meteorites provides evidence for the presence of water and possibly life on Mars in the past.
Composition
Meteorite NWA 15200 is a cumulate rock rich in the mineral augite, along with other components such as ferrohypersthene, fayalitic olivine, andesine plagioclase, and mesostasis rich in aluminum and potassium. It also contains titanium-chromite magnetite, ilmenite, and troilite.
- Augite grains: These grains can exceed one millimeter and show weak zoning, meaning they contain layers with slightly different chemical compositions.
- Ferrohypersthene: This mineral appears as a separate phase and can also form rims on some augite grains, indicating chemical interaction between these two minerals.
- Olivine: Exhibits relatively uniform composition without zoning, meaning its chemistry remains consistent throughout the grain.
- Plagioclase and mesostasis: These minerals fill the gaps between larger grains of pyroxene and olivine, indicating later formation during the crystallization process.
- Absence of maskelynite: This shock-induced glass phase is not present in this meteorite.