This fresh lunar sample contains both the lighter and darker materials seen on the Moon. It contains two different types of clasts: the lighter olivine gabbro clasts contain, in part, olivine, zoned clinopyroxene and maskelynite; the darker area is a rare basaltic clast (lunar mare). A mixture of gabbro and regolith are also contained in this select lunar sample. Significantly, the reverse of this sample is covered in fusion crust, and the gabbro and mare sections exhibit crusts of different character, not previously documented on a lunar meteorite, as encrusted lunar samples are rare. Modern cutting.
1 x 1 x 1⅓in. (25 x 29 x 34mm.)
26.2g.

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Lot Essay

Material from the Moon is among the rarest substances on Earth, here offered is an end piece of a lunar meteorite: a Moon rock ejected from the lunar surface following an asteroid impact. Lunar meteorites are identified by specific textural, mineralogical, chemical and isotopic signatures. Only 650kg. of lunar meteorites are known to exist and a significant fraction of these are controlled by governmental institutions. Many of the common minerals found on Earth’s surface are rare on the Moon and some lunar minerals are unknown on Earth. While Apollo astronauts returned with under 400kg. of Moon rocks, not one milligram is available for private ownership. In fact, the total amount of the Moon that is available to the private sector can be contained in two large suitcases. North West Africa (NWA) 11616 was discovered in 2017. As described by the foremost classifier of lunar meteorites, Dr. Anthony Irving at the University of Washington, this is a polymict fragmental breccia with separate olivine gabbro and rare olivine-free basaltic (lunar mare) clasts in a fragmental matrix. Dr. Irving and lunar geochemist Dr. Randy Korotev completed their analysis of this highly exotic Moon rock in January 2018.
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This lot has been imported from outside the EU for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on the invoice. Please see the Conditions of Sale for further information.