Lunar Meteorite: LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 02205, 02224, 02226, 02436, 03632, & 04841 (paired stones)

Antarctica 

LAP 02205 is the first lunar meteorite in the U.S. Antarctic collection to be a crystalline mare basalt. The meteorite is almost entirely covered by fusion crust.
  
Four sides of the meteorite. Note the flow lines in the fusion crust of the north face (upper left) and the regmaglypts on the south and west faces. (Thanks to Kathleen, Terry, & Cecilia for the photos.)

  
LAP 02205 in the field
A chip of LAP 04841 in the lab
(Click on image for enlargement.)

Also see photos of LAP 02224, 02226, 02436, and 03632, and 04841

It is an unbrecciated basalt.

At 1.93 kg, it is the largest basaltic lunar meteorite and the largest lunar meteorite from Antarctica.

There are six stones, all with nearly complete fusion crusts. They were found along a linear trend a few kilometers long over 3 field seasons.

Compositionally and mineralogically, the basalt resembles the basalts of the Apollo 12 site.
   
Listed in The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 88, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 39, A215–A272 (2004)

from Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, vol. 26, No. 2, 2003

LAP 02205

Location: LaPaz Ice Field
Dimensions (cm): 10.0 x 8.5 x 5.5
Weight (g): 1226.300

Meteorite Type: Lunar-Basalt

Macroscopic Description: Kathleen McBride

95% of the exterior surface has black fusion crust. Small areas of material have been plucked out. The fusion crust exhibits a slight ropy texture with polygonal fractures. The interior consists of interlocking tan and white coarse-grained minerals. There are numerous criss-crossing fractures filled with black glass.

Thin Section (,6) Description: Tim McCoy, Linda Welzenbach

The section consists of coarse-grained unbrecciated basalt with elongate pyroxene (up to 0.5 mm) and plagioclase laths (up to 1 mm) (~60:40 px:plag), rare phenocrysts of olivine (up to 1 mm) and interstitial oxides and late-stage mesostasis. Shock effects include undulatory extinction in pyroxene and shock melt veins and pockets. Microprobe analyses reveal pigeonite to augite of Fs26-80Wo14-36, plagioclase is An85-90Or0-1 and a single olivine phenocryst is Fa50. The Fe/Mn ratio in the pyroxenes averages ~60. The meteorite is a lunar olivine-bearing basalt.

Oxygen Isotope Analysis: T.K. Mayeda and R.N. Clayton

Our analysis for LAP 02205 gives: d 18O = +5.6 and d 17O = +2.7. This is consistent with a lunar basalt.
  
Listed in The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 88, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 39, A215–A272 (2004)

from Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, vol. 27, No. 1, 2004

LAP 02224, LAP 02226, & LAP 02436

Location: LaPaz Ice Field
Dimensions (cm): 5.0 x 5.0 x 4.0, 6.0 x 6.0 x 3.5, & 5.5 x 4.25 x 2.25
Weight (g): 252.5, 244.1, & 58.970

Meteorite Type: Lunar-Basalt

Macroscopic Description: Kathleen McBride

50-90% of these lunar meteorite exteriors are covered with shiny, black, striated fusion crust. The interior has a granular texture with interconnected linear mineral grains, black, white and brown in color. There are criss-crossing fractures that are filled with black glass.

Thin Section (,4, ,6, and ,4) Description: Tim McCoy, Linda Welzenbach

These sections consist of a coarse-grained unbrecciated basalt with elongate pyroxene (up to 0.5 mm) and plagioclase laths (up to 1 mm) (~60:40 px:plag), rare phenocrysts of olivine (up to 1 mm) and interstitial oxides and late-stage mesostasis. Shock effects include undulatory extinction in pyroxene and shock melt veins and pockets. Microprobe analyses reveal pigeonite to augite of Fs20-80Wo10-36, plagioclase is An85-90Or0-1 and a single olivine phenocryst is Fa35. The Fe/Mn ratio in the pyroxenes averages ~60. The meteorites are lunar olivine-bearing basalt. These are almost certainly paired with LAP 02205.
  
listed in The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 89, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 40, A201–A263 (2005)

from Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, vol. 27, No. 3, 2004

LAP 03632

Location: LaPaz Ice Field
Dimensions (cm): 5.5 x 3.5 x 3.0
Weight (g): 92.566

Meteorite Type: Lunar-Basalt

Macroscopic Description: Kathleen McBride

~75% of the exterior has shiny black fusion crust. The interior is pinkish-tan with white linear minerals and glass veins. This sample is paired with the LAP samples from the '02 season.

Thin Section (,2) Description: Tim McCoy, Linda Welzenbach

The section consists of a coarse-grained unbrecciated basalt with elongate pyroxene (up to 0.5 mm) and plagioclase laths (up to 1 mm) (~60:40 px:plag), rare phenocrysts of olivine (up to 1 mm) and interstitial oxides and late-stage mesostasis. Shock effects include undulatory extinction in pyroxene and shock melt veins and pockets. Microprobe analyses reveal pigeonite to augite of Fs27-52Wo12-33, plagioclase is An87Or0-1 and a single olivine phenocryst is Fa32-99. The Fe/Mn ratio in the pyroxenes averages ~60. The meteorite is a lunar olivine-bearing basalt and is almost certainly paired with LAP 02205, LAP 02226, LAP 02224 and LAP 02436.

listed in The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 90, Meteoritics & Planetary Science 41, 1383–1418 (2006)

from Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, vol. 29(2), September, 2006 - LAP 04841

LAP 04841

Location: LaPaz Ice Field
Dimensions (cm): 5.0 x 2.5 x 2.5
Weight (g): 55.992

Meteorite Type: Lunar-Basalt

Macroscopic Description: Kathleen McBride

Dull, black fusion crust covers over 50% of the exterior. Some surfaces have shiny areas. The interior is a pinkish tan and white matrix with black glass filled veins.

Thin Section (,2) Description: Valerie Reynolds, Tim McCoy and Linda Welzenbach

The meteorite is almost certainly paired with the LAP 02205 pairing group. LAP 02205 was described as follows: The section consists of coarse-grained unbrecciated basalt with elongate pyroxene (up to 0.5 mm) and plagioclase laths (up to 1 mm) (~60:40 px:plag), rare phenocrysts of olivine (up to 1 mm) and interstitial oxides and late-stage mesostasis. Shock effects include undulatory extinction in pyroxene and shock melt veins and pockets. Microprobe analyses reveal pigeonite to augite of Fs26-80Wo14-36, plagioclase is An85-90Or0-1 and a single olivine phenocryst is Fa50. The Fe/Mn ratio in the pyroxenes averages ~60. The meteorite is a lunar olivine-bearing basalt.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

LAP 02205 | 02224 | 02226 | 02436 | 03632 | 04841

Map

ANSMET location Map

References

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Hallis L. H. Joy K. H. Anand M., and Russell S. S. (2007) Compositional analysis of the very-low-Ti mare basalt component of NWA 773 and comparison with low-Ti basalts, LAP 03632 & 02436 (abstract). In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVIII, abstract no. 1703, 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston.

Hill E., Taylor L. A., and Liu Y. (2007) LaPaz 04841: Comparative petrology and textural study of a new lunar mare basalt meteorite (abstract). In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVIII, abstract no. 1399, 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston.

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Jolliff B. L., Zeigler R. A., and Korotev R. L. (2004) Petrography of lunar meteorite LAP 02205, a new low-Ti basalt possibly launch paired with NWA 032 (abstract). In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV, abstract no. 1438, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.

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Schnare D. W., Taylor L. A., Day J. M. D., and Patchen A. D. (2005) Petrography and mineral characterization of lunar mare basalt meteorite LAP 02-224 (abstract). In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, abstract no. 1428, 36th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston.

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Wang Y. and Hsu W. (2010) SIMS Pb/Pb dating of Zr-rich minerals from NWA 4734 and LAP 02205/02224: Evidence for the same crater on the Moon (abstract). 73th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, abstract no. 5024. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.

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Zhang A., Hsu W., Li X., Li Q., Liu Y., Tang G., and Jiang Y. (2010) Cameca IMS-1280 Pb/Pb dating of baddeleyite in LAP 02224 (abstract). In Lunar and Planetary Science XLI, abstract no. 1080, 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston.

Zhang A, Hsu W., Li Q., Liu Y., Jiang Y., & Tang G. (2010) SIMS Pb/Pb dating of Zr-rich minerals in lunar meteorites Miller Range 05035 and LaPaz Icefield 02224: Implications for the petrogenesis of mare basalt. Science China Earth Sciences 53, 327-334. doi: 10.1007/s11430-010-0041-z.

Chemical Classification

Overview | LAP 02205, et al. | Basaltic Lunar Meteorites

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Prepared by:

Randy L. Korotev

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Washington University in St. Louis

Please don't contact me about the meteorite you think you've found until you read this and this.

e-mail: korotev@wustl.edu

Last revised: 01-Feb-2012