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Modal studies of mesosiderites and related achondrites, including the new mesosiderite ALHA 77219
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1980
Year
Materials ScienceEarth ScienceEn 68-71Modal StudiesEngineeringMetamorphic PetrologyFeldspar Cumulate EucritesGeologyGeochemistryRelated AchondritesChemistryAccessory MineralNew MesosideritePetrologyMeteoriticsMineral Geochemistry
The Antarctic meteorite ALHA 77219 is found to be a new mesosiderite. It contains about 25% metal + troilite (+ rust) and the brecciated silicate portion is dominated by orthopyroxene (En 68-71). These features, together with the presence of olivine surrounded by coronas, and abundant tridymite + phosphate conform to the characteristics of mesosiderites. A comparison of the modal abundances of minerals in 77219 with modes of 20 mesosiderites, 14 howardites, six basaltic eucrites, three feldspar cumulate eucrites, and one orthopyroxene cumulate eucrite shows that there are major differences between mesosiderites and howardites. These differences are described in detail.