Al Haggounia 001 (NWA 4420)

Al Haggounia 001 (NWA 4420)
N 27°30', W 12°30'
The coordinates are given for the center of the strewnfield which extends over about 40 km.
Al Haggounia, Western Sahara, Morocco
Found 2005
Achondrite (primitive aubrite)

Note about Al Haggounia and her classification:

Imagine that thing are simple is an error:

The fact of finding some scattered chondrules in this meteorite does not classify her automatically in the class of chondrites.
Some ureilites and lodranites among others contains chondrules.
Aubrites and enstatite chondrites have the same isotopique composition in oxygen (unique value).

Note au sujet d'Al Haggounia et de sa classification :

Imaginer que les chose soient simples est une erreur :

Le fait de trouver quelques chondres épars dans cette météorite ne la classe pas d'office dans la classe des chondrites.
Quelques ureilites et lodranites (entre autres) contiennent des chondres.
Les aubrites et les chondrites à enstatite ont la même composition isotopique en oxygène (valeur unique).

AL HAGGOUNIA (MOROCCO) STREWNFIELD INFORMATION.
PDF file (16Ko) in English

Meteoritical Bulletin Database (MB 92)

Mass (g): 4497
Pieces: 33

History: Several tons of this material have been found on the floor or by digging the ground near Al Haggounia, south of Morocco (see Chennaoui et al. Met. Soc. Meeting, Tucson, 2007, for description of the strewn field) and sold to several dealers.

Physical characteristics: it is impossible to assess precisely the amount of material already (and to be) recovered, but according to dealers and collectors (and what AJ has seen) it is about 3 tons. Many pieces of varied sizes (from 50 kg to a few g). The largest stones are recovered after digging. The outer surface is rusty brown due to severe alteration. Looks like a sedimentary breccia. cemented by iron oxide and carbonate. The inside is divided into polygonal pieces due to fractures filled with rust. Alteration starting from the fractures invades in changing the color from bluish gray to rusty brown close to the fractures. Yellow patches of sulfur (alteration) are widespread. The rocks appears significantly porous with pore sizes from several cm to hundreds of microns.

Petrography: A. Jambon, O. Boudouma and D. Badia. UPVI.
Dominant enstatite and plagioclase. Troilite, graphite daubreelite, oldhamite, kamacite rich in Si, schreibersite.

Geochemistry: (EMP, SEM).
Enstatite : En98Fs1Wo1; plagioclase Ab78An16Or5.

Classification: Primitive achondrite (aubrite); severe weathering.

Type specimens: A total of 50 g of sample and three polished sections are on deposit at UPVI.

Main mass: Philippe Thomas at Meteoritica: 4497g, (33 pieces from 11 to 1507 g).
Fred Béroud: 3865g.
A. Hmani: about 500 kg.
A. Ouzrou: about 500 kg.

Slices and endcuts available