{"product_id":"laayoune-002-lunar-feldspathic-breccia-full-slice-4-80g","title":"Laayoune 002 Lunar Feldspathic Breccia Full Slice 4.80g","description":"\u003ch2\u003eA full slice of the lunar highlands\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a complete slice of Laâyoune 002, a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lunar-meteorites\"\u003elunar meteorite\u003c\/a\u003e classified as a feldspathic breccia. The piece weighs 4.80 grams and carries a mirror polish on one face, which brings the brecciated interior into sharp relief and reflects cleanly when turned in the light. Material like this began as part of the Moon's ancient crust before an impact launched it off the lunar surface and sent it to Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStructure and features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe cut face shows the texture of a breccia: pale clasts ranging from white to light gray set against darker gray lithic fragments, all bound in a finer grained matrix. A network of thin pale veins threads across the surface, with scattered tan and orange iron staining picked up during the meteorite's time in the desert. The polish on one side holds a reflective finish that defines the clast boundaries, while the slice itself is thin in profile, as the edge view shows. At 4.80 grams it sits comfortably on a small stand or in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscovery and provenance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaâyoune 002 was found in January 2022 near Laayoune, in the Saguia el Hamra region of Western Sahara, and was purchased from the finder by Aziz Habibi. The recovered material lacks fusion crust and shows a gray color with whitish clasts visible throughout. The meteorite was classified by A. Irving and P. Carpenter and published in the Meteoritical Bulletin, MB 111 (2023). The type specimen, a 20.7 gram polished endcut, is held in an institutional collection, with the main mass retained by A. Habibi.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eScientific context\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeldspathic breccias come from the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/what-is-a-lunar-meteorite\"\u003elunar highlands\u003c\/a\u003e, the light colored anorthositic crust that covers most of the Moon's far side and much of its surface. The Meteoritical Bulletin entry describes Laâyoune 002 as a breccia composed of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine, orthopyroxene, pigeonite and augite, with accessory ilmenite and chromite and minor secondary barite. The plagioclase is highly calcic, with anorthite content measured at An96.1 to An97.7, which is the composition expected of feldspar from the lunar highland crust. Lunar feldspathic breccias of this kind are compositional analogs to the highland material returned by the Apollo missions, which is part of how a lunar origin is established.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is a meteorite confirmed to be lunar?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLunar meteorites are identified through mineral chemistry, petrography and isotopic study, then reviewed and published by the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/what-is-the-meteoritical-society\"\u003eMeteoritical Society\u003c\/a\u003e. Laâyoune 002 was classified by A. Irving and P. Carpenter and entered into the Meteoritical Bulletin database as a lunar feldspathic breccia. The highly calcic anorthite and the overall feldspathic composition match material from the lunar highlands.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the name spelled with a circumflex?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe official Meteoritical Bulletin name is Laâyoune 002, with a circumflex over the first a. Plain spellings such as Laayoune 002 refer to the same officially named meteorite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the same as other Laâyoune numbered stones?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWestern Sahara is a dense collection area where finds are given sequential numbers. Laâyoune 002 is its own officially named and separately classified meteorite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow should the slice be stored and handled?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHandle with clean gloves and keep it in a dry environment. As a desert find it is best kept away from humidity to protect the cut surfaces over the long term.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhy this matters to a collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLunar meteorites account for a small portion of all classified meteorites, and feldspathic breccias represent the Moon's primary crust rather than its volcanic plains. A complete slice with a polished display face lets the brecciated texture be read directly, from individual clasts to the vein network running through the matrix. This specimen is offered by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co., IMCA Member #3323.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClassification and provenance for this specimen follow the official Meteoritical Bulletin entry for Laâyoune 002, viewable at \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/meteor\/metbull.cfm?code=77253\" data-sanitized-target=\"_blank\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/meteor\/metbull.cfm?code=77253\"\u003ethe Meteoritical Bulletin Database\u003c\/a\u003e. Unless specifically stated in titles and descriptions, all meteorites sold by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. are scientifically classified specimens with Meteoritical Bulletin citations.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45436653830191,"sku":"LAAYOUNE002-4.80G-FS","price":215.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/9724\/9839\/files\/laayoune-002-lunar-feldspathic-breccia-4.80g-full-slice-on-stand-scale-cube.jpg?v=1780864678","url":"https:\/\/www.tcmeteorites.com\/products\/laayoune-002-lunar-feldspathic-breccia-full-slice-4-80g","provider":"Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}