{"product_id":"nwa-17706-lunar-meteorite-slice-troctolitic-anorthosite-melt-breccia-1-91g","title":"NWA 17706 Lunar Meteorite Slice, Troctolitic Anorthosite Melt Breccia, 1.91g, Full Slice from Earth's Moon","description":"\u003ch2\u003eA full slice of the same highland lunar lithology as NWA 18211\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNWA 17706 is classified as Lunar in Meteoritical Bulletin 114 (2025). Its published petrography identifies the same highland lithology as NWA 18211, which carries the formal subtype designation Lunar (troctolitic anorthosite, melt breccia). This is a 1.91g full slice from the NWA 17706 mass, cut to expose the complete interior cross-section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eStructure and features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThin section analysis from the Meteoritical Bulletin describes a melt breccia of mineral debris and sparse lithic troctolitic clasts with grain sizes up to 90 micrometers and subophytic texture, embedded in a plagioclase-rich, partially devitrified impact melt matrix. The mineral assemblage is anorthitic plagioclase with fine-grained ferroan olivine and subordinate low-Ca pyroxene. Accessory chromite, ilmenite, and sulfides are distributed interstitially throughout the matrix.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished geochemistry from MB 114: olivine Fa34.6±1.4 (FeO\/MnO=92±6); pigeonite Fs30.3±1.2Wo7.2±3.0 (FeO\/MnO=58±3); plagioclase An98.2±0.6. The highly anorthitic plagioclase is consistent with the lunar highlands feldspathic crust. The stone is gray, desert varnished, and lacks fusion crust.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eDiscovery and provenance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNWA 17706 was found in December 2024 in Algeria. Eight stones with a combined mass of 327.9g were purchased in Tindouf from Taguati Abdelhamid. The type specimen is held at MUNA (Museo de la Naturaleza y Arqueologia, Tenerife). Two thin sections are at ADARA. The remaining mass is with Brian McDonald of Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. Classification was approved September 14, 2025, published in Meteoritical Bulletin 114 (2025).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eScientific context\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNWA 17706 is classified as Lunar in Meteoritical Bulletin 114 (2025). Its petrography identifies a troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia, the same highland lithology as NWA 18211. NWA 18211 carries the formal subtype designation Lunar (troctolitic anorthosite, melt breccia) in the Meteoritical Bulletin, one of only five meteorites in the database with that exact designation. NWA 17706 shares that lithology and likely origin. The difference in classification specificity reflects nomenclature committee practice, not a difference in the material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eLunar meteorites represent a small fraction of all classified meteorites in the Meteoritical Bulletin, with fewer than 1,000 approved entries out of tens of thousands of classified stones.. Highland breccias of this specific lithology are a fraction of that already small population. NWA 17706 is classified in the same bulletin issue as NWA 18211 which is a 1 of 5 classification, recovered from the same general region, and describes the same rock type. Both stones are held by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs NWA 17706 officially classified?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. It is an officially classified lunar meteorite accepted by the Meteoritical Society and published in Meteoritical Bulletin 114 (2025), approved September 14, 2025. IMCA #3323.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the connection between NWA 17706 and NWA 18211?\u003c\/strong\u003e Both share the same highland lithology, troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia, and are classified in MB 114. NWA 18211 carries the formal subtype designation in the Meteoritical Bulletin database; NWA 17706 is classified as Lunar with the same petrography described in its writeup. They share lithology, likely origin, and are both held by Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. NWA 18211 is the 2.576kg complete main mass; NWA 17706 offers slices from a separate stone of the same material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy does this stone lack fusion crust?\u003c\/strong\u003e Many NWA meteorites recovered in the Sahara have experienced surface weathering or ablation sufficient to remove the original fusion crust. The interior mineralogy and published geochemistry are unaffected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a full slice?\u003c\/strong\u003e A full slice is a cut through the complete width of the specimen, exposing the interior matrix and clast structure from edge to edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCollector significance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive meteorites in the Meteoritical Bulletin carry the formal designation Lunar (troctolitic anorthosite, melt breccia). NWA 17706 shares that lithology. A full slice at this weight is a direct sample of a highland lunar rock type documented in peer-reviewed literature, with a named type specimen repository, published geochemistry, and a MetBull entry linking it to one of the largest and rarest lunar meteorite masses in private hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lunar-meteorites\"\u003eLunar Meteorites\u003c\/a\u003e collection, including \u003ca href=\"\/products\/nwa-18211-lunar-meteorite-2-58kg-museum-grade-complete-individual\"\u003eNWA 18211, the complete main mass\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeteoritical Bulletin entry: \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lpi.usra.edu\/meteor\/metbull.cfm?code=85492\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNWA 17706\u003c\/a\u003e | Classification: Lunar | Find, Algeria, 2024 | TKW 327.9g | MB 114 (2025) | IMCA #3323\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45389549568047,"sku":"NWA-17706-1.91G-SLICE","price":140.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/9724\/9839\/files\/nwa-17706-lunar-1.91g-white-background.jpg?v=1779853730","url":"https:\/\/www.tcmeteorites.com\/products\/nwa-17706-lunar-meteorite-slice-troctolitic-anorthosite-melt-breccia-1-91g","provider":"Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}