Rabt Sbayta 007 Lunar Meteorite Slice, Feldspathic Breccia, 0.83g, Complete Section

Complete feldspathic breccia slice from the lunar highlands

This 0.83g complete slice of Rabt Sbayta 007 preserves a cross-section of lunar feldspathic breccia, a rock type that dominates the Moon's ancient highland crust. The slice displays the characteristic texture of impact-generated breccias: angular fragments of plagioclase-rich material bound together by shock-processed matrix. This specimen provides a physical sample of the Moon's surface geology, representing crust that formed over 4 billion years ago during the lunar magma ocean's crystallization.

Feldspathic breccias like this one originate from the Moon's heavily cratered highlands, regions that preserve the earliest chapter of lunar crustal evolution. The complete slice format allows observation of the full thickness of this fragment, showing how multiple generations of impact events have reworked the same material. Each clast within the matrix tells part of the story of bombardment that shaped the Moon's surface.

Brecciated texture and mineral composition

The slice reveals a clast-laden matrix typical of feldspathic breccias, with lighter plagioclase fragments visible against darker mineral phases. These angular clasts represent pieces of the original lunar crust that were shattered and reassembled by meteoroid impacts on the Moon's surface. The feldspathic composition—dominated by calcium-rich and sodium-rich plagioclase feldspar—reflects the buoyant minerals that floated to the top of the lunar magma ocean as the Moon's crust solidified.

Impact processes have welded these fragments together without complete melting, preserving the identity of individual clasts while creating a cohesive rock. This texture records a violent formation history, with shock waves compressing and lithifying loose regolith into solid breccia. The slice format captures this complexity in a single cross-section.

Scientific context

Rabt Sbayta 007 represents material from the Moon's feldspathic highlands, which cover approximately 83% of the lunar surface. These ancient terrains formed during the first few hundred million years of the Moon's existence, when less dense plagioclase crystals separated from a global magma ocean and accumulated at the surface. Impacts by asteroids and comets over billions of years have pulverized and mixed this crust, creating the regolith and breccias that dominate the highlands today.

Lunar meteorites reach Earth after large impacts on the Moon eject material at velocities exceeding the Moon's escape velocity of 2.4 km/s. These fragments orbit in space for thousands to millions of years before intersecting Earth's orbit and falling as meteorites. Each lunar meteorite provides scientists with samples from locations not visited by Apollo or Luna missions, expanding our understanding of lunar geology beyond the equatorial regions explored by spacecraft. Learn About Meteorites to understand how classification confirms lunar origin through mineralogy and chemistry.

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated? Yes. Rabt Sbayta 007 is classified as Lunar (feldspathic breccia) in the Meteoritical Bulletin. You can verify this classification through the Meteoritical Bulletin database. This specimen includes a certificate of authenticity confirming its classification and origin.

What does feldspathic breccia mean? Feldspathic breccias are rocks composed primarily of plagioclase feldspar fragments that have been broken apart and re-cemented by impact processes. The term feldspathic indicates high feldspar content (typically over 90%), while breccia describes the fragmented, angular texture. This composition characterizes the Moon's ancient highland crust.

What is included with this specimen? This listing includes the 0.83g lunar meteorite slice, certificate of authenticity, custom specimen card with classification details, and a display box for protection and presentation.

How do scientists confirm a meteorite came from the Moon? Lunar meteorites are identified through multiple diagnostic criteria: oxygen isotope ratios that match Apollo samples, mineral assemblages dominated by plagioclase feldspar with minor pyroxene and olivine, extremely low water content, and specific trace element patterns. The feldspathic composition and brecciated texture of Rabt Sbayta 007 match known lunar highland lithologies.

Why are complete slices significant for collectors? Complete slices preserve the entire thickness of a meteorite fragment, showing structural features across the full cross-section. For breccias, this format reveals the distribution of clasts and matrix throughout the specimen, providing more geological information than partial slices or fragments.

Display and accessibility for collectors

At 0.83g, this slice provides an accessible entry point into lunar meteorite collecting while maintaining scientific authenticity. The complete slice format offers more visual interest than fragments of equivalent mass, displaying the full cross-sectional texture of the breccia. The included display box protects the specimen while allowing clear viewing of its features.

Feldspathic breccias represent the most common lunar lithology available to collectors, as they dominate the Moon's surface area. This accessibility makes specimens like Rabt Sbayta 007 practical for educational collections, allowing hands-on study of actual lunar material. The combination of authenticity, complete slice format, and modest size creates a functional addition to collections focused on Lunar Meteorites or broader meteorite type coverage.

Meteoritical Bulletin entry: Rabt Sbayta 007 | Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia) | Find, Western Sahara, 2017