Geochemistry of intermediate olivine-phyric shergottite Northwest Africa 6234

Filiberto, Justin; Chin, Emily; Day, James M. D.; Gross, Juliane; Penniston-Dorland, Sarah C.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Treiman, Allan H. (2012). Geochemistry of intermediate olivine-phyric shergottite Northwest Africa 6234. In: 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 19-23 Mar 2012, The Woodlands, TX, US.

URL: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/

Abstract

The SNC meteorites are our only samples from Mars and are, therefore, the key source of information regarding its igneous history and geochemical evolution. Shergottites, which form the largest sub-group of the SNC meteorites, provide some of the most significant insights into the igneous history of Mars due in part to their petrological and geochemical diversity. Among petrological divisions of shergottites the olivine (ol) phyric shergottites are extremely useful in extending our knowledge of the interior of Mars, because they have many primitive characteristics. Here we present major- and trace-element geochemistry, Li isotope composition and abundance, and Re-Os isotope and highly-siderophile element abundance data for the ol-phyric shergottite NorthWest Africa 6234 (NWA 6234).

Meteorite NWA 6234 was found in 2009 at an undisclosed location in Mali and purchased by an anonymous collector in February 2010. It was a 55.7 g partly fusion-crusted stone. It is thought to have experienced a moderate shock stage and limited weathering. For this study, we purchased a 3.3 gram slice of the meteorite from Marmet Meteorites, and confirmed that it matched the description of NWA 6234.