Name: Northwest Africa 8668
Abbreviation: NWA 8668
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2014
Country: (Northwest Africa)
Mass: 166.3 g
This is 1 of 48 approved meteorites classified as Lunar (feldsp. breccia).
Comments: Approved 12 Dec 2014
Classification: Lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia)
History: Purchased by Fabien Kuntz in June 2014 from a dealer in Ouarzazate, Morocco.
Physical characteristics: Dark gray, mottled stone (166.3 g) with some larger light gray clasts and interstital black regions.
Petrography: (A. Irving and S. Kuehner, UWS) Relatively fine grained fragmental breccia composed of mineral clasts of anorthite, olivine and pigeonite, with accessory merrillite, Mg-ilmenite, Ti-rich chromite, kamacite, Cr-Mg-Zr-Fe titanate, baddeleyite, and rare troilite and barite.
Geochemistry: Olivine (Fa27.0-29.7, FeO/MnO = 81-83, N = 3), pigeonite (Fs22.5-47.8Wo9.8-12.5, FeO/MnO = 55-69, N = 3), plagioclase (An91.4-96.0Or1.1-0.3, N = 2). Bulk composition (R. Korotev, WUSL) INAA of subsamples gave the following mean abundances (in wt.%) FeO 5.7, Na2O 0.49; (in ppm) Sc 9.4, Ni 460, La 14.5, Sm 6.5, Eu 1.31, Yb 4.4, Lu 0.60, Hf 5.1, Th 2.1.
Classification: Lunar (feldspathic breccia). Close similarities in texture, mineralogy and bulk composition suggest that this specimen is paired with NWA 8455.
Actual piece used in Electrolysis Process:
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Lunar Meteorites
A lunar meteorite is a meteorite that is known to have originated on the Moon. A meteorite hitting the Moon is normally classified as a transient lunar phenomenon.
Transfer to Earth
Most lunar meteorites are launched from the Moon by impacts making lunar craters of a few kilometers in diameter or less. No source crater of lunar meteorites has been positively identified, although there is speculation that the highly anomalous lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169 derives from the Lalande impact crater on the lunar nearside.
Cosmic ray exposure history established with noble gas measurements have shown that all lunar meteorites were ejected from the Moon in the past 20 million years. Most left the Moon in the past 100,000 years. After leaving the Moon, most lunar meteoroids go into orbit around Earth and eventually succumb to Earth's gravity. Some meteoroids ejected from the Moon get launched into orbits around the sun. These meteoroids remain in space longer but eventually intersect the Earth's orbit and land.
Scientific relevance
All six of the Apollo missions on which samples were collected landed in the central nearside of the Moon, an area that has subsequently been shown to be geochemically anomalous by the Lunar Prospector mission. In contrast, the numerous lunar meteorites are random samples of the Moon and consequently provide a more representative sampling of the lunar surface than the Apollo samples. Half the lunar meteorites, for example, likely sample material from the farside of the Moon.
History
Today, about one in every thousand newly discovered meteorites is a lunar meteorite, whereas the vast majority of meteorites are from the asteroid belt. In the early 19th century most scientists believed that all meteorites were from the Moon. Although today supported only by a minority of researchers, there are also theories that tektites are from the Moon and should therefore also be regarded as lunar meteorites. However, most scientists regard such theories as outdated.
Private ownership
Lunar meteorites collected in Africa and Oman are, for all practical purposes, the only source of moon rocks available for private ownership. This is because all rocks collected during the Apollo moon-landing program are property of the United States government or of other nations to which the U.S. conveyed them as gifts. Similarly, all lunar meteorites collected by the U.S. and Japanese Antarctic programs are, by treaty, held by those governments for research and education purposes only. Although there is no U.S. law specifically against the ownership of Apollo moonrocks, none has ever been (or is likely to ever be) given or sold by the U.S. government to private citizens.
Metaphysical
China considered meteorites to be sacred stones from the Heavens, and the Kaaba at Mecca is a meteorite revered by the Moslems for centuries. Some regard meteorites as helpful tools for communication with alien intelligences and distant planets. Meteorites can be used as a symbol of endurance based on their long travel and mode of entry into our world. Walk-ins or Star-seeds may find meteorites useful as a stabilizing influence in their “new environment.” It may also be useful in helping people get in contact with past lives on other worlds.
Magnetic meteorites attract and repel energies and are use for sedation. It acts as a grounding stone. because of its magnetic charge, it may temporarily align the Chakra, as well as stimulate the the subtle auric and etheric bodies. It assists in telepathy, meditation and visualization. They can provide stability and balance including balancing the intellect and our emotion state. It brings a balanced perspective and trust in your own intuition. Try using it to alleviate negativity such as fear, anger and grief. It brings positive qualities such as tenacity and endurance.
Folk Remedies - The meteorite with iron can increase blood flow and circulation and this is how it can help speed up the healing process and alleviate pain. The human body contains a magnetic charge that is essential for it to function. Meteorites with iron are very good for arthritis and joint pain. They can also be directly bandaged onto an affected area or onto acupressure points.
