Collection
Classification: EUC (Eucrite) – HED
Classified as Eucrite-melt breccia
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2021
City, Country: Gao, Mali
Mass: 2,18 kg
In collection
Weight #1 : 15 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
A eucrite-melt breccia is a type of achondritic meteorite that originates from the crust of the asteroid 4 Vesta. These meteorites are formed when fragments of basaltic rock, known as eucrites, are broken apart and then fused together by impact-generated molten material. The intense heat and pressure from collisions on Vesta’s surface cause the rocks to fracture and partially melt, resulting in a breccia composed of angular eucritic clasts within a fine-grained, recrystallized matrix. Studying eucrite-melt breccias provides valuable insights into the volcanic history and impact processes of Vesta, enhancing our understanding of planetary crust formation and evolution in the early solar system.
When examining a Eucrite meteorite under a light microscope, several distinctive features can be observed:
Plagioclase Feldspar: In plane-polarized light, plagioclase appears colorless with low to moderate relief.
Pyroxene: Colorless to pale brown in plane-polarized light with high relief.
Fine-Grained to Glassy Matrix: The matrix surrounding the clasts is fine-grained, ranging from microcrystalline to glassy.
