Collection
Classification: WIN (Winonaite)
Primitive Achondrite (Achondrite-prim-ung)
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2022
City, Country: Mali
Mass: 5,72 kg
In collection
Weight #1 : 24,39 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
NWA 15061 is classified as a Winonaite, part of a rare group of primitive achondrites that have undergone partial melting and differentiation while still retaining some chondritic characteristics. Discovered in Northwest Africa, this meteorite provides insights into the complex metamorphic and melt-processing history of its parent body, which was likely a small asteroid that experienced moderate heating but did not fully differentiate like larger planetary bodies. Winonaites, including NWA 15061, typically contain a mixture of olivine, low-Ca pyroxene, plagioclase, metal, and sulfides arranged in a way that reflects low degrees of partial melting. Studying this meteorite helps researchers understand the transitional stages between chondritic materials and fully evolved achondritic crusts in the early solar system.
Under a light microscope, a thin section of NWA 15061 – a Winonaite (Achondrite-prim-ung) reveals a mosaic of well-equilibrated minerals that straddle the boundary between chondritic and achondritic textures. You may see olivine and low-Ca pyroxene crystals with more uniform sizes and shapes than in most chondrites, reflecting partial melting and recrystallization. Plagioclase can appear as small, clear grains interspersed among the silicates, while metal and sulfide particles appear as opaque, reflective spots when viewed under reflected light. Unlike fully evolved achondrites, traces of its chondritic heritage may still be visible as subtle compositional variations or relict textures.
