• Type: Lunar / Anorth
• Location: Ghadamis, Libya
• Weight: 0.9g
• Dimensions: 23 x 12 x 1 mm
• Year of discovery: 2022
• Known total weight: 12.66 kg
• Surface treatment: cut slice, polished on one side
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Lunar meteorite Ghadamis 004 Ghadamis 004 is a lunar meteorite classified as a ferroan anorthosite with cataclastic structure. This type of rock is characterized by a high content of iron-rich plagioclase (anorthite) and has undergone extreme mechanical stress, which caused its fragmentation and the formation of a mosaic-like texture. The cataclastic texture is the result of impact events, which are typical for rocks originating from the lunar highlands. Discovery and General Characteristics The Ghadamis 004 meteorite was discovered in 2022 near the city of Ghadames, Libya. The meteorite originally formed a single compact mass weighing approximately 12.66 kg. After its discovery, it was cut into several smaller fragments, part of which was used for laboratory analyses while the rest became collector material. Mineralogical Composition and Comparison with Lunar Samples Analyses have shown that the meteorite consists of 98–99% anorthitic plagioclase, with the remaining 1–2% composed of olivine and pyroxene. Its structure and composition indicate that it is a fragment of the lunar crust, probably ejected by an impact event. This combination of composition and texture closely resembles rocks returned from the Moon during the Apollo 16 mission. Paired Meteorites and Original Impact Ghadamis 004 belongs to a group of meteorites found in the same region – including Ghadamis 002, 003, 005, and 006. Scientists believe that they originated from a single impact event on the Moon and fell to Earth as fragments of one larger body. Lunar meteorites are among the rarest natural materials on Earth – only a few kilograms of these rocks exist outside the samples brought back by the Apollo missions. Even small fragments of Ghadamis 004 are considered highly desirable collector’s specimens.