• Type: Lunar / troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia
• Location: Algeria
• Weight: 1.9g
• Size: 22 x 18 x 2 mm
• Year of discovery: 2025
• Known total weight: 10.2 kg
• Surface treatment: slice - Polished on one side
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION

"NWA 17865 – recently classified meteorite from the Moon's surface NWA 17865 is an exceptional lunar meteorite from the Algerian Sahara, discovered in 2025. It actually consists of two almost identical stones weighing 5951 g and 4249 g, making it an extraordinary find among lunar meteorites. This material represents an authentic fragment of the lunar crust, ejected from the Moon's surface during an ancient impact event. Appearance and internal structure The meteorite's surface is dark gray and partially covered by a light desert crust. There are also small cavities called vesicles. When cut, however, it reveals a completely different structure: larger rock fragments are joined by a very fine matrix, creating an interesting natural pattern. Mineralogical composition and origin From a mineralogical point of view, NWA 17865 is composed of approximately 80% anorthitic plagioclase and approximately 20% olivine. Pyroxene is only present in small quantities. The olivine is very fine and is embedded in a feldspar-rich matrix dominated by plagioclase. The rock was fractured and partially melted during a strong impact on the Moon's surface. This process led to the formation of a troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia, a rock that shows clear evidence of extreme shock metamorphism and partial melting."