Northwest Africa 5028 (NWA 5028)

NWA 5028 was discovered in the Sahara Desert during 2007 as a single unpaired stone weighing 2.445kg which was classified as a very rare carbonaceous chondrite, CR2. NWA 5028 is the second largest single CR2 ever found after the namesake, Renazzo which fell in Italy in 1824.

NWA 5028 is filled with multi-coloured chondrules which range in size considerably. It appears that there is also some orientation of the chondrules which is sometimes seen in primitive chondrites. Some chondrules are rimmed with metal and some also contain metallic inclusions. The stone has a weathering level of just W1 but it does show a colour darkening and lower levels of visible metallic iron around the edges which may indicate a weathering artefact. One of the unusual things with NWA 5028 are the numerous Calcium-Aluminium rich Inclusions (CAI's). These are found readily throughout the meteorite and some of these range up to several millimetres in size. This specimen is part of the Meteorites Australia Collection (MA.08.0018).

NWA 5028 (CR2) - 4.4g Partslice. (Polished Side).
Enlargement ---> 1500 x 831 (361KB)

NWA 5028 (CR2) - 4.4g Partslice. (Unpolished Side).
Enlargement ---> 1500 x 843 (559KB)