SKU: 43822523401

Adrar 013 Lunar Meteorite End Cut, Melt Breccia, 4.39g, Polished Interior with Natural Exterior

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Description

Adrar 013 Lunar Meteorite End Cut, Melt Breccia, 4.39g, Polished Interior with Natural ExteriorComplete cross section from polished interior to weathered exterior This 4. 39g end cut of Adrar 013 preserves both a mirror polished interior face and unpolished natural exterior surfaces in a single complete slice. The polished face exposes the lunar melt breccia's internal structure: light toned anorthositic norite matrix interspersed with darker mafic mineral phases frozen from impact melt. The natural exterior faces retain the weathering patina

Complete cross-section from polished interior to weathered exterior

This 4.39g end cut of Adrar 013 preserves both a mirror-polished interior face and unpolished natural exterior surfaces in a single complete slice. The polished face exposes the lunar melt breccia's internal structure: light-toned anorthositic norite matrix interspersed with darker mafic mineral phases frozen from impact melt. The natural exterior faces retain the weathering patina acquired during terrestrial residence in Algeria following the meteorite's fall to Earth. End cuts function as complete cross-sectional specimens, presenting the full progression from exterior weathered surface through to interior mineralogy without requiring multiple pieces.

The specimen size provides sufficient surface area to observe melt breccia texture under magnification while remaining accessible for collectors building lunar collections. The polish quality eliminates optical interference, allowing direct observation of mineral boundaries, clast distribution patterns, and the contact between light feldspathic matrix and darker pyroxene-rich zones.

Impact melt texture and mineral composition

The polished face reveals the characteristic texture of lunar melt breccia: angular to sub-rounded mineral and lithic clasts suspended in a once-molten matrix that solidified rapidly under lunar vacuum conditions. Light-toned regions represent plagioclase feldspar-rich anorthositic material derived from the Moon's ancient highland crust. Darker phases correspond to pyroxene and other mafic minerals, indicating contribution from deeper crustal layers or mare basalt components excavated during impact.

The anorthositic norite to gabbro classification documents the mixed source lithologies melted and homogenized during the impact event. Norite contains orthopyroxene as the dominant mafic mineral, while gabbro contains clinopyroxene, and the gradation between these compositions reflects incomplete mixing in the impact melt sheet. The preserved textural heterogeneity visible in this specimen records the chaotic thermal and mechanical conditions during crater formation.

Scientific context

Lunar meteorites originate from impact events that accelerate surface material beyond the Moon's 2.4 km/s escape velocity. Once ejected into heliocentric orbit, these fragments travel through space until gravitational perturbations deliver them to Earth's surface. Adrar 013 was recovered in 2023 from Algeria, representing material excavated from the Moon's surface through meteoroid bombardment that has continued throughout the Moon's 4.5-billion-year history. Melt breccias like Adrar 013 specifically sample the products of large impact events energetic enough to generate substantial volumes of impact melt, distinguishing them from fragmental breccias formed through mechanical crushing alone. Study of lunar meteorites extends our understanding of lunar geology beyond the limited geographic sampling of the Apollo and Luna missions. Learn About Meteorites to understand how these specimens reach Earth and what they reveal about Solar System processes.

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated? Adrar 013 is officially classified in the Meteoritical Bulletin as a lunar melt breccia with anorthositic norite/gabbro composition. Meteoritical Bulletin entry: Adrar 013. Every specimen includes a certificate of authenticity documenting classification, weight, and origin.

What is a melt breccia? A melt breccia is a rock composed of mineral and lithic fragments (clasts) embedded in a matrix of impact-generated melt that solidified. Unlike fragmental breccias formed purely through mechanical crushing, melt breccias contain a significant component of once-molten material produced by the extreme temperatures of large impacts. The texture records the moment of solidification when the melt froze around suspended fragments.

What is included with this specimen? You receive the complete 4.39g Adrar 013 end cut with polished interior and natural exterior faces, plus a certificate of authenticity. No display stand is included.

Why does one side look different from the other? The polished face was cut and polished to reveal the meteorite's internal structure and mineralogy, while the natural exterior faces were left unpolished to preserve the original weathered surface as recovered from the Algerian desert. This dual presentation provides both scientific observation capability and preservation of natural features in one specimen.

How did Moon rocks reach Earth? Large meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface excavate material with enough velocity to escape the Moon's gravity. These ejected fragments orbit the Sun until gravitational interactions with Earth eventually cause them to fall as meteorites. The process requires excavation velocities exceeding 2.4 km/s, achieved only in substantial impact events.

Lunar collecting and display value

Lunar meteorites represent the only Moon material legally available for private ownership outside of government-controlled Apollo and Luna return samples. Adrar 013's classification as a melt breccia adds scientific interest through its documentation of large-scale impact melting processes. End cuts provide maximum information density by preserving both polished and natural surfaces, making them efficient specimens for collectors prioritizing completeness over individual surface types.

The 4.39g mass provides display presence while remaining accessible for collectors entering lunar meteorite acquisition. The clear textural differentiation visible between light feldspathic matrix and darker mafic phases makes this specimen effective for visual demonstration of lunar crustal composition. The preserved natural exterior complements the polished interior by showing the meteorite's appearance as recovered, adding context to the prepared surface. Explore additional specimens in our Lunar Meteorites collection to compare impact melt breccias with other lunar lithologies including regolith breccias, highland anorthosites, and mare basalts.

Meteoritical Bulletin entry: Adrar 013 | Classification: Lunar melt breccia (anorthositic norite/gabbro) | Find, Algeria, 2023

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SKU: 43822523401

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R. G. T.
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Find yourself, your heritage and the wonder of words!
Format: Hardcover
Get this book! "If we are Black it should be Perfect. Crystal has shared a wonderful book. Curl up with a cup of soul and enjoy it."―Nikki Giovanni, Poet I could not say anything more than Nikki or others who’s reviews stare more eloquently the wonder of Crystal’s words!-Regina
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2021
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MW in KY
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing Collection!
Format: Hardcover
I've loved Crystal Wilkinson's fiction for so long, so I'm thrilled to see her new book of poems (along with some essays and gorgeous/compelling artwork by Ron Davis). So many memorable image systems work their ways through the poems: creek water, tobacco, the Black body, blood, knives, food and kitchens--symbols and themes which have always marked Wilkinson's oeuvre in one way or another. Her language is lyrical in describing the brutalities of farm life, abuse, grief, and loss. This poetry collection is just stunning!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2021
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Peggy Hardman
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 4
Need my own copy.
Format: Kindle
Looking forward to more of her work, and rereading this book. Some very evocative lines awake my granma memories much like the granmother memories herein.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2022
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Readergurl
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing Book...
Format: Paperback
It takes a lot nowadays for me to rate any Fiction book 5 stars. I read way more non-fiction, and usually only read highly recommended fiction, or some that's given to me. There are plenty of other reviews here that tell you how it's not a "happy" book (why that matters i dont know), so i wont go on about that part. I dont base my reading choices on whether they have a happy fantasy story. This story is very real. The writing is really good. I have several points that i use to rate a book: the story itself, the actual writing style, the 'entertainment' value, the emotions it brings out - laughter, sadness, etc., and if it's very memorable - either by being very different than anything i've ever read, or by something else about it being very different. The only point out of all of those that i wouldnt give a 5 would be the writing style/prose - which i'd give a 4. It's very good, but not "amazing" to me like some authors are. The author brought me into the characters - where i could feel what they were feeling, and i understood why they did the 'bad' things they did - totally. I felt the way they lived, the area, the poverty... As the story progressed, i stayed up one night for HOURS wanting to know what happened - until the sun rose actually. As the finale was coming - which i had no idea would be the way it was - i was literally gripping the book with both hands and holding it up to my face. I realized this and laughed to myself since i hadnt even noticed. Then - i sobbed thru the last 20 pgs - i havent cried from ANY fiction for a long time. Yes, i get into books and really let them take me away, but this book has a special kind of writing and a special story that i never expected to effect me sooo much. The author THEN does something so amazing at the very end - when i couldnt believe it could get any better. I KNEW what i wanted to happen - and i kept thinking to myself, "no, it wont - because it will just seem to corny if it does." (Even tho i wanted it so much.) She made it happen in a special way, without making it corny but while bringing me the hope and good feeling i needed after all the sobbing. (I dont want to give anything away just in case you dont know the story.) This book scores an A+. If you love good, moving, American fiction you will love this.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2013
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Francophile in Michigan
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 4
Brava, Ms. Ward
Format: Paperback
I read this novel, along with nine others, for a college literature course. Of the ten, this was the only book to elicit a strong emotional reaction from me. There were moments when I hung my head in frustration, threw up my hands in respect (God bless Ward’s writing style), and wiped my face of tears and snot after crying my eyes out. An incredibly moving and poignant novel. The novel opens with its narrator Esch, fourteen years old and pregnant. She often follows her brothers around, and is constantly surrounded by men as well as the gruesome society of dog-fighting. Esch’s predominant male surrounding is, perhaps, the main influence that encourages her to sleep with her brother’s friends, and to submissively pine for the one boy, Manny, who unforgivingly mistreats her. Though Esch’s character was impeccably frustrating, and borderline stereotypical and archetypal, her faults lie with a motherless young girl, who wants to be wanted and loved. Both frustrating and annoying, this characterization was, at times, unlikable, yet that is exactly what made Esch so human. I applaud Ward’s lyrical writing style, as well her ability to write such gruesome and honest depictions that made me literally cringe when reading. Ward is able to effortlessly incorporate poetic language into her novel that, at times, made me set the book in both awe and envy, knowing I would never be able to produce such a product. I did find there to be a disconnect between the poetic language and the colloquial diction. That’s to say, I found it a bit unbelievable that Esch would speak so poorly to her family and friends, yet express herself so eloquently in her narration. Regardless, I found the poetic language to be successful and moving. I knew before reading the book that it was centered on Hurricane Katrina. However, I was surprised that the novel was centered on the build-up to the hurricane. Katrina itself is more or less twenty pages. The chapter pertaining to the hurricane, as well as the aftermath of the hurricane, were the sections of the novel that I found most captivating. Living through the hurricane with Esch and her family was difficult to read, which is perhaps why Ward chose to limit its description. That said, I wish I had more of Katrina and its aftermath. I waited for the hurricane for 200 pages, and it seemed to end as soon as it started. Though I was unsatisfied by the ending, I appreciated that the novel was a work that was not so much about Katrina as it was about survival and family. I was captivated by Ward’s poetic writing and honest characters. I will definitely be on the lookout for her other works, as well as an avid recommender of this novel.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015

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