Revised Hand Sample Description of GRA95209
Kathleen McBride and Tim McCoy

GRA95209,0 We have re-examined the main mass of GRA 95209 (,0). The initial description contained a number of features not previously noted in lodranites (e.g., chondrules, clasts) and subsequent cutting of the specimen has added to the unusual nature of this specimen. The majority of GRA 95209 is a medium-grained, metal-rich, brown-stained rock. Subsamples ,21 and ,13 sample this material. Breaking the specimen for the initial description was difficult. This undoubtedly results from a fine network of metal stringers, giving the broken surface a "pin cushion" appearance. Despite the initial description, chondrules are clearly not present in either thin section or hand sample, although the exterior of the hand sample does display round weathering halos composed of carbonates and/or terrestrial iron oxides.

The broken surface of the hand sample exhibits several areas up to 8 mm in maximum dimension which are distinctly greener than the host. These are the areas originally described as clasts. They are not clasts in the classic sense (rock fragments from another source), but rather are areas enriched in mafic silicates relative to the host. During recent allocations, this material was sampled as split ,19.

GRA95209 Slab The most interesting feature of the broken surface of the specimen was a small area (<1 cm2) bordering the fusion crust which was enriched in metal. Coupled with that was the observation that radiating away from the concentrated metal area was a series of ablation pits on the fusion crust (NASA Photo S97-07939). It was originally thought that these ablations pits defined a series of veins which cross cut the meteorite. This prompted the curatorial facility to remove an ~1 cm thick slice parallel to the broken surface. The results of this cutting are clearly seen in NASA Photo S97-07944. Rather than revealing a vein-like structure, the cutting revealed an area of metal 2 x 3 cm on a side. The outline of the ablation pits suggests that these may outline a very large (20 vol.% of the mass) metal particle within GRA 95209. The only other known instance of a large metal particle within an acapulcoite-lodranite is in Monument Draw, where a large metal vein was observed by McCoy et al. (1996). Proposals will be considered by the Meteorite Working Group for study of both the silicate matrix and the metallic particle.

The curatorial facility has prepared thin sections of the host, mafic-rich area, and metal-rich area for distribution. Most of these features can be seen in NASA photo S96-13074.