Talbachat n’aït Isfoul Meteorite

Talbachat n’aït Isfoul is an eight kilogram meteorite found in Morocco twelve years ago this month. The Meteoritical Bulletin database lists it as an LL3. You’ll see it called an LL3.7, too. Sometimes it’s called Tagounite 019. As expected with those classifications it has largish, well preserved chondrules. With a ‘scope we find a variety of things.

The box marks an interesting clast and the arrow points out a large compound chondrule.

The clast is five millimeters wide. It is a dense aggregate of mineral grains and fragments.

A closer look finds many of the grains, large and small, display natural crystal faces, that is, the grains are euhedral.

The compound chondrule stands about three and a half millimeters high. It incorporates at least two earlier chondrules.

Multiple growth stages built up this complex RP chondrule.

A contrast in textures.

A relict grain in the center of a 0.7 mm wide porphyritic chondrule.

Below are a few more shots of Talbachat n’aït Isfoul.

John Kashuba

John is a natural history enthusiast living in Oregon.