North Haig meteorite, Sleeper Camp, Haig, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
North Haig meteorite	Meteorite Fall Location
Sleeper Camp	- not defined -
Haig	- not defined -
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Stone, Achondrite, Ureilite, (polymict).
21km N of Sleeper Camp.

Haig is a railway siding on the Trans Australian railway line. Sleeper Camp is about 50 kilometres north of Haig. Sleeper Camp is listed on maps (Bonzle) and may refer to an out-station on Premier Downs Station but has not been confirmed.

It is part of an achondrite meteroite group- the ureilite geochemical group characterized by cumulate olivine=pyroxene, carbonaceous material (~4% here), and minor accessories. The polymict ureilites have many additional inclusions.

It was found by R.F. Kilgallon in 1961 as a 0.973kg stone. At the time it was only the fourth of ureilite found. Specific gravity is 3.27. Described as abnormally hard.

It is composed of olivine, pigeonite achondrite (ureilite) as a polymict breccia consisting of major amounts of olivine, low Ca-pyroxene, and an intergrannular carbonaceous matrix. The olivine and Ca-pyroxene vary widely in composition covering most of the ranges seen for these species in ureilite meteorites. There is also minor granular enstatite clasts with diopside exsolution blebs. Also rare troilite blebs. Dark inclusions may contain tiny preterrestrial hydrated phases which are difficult to separate from terrestrial weatherates (in this case iron oxides and some carbonates are often products of terrestrial weathering).

Native metal in ureilites is normally kamacite [frequently Ni-poor as in North Haig]. A minor phase at best, much of the Fe-rich metal has been converted to iron oxides. Instead the common metallic phase is suessite, its type locality. As of 2015 Mindat had listed only a few locations where this species had been found. Two other polymict ureilites, EET 83309 and DaG 319, are among the rare suessite-bearing sites known. Suessite occurs in the North Haig Meteorite as minor anhedral vein fillings in interstitial cracks, in silicates, and in the intergrannular carbonaceous matrix. It is cream-white, isotropic, ferromagnetic, with no cleavage.

Suessite formed in the North Haig Meteorite ureilite by a reduction of Fe and Si (possibly from olivine) in reaction with the carbonaceous matrix during an extremely high shock event seeing a rapid rise then fall in temperatures.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References