Melrose (A) meteorite [Melrose (a)], Curry County, New Mexico, USAi

Regional Level Types
Melrose (A) meteorite [Melrose (a)]	Meteorite Fall Location
Curry County	County
New Mexico	State
USA	Country

Ordinary Chondrite (L5)
Found, 1933; 36.4 kg

A single weathered stone was plowed up and, somewhat fractured after being tossed from pillar to post, eventually reached a scientific laboratory. The fusion crust is completely oxidized with the interior consisting primarily of chondritic olivine and orthopyroxene accompanied by Fe-Ni metal and troilite. Fe-Ni metal and troilite grains vary greatly in size (maximum dimensions up to 8 mm and 12 mm, respectively) and are often intergrown with the sulfide sometimes surrounded by metal. Three distinct iron sulfides (troilite, isocubanite, mackinawite) were included in the opaques reported by Ramdohr (1973).

A cosmic ray exposure age of ~12.2 Ma has been reported.

The La Lande meteorite, another L5 chondrite found in nearby De Baca County, was believed to be part of the same fall before it was determined to be a separate meteorite.

What's in a name? Melrose (a) is the official name. Found in 1971 Melrose (b) is another very small 50.5 g meteorite found ~4 km NE of Melrose. Melrose (b) is a howardite, a group of brecciated achondrites believed to be likely fragments of 4Vesta, the brightest asteroid. Two other moderately large ordinary chondrite finds (La Lande and Taiban) found in nearby La Boca Co. have been confused with Melrose (a).

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References