Howardite
Fell 13 Dec 1803, 885 g

After some loud booms, a shower of stones fell on the ice and a few small stones were recovered. Luotolax was only the second of 16 witnessed Howardite falls. Like all Howardites, Luotolax is a brecciated rock whose primary constituents are Eucritic clasts (dominated by pyroxene-plagioclase intergrowths) and Howardite clasts (dominated by orthopyroxene). Both pyroxenes (Fs33-52) and plagioclase (Ab4-19) are variable. Pyroxenes included orthopyroxene, pigeonite, and at least one Ca-rich pyroxene. Clasts include at least one prominent anorthosite clast. Other silicates include both olivine and tridymite. Very minor phosphates are also reported in the cited sources. Opaques include Chromite, Ilmenite, and metal. Some complex Ni-poor iron and Fe-Ni metal assemblages of unknown origin might be partially derived from exotic projectiles.

Howardites are essentially mixtures of Eucritic materials and Diogenitic materials with occasional exotic clasts. It is believed that almost all Howardites, Eucrites, and Diogenites (HED meteorites) are fragments of the asteroid 4 Vesta. The recent DAWN Spacecraft Mission seems to have made this 4 decade-old hypothesis a foregone conclusion. However, there are some HED 'look-alikes' with anomalous oxygen isotopes and Fe/Mn ratios while a few scattered basalt-rich asteroids are possible parent bodies unrelated to Vesta. Definitive determinations for the parent body/bodies of specific HED meteorites still remains a work in progress.

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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

7 valid minerals.

Meteorite/Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

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Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

ⓘ Howardite meteorite

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Anorthite

Formula: Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)

References:

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

ⓘ Chromite

Formula: Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄

References:

Prinz, M., Delaney, J. S., Harlow, G. E., Bedell, R. L., & Nehru, C. E. (1980) Modal studies of mesosiderites and related achondrites, including the new mesosiderite ALHA 77219: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XI, vol 2: 1055-1071.

ⓘ 'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'

Description: Both Ca-rich & Ca-poor clinopyroxene present

References:

ⓘ 'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'

References:

ⓘ 'Hypersthene'

Formula: (Mg,Fe)SiO₃

References:

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

ⓘ Ilmenite

Formula: Fe²⁺TiO₃

References:

ⓘ Native Iron

Formula: Fe

References:

Hewins, Roger H (1979) The composition and origin of metal in howardites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 43 (10) 1663-1673 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(79)90185-6

ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

Description: Iron: Ni-poor iron (Ni<1%) [Co > Ni, often]; may be slightly associated with impact melt & found occasionally in matrix

References:

Hewins, Roger H (1979) The composition and origin of metal in howardites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 43 (10) 1663-1673 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(79)90185-6

ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'

References:

ⓘ Pigeonite

Formula: (Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆

References:

Mason, Brian (1967) The Bununu meteorite, and a discussion of the pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 31 (2) 107-115 doi:10.1016/s0016-7037(67)80040-1

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

ⓘ 'Plagioclase'

Formula: (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈

Description: Plagioclase (Ab4-19) reported in Mason et. al, (1979)

References:

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

ⓘ 'Pyroxene Group'

Formula: ADSi₂O₆

Description: Pyroxene (range Fs33-52) reported by Mason et al., (1979)

References:

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

ⓘ Taenite

Formula: (Fe,Ni)

Description: Taenite sometimes present in kamacite-taenite intergrowths

References:

Hewins, Roger H (1979) The composition and origin of metal in howardites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 43 (10) 1663-1673 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(79)90185-6

ⓘ Tridymite

Formula: SiO₂

References:

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Native Iron	1.AE.05	Fe
ⓘ	var. Kamacite	1.AE.05	(Fe,Ni)
ⓘ	Taenite	1.AE.10	(Fe,Ni)
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Chromite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄
ⓘ	Ilmenite	4.CB.05	Fe²⁺TiO₃
ⓘ	Tridymite	4.DA.10	SiO₂
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Pigeonite	9.DA.10	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
ⓘ	Anorthite	9.FA.35	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Hypersthene'	-	(Mg,Fe)SiO₃
ⓘ	'Clinopyroxene Subgroup'	-
ⓘ	'Fayalite-Forsterite Series'	-
ⓘ	'Plagioclase'	-	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
ⓘ	'Pyroxene Group'	-	ADSi₂O₆
ⓘ	'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'	-

List of minerals for each chemical element

O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Anorthite	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)
O	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Hypersthene	(Mg,Fe)SiO₃
O	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
O	ⓘ Pigeonite	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
O	ⓘ Tridymite	SiO₂
O	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
O	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
O	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
Na	Sodium
Na	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Mg	Magnesium
Mg	ⓘ Hypersthene	(Mg,Fe)SiO₃
Mg	ⓘ Pigeonite	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
Mg	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Anorthite	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)
Al	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Anorthite	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)
Si	ⓘ Hypersthene	(Mg,Fe)SiO₃
Si	ⓘ Pigeonite	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
Si	ⓘ Tridymite	SiO₂
Si	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Si	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Si	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
Ca	Calcium
Ca	ⓘ Anorthite	Ca(Al₂Si₂O₈)
Ca	ⓘ Pigeonite	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
Ca	ⓘ Plagioclase	(Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi₂]O₈
Ti	Titanium
Ti	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Cr	Chromium
Cr	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	Iron
Fe	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Hypersthene	(Mg,Fe)SiO₃
Fe	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Fe	ⓘ Native Iron	Fe
Fe	ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Pigeonite	(Ca_xMg_yFe_z)(Mg_y1Fe_z1)Si₂O₆
Fe	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)
Fe	ⓘ Fayalite-Forsterite Series
Ni	Nickel
Ni	ⓘ Native Iron var. Kamacite	(Fe,Ni)
Ni	ⓘ Taenite	(Fe,Ni)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Baltic Shield (Fennoscandian Shield)Shield

Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate

EuropeContinent

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References

www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com (n.d.) http://www.encyclopedia-of-meteorites.com/test/luotolax2.jpg

www.lpi.usra.edu (n.d.) http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/get_original_photo.php?recno=5630663

Mason, Brian (1967) The Bununu meteorite, and a discussion of the pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 31 (2) 107-115 doi:10.1016/s0016-7037(67)80040-1

Hewins, Roger H (1979) The composition and origin of metal in howardites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 43 (10) 1663-1673 doi:10.1016/0016-7037(79)90185-6

Mason B., Jarosewich E. & Nelen J. A. (1979) The pyroxene-plagioclase achondrites. Smithson. Contrib. Earth Sci. 22: 27-45.

Lazzaro, D., Michtchenko, T., Carvano, J.M., Binzel R.P., Bus,S.J., Burbine,T.H., Mothe-Diniz, T., Florczak, T., Angeli, C.A., Harris, A.W. (2000) Discovery of a Basaltic Asteroid in the Outer Main Belt. Science 288, 2033-2035.

Grady, Monica (2000) Catalogue of Meteorites (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Scott, E.R.D., Greenwood, R.C., Franchi, I.A. & Sanders, I.S. (2009) Oxygen isotopic constraints on the origin and parent bodies of eucrites, diogenites, and howardites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta73 (19): 5835-5853. (Oct 2009)

www.lpi.usra.edu (n.d.) http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php

McSween, Harry Y.; Binzel, Richard P.; De Sanctis, M. Cristina; Ammannito, Eleonora; Prettyman, Thomas H.; Beck, Andrew W.; Reddy, Vishnu; Le Corre, Lucille; Gaffey, Michael J.; McCord, Thomas B.; et al. (2013) Dawn; the Vesta–HED connection; and the geologic context for eucrites, diogenites, and howardites. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 48 (11). 2090-2104 doi:10.1111/maps.12108

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Luotolax meteorite, Savitaipale, South Karelia, FinlandiRegional Level TypesLuotolax meteoriteMeteorite Fall Location SavitaipaleMunicipality South KareliaRegion FinlandCountry function showexplain() { $("#locexplain").toggle(); if (typeof movemap === "function") movemap(); }

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Mineral List

Meteorite/Rock Types Recorded

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Detailed Mineral List:

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

List of minerals for each chemical element

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References

Luotolax meteorite, Savitaipale, South Karelia, Finland i
Regional Level Types
Luotolax meteorite Meteorite Fall Location
Savitaipale Municipality
South Karelia Region
Finland Country