NWA 6704 is a most intriguing meteorite unlike any others known to man! Not only does it have tremendous scientific value, it is one of the most visually appealing meteorites with its dazzling display of yellowish-green orthopyroxene crystals containing small grains of olivine and chromite surrounded by large intercumulus grains of albite enclosing small grains of awaruite (a rare very nickel-rich metal alloy). NWA 7604 is also rich in platinum elements.

Oxygen isotope results plot this achondrite within the field for acapulcoites-lodranites, but that is where any comparison stops. NWA 6704 is unlike any other meteorite! If that is not enough, this incredible meteorite contains an abundance of bubble trains within the orthopyroxene which appear to be devoid of fluid upon initial inspection. Ongoing analyses are currently being performed to measure the cosmogenic noble gases to determine its CRE age (time spent in space) and to possibly detect trapped gases or even atmosphere from the NWA 6704 parent body! It has been determined that NWA 6704 is 4.52 billion years old.

Article about NWA 6704:
Hupé, G.M., (2011) Northwest Africa 6704......a `most intriguing` New Ungrouped Meteorite (article).
Click here to read about the discovery and importance of NWA 6704

Meteoritical Bulletin entry for NWA 6704:
Click here for the Official classification of NWA 6704

Copyright 2012 - Current All Rights Reserved Nature's Vault, Inc.