Natural History - Amethyst Crystal Geode Section Group [20]

A cut slice of scarce achondrite from the diogenite group recorded as: Northwest Africa 5480; displayed in a Swiss membrane box. 11.7 grams, 48 mm (58 grams total, 99 x 75 including case)



From the Sahara, N.W. Africa. Ex Hupe collection, U.S.A. From a Leicestershire, UK, collection.

The total known mass of the meteorite found in Mali was 4.91 kg. Mineralogically, the diogenites are primarily composed of magnesium-rich orthopyroxene, with minor amounts of plagioclase and olivine. The pyroxenes are usually coarse-grained, suggesting a cumulate origin for the diogenites in magma chambers within the deeper regions of Vesta's crust. The achondrites of this group are named after a 5th century B.C. Greek philosopher Diogenes of Apollonia, who was the first to suggest that meteorites originate from outer space.

Each with polished face displaying brown, grey and orange banding. 1.45 kg total, 13-15 cm



From Brazil. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).

A Scutellum sp. trilobite from the family Styginidae on a matrix. 222 grams, 77 mm



From the Atlas Mountains, Hamar Laghdad Formation, Pragian, (Alnif), Morocco, North Africa. From a Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.