[meteorite-list] Scientists Study Lunar Meteorite (Dhofar 280)

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.timesofoman.com/newsdetails.asp?newsid=57199&pn=local

Scientists study lunar rock found in Dhofar
Times of Oman
May 25, 2004

MUSCAT - Scientists currently focus on a rare lunar rock found in 
Dhofar governorate and is expected to reveal, for the first time, 
more information on the mineral and chemical composition of
meteorites, according to Dr Salim bin Hamad Al Busaidi, director 
of geological surveying at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 

Dr Busaidi said studies on the meteorite, named Dhofar 280, were 
carried out at university laboratories in the US and Russia and 
the stone was found to contain three formations of iron and
silica indicating that its origin was the moon. He added the 
meteorite was also found to have tiny quantities of nickel, 
phosphorus and chromium. The official said the chemical 
composition of the meteorite showed it came from higher parts 
of the moon which are lighter in colour and geologically
older from its lower parts. 

He said Dhofar 280 looked much like a similar meteorite named 
Dhofar 81 collected earlier, also from Dhofar, but was found 
too small to add any new information. A Martian rock weighing 
223kg and named Sayah Al Ahmar 94 was also discovered in the 
Sultanate. Dr Busaidi said the Sultanate is now well-known 
around the world as a field for search of meteorites and 
added that studies were being carried out abroad on 1,336kg of 
such rocks collected by the Directorate-General of Minerals 
from various parts of the Sultanate especially from Dhofar 
governorate and the central region.