The offered piece of the meteorite Jikharra 001 weighs 83.9 g and preserves its original igneous texture and mineral composition.
Features
• Name: Jikharra 001
• Type: Eucrite
• Classification: Achondrite
• Dimensions: approx. 42 × 39 × 32 mm
• Weight: 83.9 g
• Origin: Differentiated asteroid, Main Asteroid Belt
• Found: Jikharra region, Libya
• Condition: Single, intact natural piece
• Discovery Date: 2022
• Certification: Included
Scientific and physical characteristics
Jikharra 001 is a basaltic eucrite, composed primarily of pyroxene (pigeonite and augite) and plagioclase (anorthite-rich) crystals within a fine-grained igneous matrix. Minor accessory phases include chromite, ilmenite, and phosphate minerals. The specimen preserves ophitic to subophitic pyroxene-plagioclase intergrowths, typical of eucrites.
This meteorite represents material from the crust of a differentiated asteroid, providing insight into igneous processes, cooling history, and crustal evolution. Terrestrial weathering is minimal, and the interior exhibits characteristic gray to greenish-gray tones with visible pyroxene and plagioclase crystals.
The texture and mineral composition indicate that Jikharra 001 formed from rapidly cooled basaltic lava flows on its parent body. Oxygen isotope analyses of eucrites place their origin in the HED meteorite parent body, widely associated with asteroid 4 Vesta. Trace element abundances, including REE (rare earth elements), show fractionation patterns consistent with partial melting and magmatic differentiation. This specimen provides important insight into planetary basalt formation, pyroxene chemistry, and crustal heterogeneity.
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