Mineralogical comparison of antarctic and non-antarctic HED (howardites-eucrites-diogenites) achondrites

Mineralogical examination of thin sections of non-Antarctic and Antarctic HED (howardite, eucrite, diogenite) achondrites indicates that they contain a variety of lithic components. Some of these components occur both as monomict meteorites and as clasts in polymict meteorites, whereas others occur only as clasts in some polymict breccias. The components may be classified by the degree of homogenization of the pyroxene present. In order of increasing homogeneity these are: (1) Y-75011-type basalt clasts; (2) Pasamonte; (3) Y-790266-type clasts; (4) Stannern and Nuevo Laredo; (5) Juvinas and Haraiya; and (6) Ibitira. Type 1 has been least modified by post-igneous thermal annealing, while types 5 and 6 were thoroughly metamorphosed. Three types of cumulate eucrites are recognized and are believed to represent (a) cumulates from thick lava flows or layered intrusions; (b) lunar highlands type crust; and (c) differentiation products of diogenitic magmas.