TAZA (NWA 859)
 Morocco
(Classification by J. Wasson, U.C.L.A.)
The Meteoritical Society has recognized TWA 859 as the official name of this recently fallen meteorite.  It will be listed as such in The Meteoritical Bulletin, # 86.

Found 2001
IRON (ungrouped)
Plessitic Octaherite
TKW: 75.3 kilos

The microstructural class of this iron is Plessitic Octahedrite (OPl).  This is the type of meteorite with the highest percentage of nickel (between 40-50%).  This alloy is called tetrataenite.  The  tetrataenite surrounds kamacite needles.  This meteorite exhibits  shock that can be produced by a collision.  Kamacite needles characterize a Widmanstätten pattern.  The needles have a low Ni/Fe ratio (~6%).  The taenite grains (white areas) have a high concentration of nickel (25-60%).  Due to a very high concentration of germanium, this ,meteorite does not fit into previously defined classses, and is classified as "ungrouped".

ETCHED THIN HALF-INDIVIDUALS, SMALL ETCHED INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL COMPLETE INDIVIDUALS

TZ1 Half-individual (endpiece)  54.4 g.   SOLD TZ2  Half-individual (endpiece) 35.9 g.   SOLD
TZ3   14.78 g.  $ 103.00 TZ4    10.81g.   $ 75.00 TZ5  10.45 g  .$ 73.00 TZ6   8.85 g. $ 62.00
TZ7  13.79 g.  $ 55.16 TZ8    13.43 g.  $ 53.72 TZ9   12.55 g. $ 50.20 TZ10  11.53 g. $ 46.12
TZ11  8.29 g. $ 33.16 TZ12  7.68 g. $ 30.72 TZ13   7.27 g. $ 29.08 TZ14  5.22 g. $ 20.88
Select, nicely shaped small individual micros:
(sorry, no pictures but satisfaction guaranteed)
3 - 4 grams $ 15.00
2 - 3 grams $ 13.50
1 - 2 grams $   9.00
0.5 - 1 grams $   6.50
TZ15  5.08 g.   $ 20.32 TZ16  5.01 g.    $ 20.04