PORTALES VALLEY

 
This meteorite fell June 13, 1998 in Roosevelt County New Mexico near the town of Portales.   It is a very unusual meteorite as specimens range from stone to iron with others being a combination of both. 

Portales Valley - Not just an ordinary Chondrite.  Article by A. Ruzicka et al. (2005), which referres
to PV by a new term -- H-chondrite, metallic-melt breccia.
 
 

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE:

 

pv491top.jpg (46814 bytes)   pv491bottom.jpg (52810 bytes)

pv491side1.jpg (42617 bytes)   pv491side2.jpg (41327 bytes)   pv491flow1.jpg (38082 bytes)   pv491flow2.jpg (45578 bytes)

pv491a.JPG (139883 bytes)  Looking down at the nose.  pv491b.JPG (115575 bytes)  Back.

pv491c.JPG (110838 bytes)  pv491d.JPG (127928 bytes)  pv491e.JPG (120039 bytes)  pv491f.JPG (124279 bytes)  Side Views.

Shown above is a 491 gram oriented, fusion crusted, individual.  A mixture of iron and stone with ribs of metal poking into the fusion crust.

 

 

portales290.JPG (42714 bytes)    portales290a.JPG (47880 bytes)    portales290b.jpg (49681 bytes)

  Slice polished.        Slice etched.        Closeup of etch.

Pictured above is a 289 gram complete slice of the iron stone mixture.  The slice was first polished as shown in the first photo and then etched.

 

 

portales293a.JPG (210598 bytes)  portales293b.JPG (156247 bytes)  portales293c.JPG (196684 bytes)  portales293d.JPG (214128 bytes)  portales293e.JPG (179795 bytes)

Shown above is an example of the stone variety of Portalles Valley.   This complete individual weighs 293 gram and measures 67 mm by 62 mm by 49 mm.

 

 

pvstone.JPG (44086 bytes)

89 gram complete slice of the stone variety of Portales Valley.
 
 

mmemail.gif (1175 bytes)
 

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