NWA 18065 - L5 Ordinary Chondrite

NWA 18065 is an L5 Ordinary Chondrite from Morocco, reportedly found in August 2016 by nomad meteorite hunters near Layoun, close to Fez. It was later purchased in Ouarzazate in December 2019 and approved in Meteoritical Bulletin 114. As an L Chondrite, NWA 18065 has lower metallic iron than H Chondrites, while its type 5 classification indicates significant thermal metamorphism on its parent asteroid.

NWA 18065 is recorded as a single piece with a tan-brown desert varnish covering its surface. Specimens are expected to show the compact texture of an L5 Ordinary Chondrite, with subdued chondrules, scattered metal grains, and a grey to brown stony matrix. The type 5 classification means the original Chondritic features have been partly recrystallised by heat, while still preserving the broader structure of an Ordinary Chondrite.

Studying NWA 18065 provides insight into the L Chondrite parent body, thermal alteration, and the preservation of meteorites in Northwest African desert environments. For collectors, it offers a recognised Moroccan L5 meteorite with official classification, single-stone provenance, and classic Ordinary Chondrite character. Each specimen represents ancient asteroid material formed over 4.5 billion years ago, preserved as part of a valid classified meteorite find.