The facts
What lunar Meteorite actually is
The species behind lunar Meteorite is rock ejected from the Moon by an impact and later fallen to Earth - chiefly feldspathic highland breccia, mare basalt or a mingled breccia, Anorthitic plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine, ilmenite and impact glass; matched to Apollo samples by oxygen isotopes and FeO/MnO ratios; it forms in the aggregate system.
Pale grey-white feldspathic breccia with darker clasts; mare basalt types are dark is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a specific gravity of about 2.80-3.40, with plagioclase and pyroxene cleavage in clasts cleavage.
Where lunar Meteorite comes from
Commercial material comes from Northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali) - most numbered lunar meteorites, Dhofar, Oman (collection and export prohibited there), Antarctica (scientific collections only, never traded) and Calcalong Creek, Western Australia.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How lunar Meteorite is treated
Cut and sealed; sold in very small slices and fragments. LEGAL: APOLLO SAMPLES ARE US GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND CANNOT LEGALLY BE SOLD - anything offered as 'Apollo moon rock' is either a fake or stolen; NASA has prosecuted. Lunar meteorites are legally tradeable where the finding country permits export, which Oman does not. Classification by an approved laboratory and a Meteoritical Bulletin entry are essential; unclassified 'lunar' material is very often terrestrial anorthosite or a chondrite.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What lunar Meteorite is confused with
Watch for Terrestrial anorthosite and gabbro, Howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) achondrites from Vesta, Fake resin and painted composites and Unclassified NWA stones sold as lunar — these are what turn up sold under this name.
Because the material is opaque, refractive index is no help. Specific gravity around 2.80-3.40, hardness of 6-6.5, streak and magnification do the work instead.
What lunar Meteorite is used for
The trades that buy lunar Meteorite are mineral collecting and jewellery. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen or by the carat.
Durability and care
Hardness 6-6.5; cleavage plagioclase and pyroxene cleavage in clasts. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What lunar Meteorite costs
Expect roughly $300-1,500 per gram for classified feldspathic breccia; rare mare basalt and paired-fall material $1,000-5,000 per gram, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is lunar Meteorite treated, and how?
Cut and sealed; sold in very small slices and fragments. LEGAL: APOLLO SAMPLES ARE US GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND CANNOT LEGALLY BE SOLD - anything offered as 'Apollo moon rock' is either a fake or stolen; NASA has prosecuted. Lunar meteorites are legally tradeable where the finding country permits export, which Oman does not. Classification by an approved laboratory and a Meteoritical Bulletin entry are essential; unclassified 'lunar' material is very often terrestrial anorthosite or a chondrite.
Where does lunar Meteorite come from?
Northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali) - most numbered lunar meteorites, Dhofar, Oman (collection and export prohibited there), Antarctica (scientific collections only, never traded) and Calcalong Creek, Western Australia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is lunar Meteorite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does lunar Meteorite cost?
Indicatively $300-1,500 per gram for classified feldspathic breccia; rare mare basalt and paired-fall material $1,000-5,000 per gram. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is lunar Meteorite confused with?
Most often Terrestrial anorthosite and gabbro, Howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) achondrites from Vesta, Fake resin and painted composites and Unclassified NWA stones sold as lunar. Since the material is opaque, separation relies on specific gravity near 2.80-3.40, hardness and magnification.
Related stones
Looking for lunar meteorite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about lunar meteorite