The Opaque Minerals in Stony Meteorites
Abstract
The opaque and semiopaque minerals were examined in polished sections of 135 stony meteorites. The following minerals, all of which were previously known from meteorites, were observed: kamacite and taenite and intergrowths of these minerals (plessite), cohenite, schreibersite, graphite, native copper, native gold, troilite, pentlandite, oldhamite, daubréelite, chromite, magnetite, and ilmenite. The following minerals, which are well known from terrestrial occurrences, were observed for the first time in stony meteorites: chalcopyrrhotite, valleriite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and bravoite. Entirely new minerals observed were (Ni, Fe) xSiy, (Mg, Fe, Ca, Mn)S with NaCl structure, and a hexagonal layer-structure mineral containing Fe-C-S, as well as the following minerals identified by letters: A, a strongly anisotropic, dark yellow-green mineral; B, a mineral occurring in thin lamellas as a decomposition product of A; C, a dark olive-colored mineral; D, a colorless transparent mineral with high refractive index, replacing ilmenite and chromite; E, a dark brown, probably isotropic mineral; F, a white mineral, probably containing arsenic; G, a light blue mineral; H, a yellow, almost metallic mineral; I, a colorless spinel-like mineral, with exsolution of ilmenite; K, a very dark gray sulfide; and L, a very strongly pleochroic mineral. Structures and textures as well as effects of weathering processes are described.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Geophysical Research
- Pub Date:
- April 1963
- DOI:
- 10.1029/JZ068i007p02011
- Bibcode:
- 1963JGR....68.2011R