Chondryt węglisty NWA 4446
Abstract
Carbonaceous chondrite NWA 4446.
A b s t r a c t. The authors carried out petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses (bulk chemical composition and microanalyses of mineral chemical composition) of NWA 4446 carbonaceous chondrite. NWA 4446 chondrite is classified as CV3, S2, W2. This meteorite is a rock fragment most likely from one of the C-type asteroids orbiting the Sun in the outer part of the asteroid belt. It represents the matter formed at the earliest stages of the formation of extrasolar bodies in the solar system. As a result of the research, the authors documented a wider range of variation in the chemical composition of olivine crystals (Fa: 0.67–46.57 mol%) in the matrix and chondrules, and a much narrower range of variation in the chemical composition of pyroxene crystals (Fs: 0.90–3.35 mol%) against the data used for the classification of the meteorite. The characteristics of the chondrules, ranging in size from 0.5 to more than 1 mm, allowed concluding that they constitute about 60% of the meteorite’s volume, in which they form many structural and mineral varieties PO, POP, BO, PP and RP chondrules were observed. The remaining 40% of the chondrite volume is a matrix consisting of small crystals of pyroxenes, olivines, glass, as well as opaque minerals: sulphides, FeNi alloy, native copper and gold grains, carbonaceous substance, and compact CAIs. The mineral and chemical composition of CAIs shows that their dominant mineral is melilite, accompanied by diopside and spinel. The chemical composition of spinel and diopside is very similar to their total chemical formulas, while the composition of melilite shows a significant sodium deficiency. Among the opaque minerals, one phase of the FeNi dominates – awaruite (Ni3Fe), and sulphides are represented by troilite (FeS) and mackinawite ((Fe,Ni)9S8). Moreover, grains of native copper with an admixture of gold and grains of native gold with an admixture of platinum, nickel and copper with a size of several μm were identified. Taking into account the admixtures contained in the above-mentioned opaque minerals (mainly Co and Cu), the parent rock of the carbonaceous chondrite NWA 4446 can be considered to have been mineralized with Fe, Ni, Co and Cu ore minerals with the content of Au and Pt. This means that, we can expect deposits of native forms of the above-mentioned metals and sulphides on the parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites of the CV group – C-type asteroids.
A b s t r a c t. The authors carried out petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses (bulk chemical composition and microanalyses of mineral chemical composition) of NWA 4446 carbonaceous chondrite. NWA 4446 chondrite is classified as CV3, S2, W2. This meteorite is a rock fragment most likely from one of the C-type asteroids orbiting the Sun in the outer part of the asteroid belt. It represents the matter formed at the earliest stages of the formation of extrasolar bodies in the solar system. As a result of the research, the authors documented a wider range of variation in the chemical composition of olivine crystals (Fa: 0.67–46.57 mol%) in the matrix and chondrules, and a much narrower range of variation in the chemical composition of pyroxene crystals (Fs: 0.90–3.35 mol%) against the data used for the classification of the meteorite. The characteristics of the chondrules, ranging in size from 0.5 to more than 1 mm, allowed concluding that they constitute about 60% of the meteorite’s volume, in which they form many structural and mineral varieties PO, POP, BO, PP and RP chondrules were observed. The remaining 40% of the chondrite volume is a matrix consisting of small crystals of pyroxenes, olivines, glass, as well as opaque minerals: sulphides, FeNi alloy, native copper and gold grains, carbonaceous substance, and compact CAIs. The mineral and chemical composition of CAIs shows that their dominant mineral is melilite, accompanied by diopside and spinel. The chemical composition of spinel and diopside is very similar to their total chemical formulas, while the composition of melilite shows a significant sodium deficiency. Among the opaque minerals, one phase of the FeNi dominates – awaruite (Ni3Fe), and sulphides are represented by troilite (FeS) and mackinawite ((Fe,Ni)9S8). Moreover, grains of native copper with an admixture of gold and grains of native gold with an admixture of platinum, nickel and copper with a size of several μm were identified. Taking into account the admixtures contained in the above-mentioned opaque minerals (mainly Co and Cu), the parent rock of the carbonaceous chondrite NWA 4446 can be considered to have been mineralized with Fe, Ni, Co and Cu ore minerals with the content of Au and Pt. This means that, we can expect deposits of native forms of the above-mentioned metals and sulphides on the parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites of the CV group – C-type asteroids.