[meteorite-list] Rock Forming Minerals

From: Greg Stanley <stanleygregr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:17:18 -0700
Message-ID: <SNT117-W2B511037AA85D68C4940DD2D80_at_phx.gbl>

Thanks Ryan,



Interesting that there is no (or very little) of the mica's and Quartz in meteorites, which are the last minerals to be created in the Bowen Series.

Greg S.

----------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:07:43 -0700
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Rock Forming Minerals
> From: ryan.weidert at gmail.com
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com; stanleygregr at hotmail.com
>
> Hi Greg, List:
>
>
>>> I was looking a the Bowen Series of rock forming minerals on earth and was wondering. Is there a similar sequence (or order) of mineral formation for: a) minerals on asteroids, b) mineral on Mars, and c) minerals on the moon. It would be interesting to compare>> and see the differences and similarities.
>
> I've never heard of a reaction series for other solar bodies, but I
> would guess that the Bowen Reaction Series would be pretty similar of
> minerals formed in asteroids and other planets and moons. I think that
> because the series is based on the elements within the magma and the
> temperatures of formation and rates of cooling. The ten most abundant
> elements in the universe are Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, Neon, Nitrogen,
> Carbon, Silicon, Magnesium, Iron, and Sulfur. I can only assume that
> they are/were dispersed fairly uniformly across the universe and the
> Earth, being apart of the universe, is an amalgamation of those
> elements. Granted there are disparities between the Earths composition
> and meteorites, martian and lunar, however the earth is actively
> producing and altering, and segregating minerals, giving it a more
> 'unique' composition in regards to bodies that have had little active
> formation time.
>
> In the end, I think it really boils down to the elemental composition
> of the magma - only certain arrangements exist in which the available
> elements can form minerals, and seeing that there are 300 minerals
> common to both earth and meteorites and 40 exclusive to meteorites,
> I'd say the reaction series has a good chance at being quite similar.
>
>
>>> Also would Olivine or pyroxene be the most common mineral in the solar system? Or perhaps something else?
>
> I would guess Olivine is the most common (single) mineral in the solar
> system, with pyroxenes second. If you take pyroxenes as a group of
> minerals, its probably first.
>
> For meteorites, I read that "The most common minerals are pyroxenes
> followed by plagioclase feldspar, and olivine". From
> http://www4.nau.edu/meteorite/Meteorite/Book-Minerals.html
> The 'Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites' states that "The most
> abundant minerals in meteorites are pyroxenes, olivine, plagioclase
> feldspar, kamacite and taenite." (Appendix 1)
> http://books.google.com/books?id=OMgDhc8d7v4C&lpg=PA238&ots=YsNrqg6XuU&dq=most%20abundant%20mineral%20in%20meteorites&pg=PA238#v=onepage&q&f=false
>
>
>>> If I'm not mistaken, the feldspar group of minerals in the most common on earth.
>
> Depending where on/within earth one looks, the most common mineral
> changes. As a singular mineral, Quartz is the most abundant on the
> surface/crust. It is true that there feldspar group as a whole is more
> common, but that is because it is a group of seven different
> feldspars, albeit their boundaries are arbitrary. If we are talking
> about sheer percentage of the earth, the most common mineral is
> Olivine. That of course is a general term for a group as well,
> fayalite and forsterite, however still takes the cake. Pyroxenes take
> second within the earth.
>
> cheers y'all
>
> ryan weidert
                                               
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Received on Thu 10 Jun 2010 07:17:18 PM PDT