[meteorite-list] Nickel free metal in Meteorites

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:59:42 -0400
Message-ID: <20100325175942.UMGZK.217539.imail_at_fed1rmwml32>

List,
During recent research into CBb chondrites I stumbled upon an article from 2007 with references from Rubin that shows an image of a CC chondrite with nickel free metal.
How is this possible?
In past conversations with Scientists when I have asked why do iron meteorites always have to have nickel. The typical response is that they not only have to have nickel but, it has to have a few percent of nickel and not just PPM's of it. In explanation of this as I recall, I've always been told the reason that meteoritic iron always has to have Nickel is because in nature there is no way to separate the two elements.
If that is true then how is it that in this case we do in fact have meteoritic metal without nickel? somehow they got separated.
Unless this analysis is wrong does this not teach us that yes in fact there can and does exist meteoritic iron devoid of nickel. And therefore there not only could be Iron meteorites without nickel but,this ups the odds that there in fact are meteorites without nickel.
Please see attached abstract. Back scattered images Figure 2 at the fifth page from the top of the article. It says;
"D. Close up of a CC Chondrule texture. Radiating unidentified minerals and Nickel free metal (met) are set up in a silica-rich matrix."

http://www2.mnhn.fr/hdt205/leme/doc/2007%20Gounelle%20et%20al.%20EPSL.pdf

Thanks Carl

--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax

Received on Thu 25 Mar 2010 05:59:42 PM PDT