[meteorite-list] Nickel found in hematite and magnetite?

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:37:23 -0400
Message-ID: <20110313113723.UFFFH.35003.imail_at_fed1rmwml4101>

Paul,
I find tons of what you are describing.
Color tests work on almost any amount of nickel and also give false positives based on knowing exactly what shade of red to look for. I don't know which red is the correct red.
I have an AXE that tests bright red with a red color nickel test but in actually only has only a trace amount of nickel and scientists believe it needs more than just a trace. I may never understand why that is. I have been told that " nature has no way of separating the metals " but if that is true then why is there always a different percentage of nickel and why can it be as high as 60-ish percent and as low as just a few percent?
That said, If it is a highly oxidized iron meteorite it would have a relatively high percentage of nickel as opposed to just a trace percentage.
Blain's XRF gun gives complete analysis in percentages and would tell you if it has several percent nickel. if it does then the core of the rock may still be shiny iron. You could cut it in half and look inside.
Blain offers this service and it is quick and inexpensive. Well worth the cost and the only way to be certain.
Carl

--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax
---- "Paul  G. Spears" <pgspears at cox.net> wrote: 
> In a specimen that may be a hematite, a strong presence of nickel was found. 
> Is that possible?  While the specimen is very attractive to magnets, tests 
> positive for nickel, and looks and weighs like iron, it has many pock marks 
> and some white inclusions that may be quartz.  Anyone come across similar 
> specimens? 
> 
> 
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Received on Sun 13 Mar 2011 11:37:23 AM PDT