Minor and Trace Elements in Meteoritic Minerals

Abstract

Nickel-iron, troilite, olivine, pyroxenes, plagioclase, chromite, and phosphate minerals (chlorapatite and/or merrillite) have been separated from a number of meteorites (Modoc, St. Severin, Winona, Haraiya, Marjalahti, Springwater, Johnstown, Mt. Egerton, Soroti) and analyzed for minor and trace elements with the spark-source mass spectrometer. The elements Ni, Co, Ge, As, Ru, Rh, Pd, Sn, Sb, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au are concentrated in nickel-iron: Se and Ag in troilite; Th, U, and the lanthanides in the phosphate minerals and in diopside; Eu, Sr, Ba, Rb, and Cs in plagioclase. Molybdenum and tellurium are concentrated in nickel-iron and troilite. The elements Ti, Sc, V, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Ga are distributed over several coexisting minerals.