[meteorite-list] Orgueil

From: Bernd Pauli HD <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:04:50 2004
Message-ID: <3CE96227.CE5BBC65_at_lehrer1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de>

Marcin wrote:

> I have in my collection small piece of Orgueil.
> ... under my microscope (binocular), ... I saw
> something ... growing on it !! Small, white
> crystals like snow or something. What is it?


Hello Marcin and List,

You were probably looking at some sulfate crystals.

Reference:

GOUNELLE M. et al. (2001) A terrestrial origin for sulfate
veins in CI1 chondrites (MAPS 36-10, 20001, 1321-1329):

White sulfate veins are a very well-known petrological feature
of the chemically primitive CI1 carbonaceous chondrites. Sulfate
veins were first described in the Orgueil meteorite in 1961,
almost one century after ist fall ... We suggest that all CI1
sulfate veins formed during terrrestrial residence of these
heavily brecciated, porous stones.


Best wishes,

Bernd

P.S.: See also the beautiful cover photo (in color) in
MAPS 36-10, which shows these sulfate veins on Orgeuil!
Received on Mon 20 May 2002 04:52:55 PM PDT