Part 1. Meteorites GEOLOGICAL SURViTf PROFESSIONAL PAPER Data of Geochemistry Sixth Edition MICHAEL FLEISCHER, Technical Editor Chapter B. Cosmochemistry Part 1. Meteorites By BRIAN MASON GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 440-B-l Tabulation and discussion of elemental abundances in the different classes of stony and iron meteorites, and in their constituent minerals UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1979 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY H. William Menard, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 79-64561 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Stock Number 024-001-031621 DATA OF GEOCHEMISTRY, SIXTH EDITION Michael Fleischer, Technical Editor The first edition of the Data of Geochemistry, by F. W. Clarke, was published in 1908 as U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 330. Later editions, also by Clarke, were published in 1911, 1916, 1920, and 1924 as Bulletins 491, 616, 695, and 770. This, the sixth edition, has been written by several scientists in the Geological Survey and in other institutions in the United States and abroad, each preparing a chapter on his special field. The current edition is being published in individual chapters, titles of which are listed below. Chapters already published are indicated by boldface. CHAPTER A. The chemical elements B. Cosmochemistry Part 1, Meteorites by Brian Mason] Part 2, Cosmochemistry. C. Internal structure and composition of the earth. D. Composition of the earth's crust, by R. L. Parker E. Chemistry of the atmosphere F. Chemical composition of subsurface waters, by Donald E. White, John D. Hem, and G. A. Waring G. Chemical composition of rivers and lakes, by Daniel A. Livingstone H. Chemistry of the oceans I. Geochemistry of the biosphere J. Chemistry of rock-forming minerals K. Volcanic emanations, by Donald E. White and G. A. Waring L. Phase equilibrium relations of the common rock-forming oxides except water, by G. W. Morey M. Phase equilibrium relations of the common rock-forming oxides with water and (or) carbon dioxide N. Chemistry of igneous rocks, Part 1, The chemistry of the peralkaline oversaturated obsidians, by Bay Macdonald and D. K. Bailey 0. Chemistry of rock weathering and soils P. Chemistry of bauxites and laterites Q. Chemistry of nickel silicate deposits R. Chemistry of manganese oxides S. Chemical composition of sandstones excluding carbonate and volcanic sands, by F. J. Pettijohn T. Nondetrital siliceous sediments, by Earle R. Cressman U. Chemical composition of shales and related rocks V. Chemistry of carbonate rocks W. Chemistry of the iron-rich sedimentary rocks, by H. L. James X. Chemistry of phosphorites Y. Marine evaporites, by Frederick H. Stewart Z. Continental evaporites AA. Chemistry of coal BB. Chemistry of petroleum, natural gas, and miscellaneous carbonaceous substances CC. Chemistry of metamorphic rocks DD. Abundance and distribution of the chemical elements and their isotopes EE. Geochemistry of ore deposits FF. Physical chemistry of sulfide systems GG. The natural radioactive elements HH. Geochronology II. Temperatures of geologic processes JJ. Composition of fluid inclusions, by Edwin Roedder KK. Compilation of stable isotope fractionation factors of geochemical interest, by Irving Friedman and James R. O'Neil CONTENTS Page Page Abstract ________ Bl Germanium __________ . B53 Introduction __________ ____________ 1 Arsenic _________ 55 Historical background ___ ____________ 1 Selenium ____________ . 55 Phase composition of meteorites _ ____________ 2 Bromine ___________- . 57 Classification of meteorites _______ ___________ 4 Rubidium ____________ 60 Classification of chondrites _______________________ 4 Strontium ___________ - 60 Classification of achondrites and stony-irons _ 10 Yttrium ______________________ __ __ 64 Classification of iron meteorites __ .____________ 10 Zirconium ____________________ 64 Chemical fractionations in chondrites _____________ 13 Niobium _____________________. 65 The geochemical behavior of elements in meteorites 14 Molybdenum ___________________. 66 Location of minor and trace elements in meteorites 14 Ruthenium ___________________________ 67 Hydrogen ______ .______ 14 Rhodium _____________________________ 68 The noble gases: helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon 16 Palladium ____________________._______ 69 Lithium ___________ _ .____________ 18 Silver ______________________________ 70 Beryllium ____________ .__________ 19 Cadmium ____________ ___ ._______ 71 Boron _____________ ___ ______ 20 Indium ______________________. 71 Carbon ________________________________ 20 Tin ________________________ 74 Nitrogen ____________ ___________ 21 Antimony ____________________________ 75 Oxygen .______ 23 Tellurium ____________________________ 76 Fluorine ____________________._________ 25 Iodine ______________________._______ 77 Sodium ________________________________ 26 Cesium _____________________. 78 Magnesium ____________ ___________ 29 Barium ______________________. 79 Aluminum _______________________________ 31 The lanthanides ____________ _________ 79 Silicon ______________________.__________ 33 Hafnium _____________________________ 86 Phosphorus __________________________ 34 Tantalum ____________________._______ 86 Sulfur ______________________.... 36 Tungsten _________________________ 87 Chlorine _____________ _______________ 37 Rhenium ____________________________ 88 Potassium ____________________________ 39 Osmium ___________ _ ._______ 89 Calcium _____________________________________________ 39 Iridium _____________________________ 90 Scandium ____________________.____________ 40 Platinum ____________________._______ 92 Titanium ____________________________________________ 41 Gold _______________________________ 94 Vanadium ___________________________________________ 44 Mercury _____________________________ 95 Chromium ___________________________________________ 44 Thallium ____________________._______ 97 Manganese __________________________________________ 45 Lead ___________________ 98 Iron _______________________.____________ 46 Bismuth _____________________._______ 100 Cobalt ______________________.____________ 49 Thorium _____________________________ 101 Nickel _______________________________________________ 50 Uranium ____________________________ 102 Copper __________________________________ 50 Conclusions ___________________________ 103 Zinc _______________________ ____________ 52 Acknowledgments _______________________ 123 Gallium _________________________________ 52 References cited ________________________ 123 ILLUSTRATIONS Page FIGURES 1-3. Graphs showing: 1. Relationship between elemental abundances in Type I carbonaceous chondrites and abundances in the Sun _______________ ___________________________ _______ B2 2. Relationship between oxidized iron and i ron as metal and sulfide in analyses of chondrites .___ 5 3. Relationship between CaO and FeO/(FeO+MgO) in the achondrites and stony-irons .______ 10 VI CONTENTS Page FIGURES 4-6. Diagrams showing 4. Relative abundances of selected elements in Type II and III carbonaceous chondrites and in ordinary chondrites, normalized to Type I carbonaceous chondrites=1.0 ___.____________ B13 5. Frequency distribution of carbon in chondrites _______________________.____________ 22 6. 0/ieO analyses of whole-rock samples and olivines from carbonaceous chondrites and whole-rock analyses of other meteorites ____ _________________________ ____________ 25 7. Graph showing relationship between Si02 and MgO in chondrites _______________._-_______ 31 8. Logarithmic plot showing Co-Ni distribution in meteorites __________ _ _ ._____ _ 50 9. Histogram showing the nickel content of analyzed iron meteorites _______________._________ 52 10-15. Logarithmic plots showing: 10. Ga-Ni distribution iron meteorites 57 11. Ge-Ni distribution iron meteorites 57 12. As-Ni distribution iron meteorites 60 13. Ru-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 69 14. Pd-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 71 15. Sb-Ni distribution in iron meteorites ___ _____________________.____________ 77 16,17. Diagrams showing: 16. Lanthanide abundances in Cl chondrites, C3 chondrites, and the eucrites (calcium-rich achon- drites ___________________________________.____________________ 84 17. Chondrite-normalized lanthanide abundances in achondrites _______ __ _ _____________ 85 18-22. Logarithmic plots showing: 18. Re-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 91 19. Os-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 91 20. Ir-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 94 21. Pt-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 94 22. Au-Ni distribution in iron meteorites 97 TABLES Page Page TABLE 1. The common minerals of meteorites ___ B2 15. Carbon in iron meteorites ______________ B22 2. Classification of meteorites ____________ 3 16. Nitrogen in stony meteorites __________ 23 3. Chemical analyses of chondritic meteorites __ 6 17. Nitrogen in iron meteorites ____________ 24 4. Petrologic types of chondrites _______ 9 18. Oxygen in stony meteorites ____________ 25 5. Classification of the chondrites _______ 10 19. Comparison of fluorine determinations 6. Structural classification of iron meteorites _ 11 chondrites _____________ 26 7. Structural and compositional properties of 20. Fluorine in stony meteorites __________ 27 iron meteorite groups ___________ 12 21. Sodium in stony meteorites ____________ 28 8. The geochemical behavior of the elements 30 in chondritic meteorites __________ 15 22. Magnesium in stony meteorites_________