Ore Petrography and Cosmogeochemistry of Ellicott Meteorite. Mineralogy and Spectrochemistry

      Аннотация: This book deals with Ellicott meteorite, a substance coming from outer space of the solar system. The main mineral phases in this meteorite are kamacite (?Fe/Ni alloy, <6 wt% Ni), rhabdites and schreibersite [a phosphide, (Fe,Ni)3P], teanite and magnetite. It is classified as an IIG iron meteorite group (hexahedrites). Geochemistry, ore petrography coupled with astronomical information provided a good idea of the reason that led to fall of the meteorite which had been collided with other cosmic body as the Neumann Lines features indicated. Considerable amounts of the precious metals (Au, Pt, Ag, W and Ir) are embedded in kamacite matrix and have been well detected by using high technologies (SEM, SEM/EDS, Raman spectroscopy, BSE and reflected light microscope). The discovery of the precious metals supports the theory of "Meteorites pummeled Earth, delivering gold". There are new researches suggesting that Au, Pt and other precious metals were brought to our planet by meteorites, and the isotopic data suggests that materials were added after the early crust formed. This work assures that the near-earth space and the core of the earth is a mine for the precious metals.

Ключевые слова: Geochemistry, Gold, Ellicott Meteorite, Ore microscopy, Kamacite, Rhabdites, Schreibersite, Taenite, Widmanst?tten texture, Neumann Lines