The Composition of Meteoritic Matter: II. The Composition of Iron Meteorites and of the Metal Phase of Stony Meteorites

Abstract

The average composition, with respect to iron, nickel, and cobalt, of iron meteorites and the metal of stony meteorites has been determined by statistical study of the analyses of 320 meteorites. The average composition of iron meteorites is: Fe, 90.78 ± 0.26 per cent; Ni, 8.59 ± 0.24 per cent; Co, 0.631 ± 0.019 per cent. The average composition of the metal phase of stony meteorites is: Fe, 88.58 ± 0.55 per cent; Ni, 10.69 ± 0.51 per cent; Co, 0.705 ± 0.056 per cent. It is shown that the higher values of nickel and cobalt in the metal phase of stony meteorites result from a relationship whereby the nickel and cobalt concentrations in the metal phase increase as the metal-phase content of the meteorite decreases.