Abstract
This paper presents chemical analyses of mercury in 123 specimens of 58 meteorites. A statistical comparison is made of the mercury content in meteorites (using all available data) as a function of their composition and texture. The average mercury abundance in stony meteorites is estimated as 6.6 ppm. Stony and iron meteorites differ significantly in mercury content. Among stones, chondrites and achondrites show significant differences in the mercury content. In ordinary cbondrites, mineralogy and texture do not seem to have a significant influence on the distribution of mercury, judging from the available number of analyses. Carbonaceous chondrites, in which we found up to 500 ppm mercury, stand out among all other varieties of chondrites. Iron meteorites fall at the other extreme, having the lowest mercury concentrations (generally 0-0x ppm). In specimens of several meteorite classes, troilite is a good mercury concentrator, having a consistently higher mercury content than the meteorite as a whole. Nonetheless, troilite generally accounts for less than one-half the total mercury content of the meteorite.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
