Silicate inclusions in group IAB irons and a relation to the anomalous stones Winona and Mt Morris (Wis)

Abstract

Silicates are found in many group IAB irons; in some cases as abundant angular cm-sized inclusions and in other cases as smaller fragments or single grains in troilite or graphite nodules. The mineralogy of the silicates is chondritic—olivine, pyroxene, albitic plagioclase—as is the bulk composition. The degree of oxidation of the olivine and pyroxene is intermediate between E and H chondrites (Fa 1–8, Fs 4–9). IAB inclusions have ages of about 4.5 Gyr, I 129-Xe 129 formation intervals in the ranges of chondrites and contain planetary-type rare gases. Samples of San Cristobal, Campo del Cielo, Mundrabilla and Woodbine were examined by microprobe and bulk inclusions from Campo del Cielo, Copiapo, Landes and Woodbine were analyzed by instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis. Nonvolatile lithophilic and siderophih'c elements in Copiapo, Landes and Woodbine have approximately chondritic abundances. The chondritic level of lithophiles indicates the inclusions have not undergone igneous differentiation while the chondritic levels of siderophiles is evidence the metal is native to the inclusions and not matrix metal injected into the silicates. The two Campo del Cielo inclusions analyzed have roughly chondritic abundances of lithophiles but have fractionated rare earth patterns and widely varying amounts and abundances (relative to Ni) of siderophiles. These inclusions appear to have experienced some partial melting. Siderophile ratios for the inclusions have some differences when compared to matrix metal. One Campo del Cielo inclusion contains kamacite (5.5% Ni) with over 1000 μg Ge. Three-isotope O analyses by Clayton and coworkers of parts of the same or neighboring inclusions to those analyzed chemically place the inclusions slightly below the terrestrial fractionation line of clayton et al. (1976) and rule out the possibility of the inclusions being trapped fragments of one of the ordinary chondrite groups. The IAB silicates formed probably in a similar manner as chondrite groups but in a different region of the nebula and they record the O 2 fugacity and O isotopic composition of that location. They later became trapped in the metal-rich matrix probably as the result of collisions producing the breccialike texture. The relationship of the silicates to the kamacite-taenite structure of the metal requires that the metal-silicate mix have been heated to over 1000 K for an extended period. Two anomalous stony meteorites, Winona and Mt. Morris (Wis), are similar to IAB inclusions in mineralogy, bulk composition, FeO (FeO + Mg) ratio of the silicates, and chromite composition and are possibly related to the IAB silicates. Winona also has an age of 4.6 Gyr and contains planetary-type rare gases. Microprobe data are reported for the major minerals of these anomalous meteorites. Although attempts to detect IAB levels of Ge in the metal phases were not successful, the weight of the evidence favors a relationship between these meteorites and IAB