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Phosphate minerals in pallasite meteorites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

Peter R. Buseck
Affiliation:
Departments of Geology & Chemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281
Edward Holdsworth
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281

Summary

Phosphate minerals are widespread minor constituents of the pallasites. Both anhydrous primary and hydrous decomposition/alteration phosphates occur. The primary minerals, in decreasing order of abundance, are whitlockite, stanfieldite, and farringtonite, as well as a possibly new phosphate. The decomposition phosphates are compositionally heterogeneous and thus complex. Some may be new minerals. The phosphate minerals serve as the major repository for the alkali elements in pallasites, with individual crystals containing up to several percent of Na+K. Equilibrium established between coexisting phosphide and phosphate defines a relatively narrow range of ƒO2 values.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1977

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