A Metallographic Study of the Iron Meteorite Verkhne Dnieprovsk (BM 51183)

A. W. R. Bevan, J. Kinder and H. J. Axon
Mineralogy Department, British Museum (Nat. Hist.), London
Metallurgy Department, The University, Manchester

Summary: The Verkhne Dnieprovsk material (BM 51183) in the collection of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) is chemically group IIE and therefore distinct from Augustinovka. Structurally it is a finest octahedrite, with a kamacite band-width (0.05 mm) and bulk Ni content (Scott and Wasson, 1976) appropriate to a cooling rate of 830 K Myr−1. Subsequent pre-terrestrial shock has produced localized deformation and shock-heating effects, which include mm-size globules of metal-phosphide melt product with a dendritic texture indicating resolidification at c.10 000 K sec−1. It is suggested that the phosphides were already fissured at the time of shockmelting. The structure of Verkhne Dnieprovsk, although lacking silicates, is analogous to that of Kodaikanal.

Mineralogical Magazine; March 1979 v. 43; no. 325; p. 149-154; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1979.043.325.15
© 1979, The Mineralogical Society
Mineralogical Society (www.minersoc.org)