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Petrogenesis of opaque assemblages in the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite

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Abstract

Numerous round to oblate opaque assemblages (OAs) are found in chondrules and matrix of the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite. They are mainly composed of Ni-rich metal, magnetite, Fe, Ni-sulfides, with minor amounts of phosphate, phosphoran-olivine, pyroxene and trace amounts of nano-sized platinum-group metal alloys. The mineralogy of Ningqiang OAs is very similar to that of OAs previously reported in Ca, Al-rich inclusions of CV chondrites. Being a rare mineral phase in nature, phosphoran-olivine is thought to form by nonequilibrium reactions between P-bearing molten metal and olivine crystals during rapid cooling. Its occurrence in Ningqiang OAs indicates that the precursor of OAs was locally produced during chondrule formation, rather than directly condensed from the solar nebula as previously thought. The petrographic and mineralogical characteristics of Ningqiang OAs reveal that OAs formed by low temperature alterations of pre-existing homogeneous alloys within chondrules on a planetary body.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Astrochemistry and Planetary Sciences, Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Wang Ying, Hua Xin & HSU WeiBiao

  2. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Wang Ying

  3. Department of Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

    Hua Xin

Authors
  1. Wang Ying
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  2. Hua Xin
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  3. HSU WeiBiao
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Correspondence to HSU WeiBiao.

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Supported by the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (Grant No. 40325009), the One-Hundred-Talent Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Minor Planet Foundation of China

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Wang, Y., Hua, X. & HSU, W. Petrogenesis of opaque assemblages in the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite. SCI CHINA SER D 50, 886–896 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-0006-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-0006-z

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