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New England
Meteoritical Services
Structural and Chemical
Classifications
of Iron
Meteorites
The chemical classifications of
iron meteorites are identified by Roman numerals and letters. These
classifications identify ratios of gallium and germanium to the level of nickel
present in the meteorite and form neat groupings when plotted on a graph. One
assumption made about chemical classifications is that meteorites in the same
chemical group come from the same parent body even though they may differ
structurally.
There is also one catch-all
chemical group that does not form a neat cluster when graphed. It has been
named the Anomalous (ANOM) group.
- Hexdahedrites - chemical classes IIAB,
ANOM
- Octahedrites
- Coarsest - chemical classes IIAB, IIIF, ANOM
- Course - chemical classes IAB, IC, IIE, IIIAB, IIIE,
IIIF, ANOM
- Medium - chemical classes IAB, IID, IIE, IIIAB, IIIF,
ANOM
- Fine - chemical classes IID, IIICD, IIIF, IVA,
ANOM
- Finest - chemical classes IIC, IIICD, ANOM
- Plessitic -
chemical class IIC
- Ataxites - chemical classes IIICD,
ANOM
Coahuila, Mexico. Iron,
hexahedrite.

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