Distribution of tungsten and molybdenum between metal,silicate, and sulphide phases of meteorites

The concentrations of W, Mo, Co and Ni have been determined by neutron activation analysis in the separated metal, silicate and troilite of twelve chondrites—nine ordinary, two enstatite and one carbonaceous. Concentration ratios of W and Mo in silicate relative to metal are 0.03–0.6 and 0.05–0.55, respectively, and those of W in the troilite relative to the metal are 0.01–0.2. The contents of Mo in the troilite are nearly equal to those in the metal. Co and Ni are more depleted than W and Mo both in the silicate and troilite.Thermodynamic considerations have been made for determined concentration ratios. In some L-chondrites, W is depleted in the silicate by a factor of three to four of the value estimated from the correlation line between H- and LL-chondrites. This tendency seems to suggest a relatively higher temperature in the thermal history of these L-chondrites.