Preliminary investigation of mineralogy,petrology and chemical composition of Qingzhen enstatite chondrite

On September 13, 1976, the Qingzhen enstatite chondrite fell near Qingzhen County, Guizhou Province (26°32′N, 106°28′E). The total mass recovered was 2.6 kg. Phenomena of the meteorite fall were recorded as well. In the present paper some of the significant observations are described. X-ray diffraction analyses and petrologic studies revealed that it is mainly composed of enstatite/clinoenstatite, plagioclase, troilite, kamacite, taenite, quartz and oldhamite. X-ray electron microprobe analyses were performed on orthoenstatite and clinoenstatite. Chemical analysis gave: SiO₂-36.48; Al₂O₃-1.64; TiO₂-0.08; Cr₂O₃-0.28; FeO-0.30; MnO-0.25; MgO-18.19; CaO-1.14; Na₂O-1.06; K₂O-0.11; H₂O⁺-0.47; H₂O^?-0.10; P₂O₅-0.39; FeS-13.35; FeO-22.94; Ni-1.81; Co-0.093; C-0.37; Cu-0.022; Zn-0.027; CaS-0.60; total-99.70 (wt.%). This meteorite has been extremely reduced; all iron is present as FeS and metallic Fe-Ni. The Qingzhen enstatite chondrite is characterized by high ratio, Si/Mg as compared with ordinary chondrites, scarcity of olivine, and enrichment in sulfur and iron. In thin sections, it is observed that round chondrules approximately account for 10–15 per cent, being porphyritic, radial, excentroradial, or excentric fan-shaped. Devitrified chondrules composed of pyroxene were also identified. It is postulated from its mineralogy, chemistry and textural characteristics that the Qingzhen meteorite should be assigned toE ₄ orEH chondrites.