- Jun 26, 2008
- 7,735
- 10,996
- Detector(s) used
- Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
A simple test for nickel in meteorites:
All meteoritic iron, as far as recognized, is alloyed with nickel. Iron meteorites (siderites) are composed of about 70% to 95% iron and 30% to 5% nickel. A certain amount of nickeliferous iron is present, in the form of small grains, in most stone meteorites (aerolites). The following well-known "Simple Test For Meteorites" is taken from an issue of "Ward's Mineral Bulletin" (published by Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, NY) and is repeated here for convenience of reference, because of its usefulness to students and collectors of meteorites:
"Iron meteorites (siderites) are composed of iron and nickel. Stone meteorites (aerolites) also have varying amounts of these elements. A chemical test for nickel, therefore, will rule out immediately a large number of objects commonly mistaken for meteorites. A simple and positive test for nickel is as follows:
"Break off a fragment of the supposed meteorite and, if possible, powder it or at least break it into small pieces. Dissolve about a gram of this material in dilute nitric acid. Now add ammonium hydroxide until the solution is distinctly alkaline. Use litmus paper for testing the alkalinity. A precipitate of ferric hydroxide will then be formed if iron is present. Allow the precipitate to settle and then decant a portion of the clear liquid or filter the precipitate by passing the solution through filter paper. Next, saturate about one ounce of alcohol with dimethylglyoxime and then add a few drops of this solution to the clear liquid as described. A scarlet-red precipitate will indicate the presence of nickel and the probability that the specimen tested is a meteorite. Dimethylglyoxime can be obtained from any chemical supply house. When you find specimens that you believe to be meteorites, make this simple test."
All meteoritic iron, as far as recognized, is alloyed with nickel. Iron meteorites (siderites) are composed of about 70% to 95% iron and 30% to 5% nickel. A certain amount of nickeliferous iron is present, in the form of small grains, in most stone meteorites (aerolites). The following well-known "Simple Test For Meteorites" is taken from an issue of "Ward's Mineral Bulletin" (published by Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, NY) and is repeated here for convenience of reference, because of its usefulness to students and collectors of meteorites:
"Iron meteorites (siderites) are composed of iron and nickel. Stone meteorites (aerolites) also have varying amounts of these elements. A chemical test for nickel, therefore, will rule out immediately a large number of objects commonly mistaken for meteorites. A simple and positive test for nickel is as follows:
"Break off a fragment of the supposed meteorite and, if possible, powder it or at least break it into small pieces. Dissolve about a gram of this material in dilute nitric acid. Now add ammonium hydroxide until the solution is distinctly alkaline. Use litmus paper for testing the alkalinity. A precipitate of ferric hydroxide will then be formed if iron is present. Allow the precipitate to settle and then decant a portion of the clear liquid or filter the precipitate by passing the solution through filter paper. Next, saturate about one ounce of alcohol with dimethylglyoxime and then add a few drops of this solution to the clear liquid as described. A scarlet-red precipitate will indicate the presence of nickel and the probability that the specimen tested is a meteorite. Dimethylglyoxime can be obtained from any chemical supply house. When you find specimens that you believe to be meteorites, make this simple test."
