The Mont Dieu meteorite
| The Project |
In 2006 the RBINS became the owner of a recently found iron meteorite. It is one of the biggest meteorites ever found in Europe: a brown rusty mass, some 80x40x40 cm in size, and having a weight of approximately 435 kg.
See also http://www.naturalsciences.be/museum/museumnews/meteorite .
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Financial support from the Belgian Science Policy (Belspo) made it posssible to purchase this important exposition item. The meteorite was first shown to the public during the exposition “Science in the palace” from the 19 the of July to the 10 th of September in the Royal Palace. The meteorite will be on exhibition again in the mineral hall of the RBINS until it will be permanently exposed in the Dinosaur Gallery from November 2007 on.
The meteorite was found in the north of France, in the neighbourhood of the town Sedan, close to the Mont Dieu woods (hence the name). Other and smaller samples of this meteorite find were collected in 1994. The present sample, the biggest one, has been excavated in 1999. By mediation of our expert advisor, Mr. V. Jacques, the necessary contacts could be established with the owner and the acquisition could be completed with success.
Such an important item must of course be studied as thoroughly as possible in order to unravel the abundant and complex information which it contains. For this reason the Geological Survey has called upon several scientists who are well versed in this matter. The preliminary study before the purchase was carried out by prof. Emeritus J.Jedwab of the ULB and the first chemical analyses by prof. Ph. Claeys of the VUB. Other experts will be involved in the course of the further research.
| The research methods |
In the first place the meteorite was prepared for exhibition. For this reason it was sandblasted on arrival. As a result the soil and loose rust sticking to it was removed exposing the real surface of the meteorite. Afterwards the mass was weighed and the shape captured using a complex laser technique. In this way a digital model of the meteorite has been composed. It was then possible to determine the volume and to deduce the density of the mass i.e. 7.0 p/cm³. A piece of the meteorite was removed for scientific research purposes. The largest part of the mass and a polished slab will be exhibited in the museum.
At the moment samples of the meteorite are examined with relatively traditional methods such as optical microscopy , X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an Energy dispersive system (EDS). Analyses of the overall chemical composition, modal analysis, the trace elements and isotope composition will be carried out shortly.
| Preliminary results |
From the location of the find it can be inferred that this mass is part of the Mont Dieu meteorite. This brings the total known mass of this meteorite at more than 800 kg. The fine Widmanstätten texture (Of) of the metal matrix and the chemical and mineralogical composition confirm this supposition.
From the macroscopic research of the mass it becomes clear that the meteorite is very heterogeneous. Although it consists mainly of an iron nickel alloy, it contains also much sulfide inclusions and in some places even large silicate inclusions.
These silicate inclusions are very important for the research, especially for dating of the meteorite formation. The Mont Dieu meteorite belongs probably to the IIE group. At present there still exist some unsolved questions with regard to the conditions of formation of this group. The good preservation condition of the mass and especially the large silicate inclusions will allow us to get extra information which can contribute to the solution of some of these riddles.
Microscopic view of the Widmanstätten texture
Slab of the meteorite with big silicate inclusions
Reflected light image of silicate inclusion (left)
Transmitted light image of barred olivine chondrule (right)
| Financing |
The meteorite was bought by the RBINS, thanks to extra financial mediation of Belspo. At present the financing of the scientific research comes from the dotation of the RBINS and more specifically from the GSB.
| Collaborators |
The research at present is performed in the RBINS by H. Goethals and W. De Vos of the department of general geology and mineralogy. They are supported by prof. Ph. Claeys of the department geology of the VUB in association with a thesis student N. Vandenborre. On the basis of the first results a research plan will be established in which several local and foreign scientists and several institutions will be addressed.
| Publications |
In preparation
