126 



SIMPLER ORGANIC SUBSTANCES 



pressure, rather than to gravitational layering out leading 

 to a separation of the various substances entering into the 

 composition of the Earth." However, neither Shmidt nor 

 any other contemporary scientist would deny the presence of 

 iron and nickel carbides in the composition of the Earth, 



ROCKY 

 ENVELOPES 



CENTRAL 

 NUCLEUS 



ORE BEARING 

 ENVELOPES 



CRUST OF 

 THE EARTH 



ATMOSPHERE 



Fig. 9. Diagram of the structure of the Earth. 



because their presence is not merely based on theoretical 

 considerations, but is something which has been directly 

 proved by a number of geological findings. 



As we have already mentioned, the mineral cohenite, 

 having the general formula (Fe, Ni, 00)30 was first found in 

 meteorites. As early as 1854, however, G. Forchhammer 

 pointed out the presence of carbides of iron and nickel in 

 native iron ores from Niakornak.*** 



In 1870 the Swedish traveller Nordenskjold found large 

 lumps of iron in the basalt at Ovifak on the island of Disko 



