A METEORITE FROM ZULULAND. 10/ 



which showed, on examination, the presence of a trace of 

 platinum.* 



The hydrochloric acid solution was found to contain a trace 

 of copper, and (expressed on the original 1.6 %, insoluble 

 residue ) about 50 ^o iron and 30 % nickel ; the small quantity 

 did not allow of a more exact determination. 



Five grams of the shavings ' were treated with dilute sul- 

 phuric acid for twelve hours ; the black insoluble portion remain- 

 ing was filtered off. dried and weighed and found to consti- 

 tute 5.8 %. It consisted chiefly of heavy metallic flaky particles 

 with some few floating black ones ; all magnetic, and the metallic 

 looking ones tough and malleable. The appearance of 

 these is shown in photo No. 4 (Plate 5). 



Of this. .1 gram was lx)iled with dilute hydrochloric and 

 sulphuric acids, and the solution decanted off. 



There was still a heavy insoluble residue, consisting chiefly 

 of light grey, strongly magnetic particles of metallic appearance, 

 shown in photo No. 5, with a few light, black particles, and 

 fewer ,-till minute transparent ones, one or tw^o of which were 

 found to be isotro])ic. 



The amount of this insoluble residue was only .64 % of 

 the original sample. It was extremely brittle and easily pow- 

 dered, but even in the state of fine powder was scarcely attacked 

 by hot concentrated nitric acid; it was, however, easily soluble 

 in aqua regia, leaving no apparent residue. 



It was found to consist of iron, nickel, and phosphorus, the 

 proportions present being: — Iron 53.2%, Nickel 23.3%. Phos- 

 phorus 8.9 %, which indicates that it was probably largely com- 

 posed of schreibersite, the iron-nickel phosphide. 



The other portion of the relatively insoluble 5.8 %. i.e., 

 5.16 ^r contained 65.9% Iron and 33.1 % Nickel (correspond- 

 ing very nearly to the composition of Fe2Nii), while the easily 

 soluble original portion, i.e., 94.2 %, contained 9.50 % Nickel 

 and 90.30 % Iron. 



By calculation this gives the total Iron as 88.94 % ^^^^ 

 Nickel 10.89 %• Direct determination of Iron and Nickel in a 

 fresh portion, completely dissolved in hydrochloric and nitric 

 acids gave Iron 89.28 % and Nickel 10.68 %. 



Other portions were used for the determination of other 

 possible constituents, the complete analytical results being a-s 

 .follows : — 



Iron 89.28 %. 



Nickel 10.68 %. 



Silicon .004 %. 



Sulphur trace. 



Carbon .030 %. 



* The colour reaction with po'tassium iodide was used. 



t Tliis corresponds to Catherinine, which, according to M. de Mauroy, 

 is not found associated with other allovs. 



