Preliminary Note on the Meteorites in the Bloemfontein Museum. 215 
that the presence of iron pyrites or some other sulphide may be inferred. 
QuaHtative analysis showed the presence of iron, nickel, aluminium, 
calcium, silicon, and sulphur, and traces of manganese, but no carbonic 
acid. An exhaustive analysis has not yet been made. 
The iron, nickel, and insoluble matter were determined quantitatively. 
The meteorite v^as crushed as far as possible in a steel mortar, the tough 
metallic particle separated by a magnet, and the residue ground further 
in an agate mortar. The two portions were mixed and weighed. The 
material was heated upon a water bath with aqua regia until no further 
action occurred, evaporated three times to dryness with hydrochloric acid, 
the insoluble matter filtered off, dried, ignited, and weighed. The soluble 
portion was evaporated with sulphuric acid, to convert into sulphates and 
made up to a definite volume. In one portion the iron was found by 
precipitation with ammonia and conversion into ferric oxide, and in another 
portion the iron was reduced to the ferrous state and titrated with standard 
permanganate. The nickel was estimated in a portion from which the 
iron had been removed, by the process given in Crooke's Select Methods. 
The chief constituents present are : — 
As a section could not be obtained, it is difficult to specify exactly the 
minerals present, save the iron-nickel alloy, troilite, pyrites, and perhaps 
asmanite, but the siliceous matter was only slightly soluble in sodium 
carbonate. The general structure seems to be one of aggregation of small 
more or less rounded particles round a skeleton of the iron-nickel alloy. 
The non-metallic grains were never complete crystals. On examination 
in polarised light a few grains of what appeared to be a much-twinned 
felspar were seen, and brownish grains which showed brilliant colours. 
This is a very remarkable specimen of an iron meteorite. As far as 
can be gathered, it was seen to fall by some natives working on the farm 
of Zeekoegat in 1881, and reported by them to Mr. Schnehage, the owner 
of the farm. It was removed to the farmyard and remained there for 
some years, and was finally deposited in the Bloemfontein National 
Museum. 
As regards its external appearance, it is nearly black and plentifully 
covered with " thumb " markings, but different surfaces are quite distinct, 
as the photographs show. 
Figs. 6 and 7 are taken from opposite sides. The surface is covered 
Insoluble matter 
Iron 
Nickel 
54-68 
30-38 
13-21 
The WiNBUEa Meteoeite. 
