Preliminary Note on the Meteorites in the Bloemfontein Museum. 221 
manganate. The amount found varied between 94 and 95 
per cent. 
(b) The cuttings were digested with dilute sulphuric acid, and the 
amount of iron found by permanganate. The average was 
92-32 per cent. 
(c) A weighed portion of the crystals of the iron-nickel alloy were 
dissolved in aqua regia, the iron determined in one portion of 
the solution and the nickel in another. The mean of several 
analyses gave an extra 2-35 of iron, and 2-00 per cent, for 
the nickel, calculated upon the meteorite as a whole. 
The composition of the meteorite as regards its main constituents may 
thus be summarised : — 
Iron soluble in dilute sulphuric acid 92*82 
Iron in crystals 2-35 
Nickel in crystals 2*00 
Carbon and earthy matter 0-3 
The meteorite, then, appears to be a mass composed of crystals 
of iron-nickel alloy embedded in a matrix of iron, with only a very 
small amount of nickel in the general mass. 
The total percentage of nickel is small, and most of it is concentrated 
in the vein of the alloy running through the mass.* 
My thanks are due to the Committee of the Bloemfontein Natural 
Museum for permission to examine the structure of the meteorite. 
Physical Laboeatoey, Univeesity College, 
Bloemfontein. 
* A complete chemical examination has not yet been made. 
