Gas-rich minerals in the Allende meteorite - Attempted chemical characterization

A ten-step etching experiment with HNO3 was performed on a chromite-carbon residue from Allende, in order to characterize the HNO3-soluble minor phase 'Q' that contains most of the primordial Ar, Kr, and Xe. Each etch fraction was analyzed by neutron activation analysis for Cr, Fe, Co, Ir, and Au. The results suggest that Q consists of two minerals, each comprising about 5 per cent of the residue. Phase Q1, of Fe/Cr ratio greater than 20, is soluble in cold dilute HNO3 and seems to contain most of the heavy noble gases. It may be an HCl-insoluble sulfide of nominal composition (Fe84Ni12Cr4)Sx. Phase Q2, of Fe/Cr ratio about 0.5 and somewhat enriched in Co, is slowly soluble in hot concentrated HNO3 and seems to be at least an order of magnitude poorer in heavy noble gases than Q1. It may be daubre-elite or an acid-soluble variety of chromite.