Characterization of Maghsail meteorite from Oman by Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and petrographic microscopy

The meteorite found at Maghsail (16 55 70 N-53 46 69 E) west of Salalah Oman, has been studied by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-diffractometry and petrographic microscopy. In the polished section the meteorite exhibits a porphyritic texture consisting of pyroxene and olivine phenocrysts in a fine to medium grained ground mass in addition to minor phases possibly skeletal chromite, troilite and minute amount of iron oxides. X-ray diffraction supports the existence of these compounds. The Mössbauer spectra of powdered material from the core of the rock at 298 K and 78 K exhibit a mixture of magnetic and paramagnetic components. The paramagnetic components are assigned to the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene. On the other hand, the magnetic spectra reveal the presence of troilite and iron oxides. The petrographic analyses indicate that the iron oxides are terrestrial alteration products.