Perkil8r Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 A while ago I sent an email to the Open University where Craig, Eddy, Dave and I went last year to ask if they had any Meteorites they no longer needed that we could beg to use at the school as part of a display. I had a nice reply saying that whilst they didn't have any Meteorites we could have they did have a nice cut slab of Impactite from Rochechouart in France. The Rochechouart impact crater is a massive 23Km in dia and is one of five that were formed approx 201million years ago, and are thought to be responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today it arrived. It's a lovely piece weighing in at a whopping 364.5 grams. I took a picture of it next to a 50p coin for scale. Just need to get the display area set up now and get it out there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Very nice, touchy feely sort of stone!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Very cool Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 I should add big thanks to Richard Greenwood who has sorted it out for me. It's polished on that face Ron, it is rather smooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 That was rather decent of them. You must be well pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toymaster Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 That's interesting Mike... Any ideas what the composition is, and is there any asteroid / meteor material in it? Looks like harder material contained in a softer material that become molten on impact..... Might even be more interesting than a piece of meteorite. Nice one, Ade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 The main part of it seems to be sandstone. There are as you say a number of harder rocks fused into it from the force of the impact. The chances are that there will be no meteorite actually in it, but I guess it can never be ruled out. The composition of the rock is altered by the impact and forms crystal structures and all manner of strange things, it is a fascinating piece. There's some interesting info here on Impactites: http://www.impact-structures.com/impact-rocks-impactites/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toymaster Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Thanks Mike, Interesting that it was used as a local building material. Ade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Just uploaded some of the images I took with the USB Microscope: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 and more: There are some interesting crystaline structures in there. I didn't have long to look to be honest and it's only at 400x magnification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toymaster Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Fair number of minerals and metals there Mike. Image 2 has an interesting structure at the edge. One of the silicates perhaps or is it actually metallic? Photo 3 has a nice crystalline structure. You don't have access the any electron or xray spectroscopy kit do you? OK it's a long shot I know... We had them in our research labs in a previous life. Could prove interesting. Ade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 We have all manner of kit that nobody knows we have or how to use it so who knows In #2 it does look metalic, but I intend having a better look with a proper microscope this week as I can't be sure with the USB one. There is loads to see in and on it. In one of the cavities there are some very interesting looking white(ish) crystals, I need to look at those more closely, although I don't know much about what I am actually looking at to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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