Wassonite
A titanium sulphide found as tiny grains in an Antarctic enstatite chondrite.
Key facts
- Formula
- TiS
- Family
- Sulphides
- First described
- the EH3 chondrite Yamato 691, 2012
First found in a rock from space
Wassonite was described in 2012 from the Antarctic enstatite chondrite Yamato 691. It is named after John Wasson, the American cosmochemist who defined many of the iron meteorite chemical groups.
What it is
Wassonite is titanium sulphide. Titanium usually forms oxides; finding it bonded to sulphur shows extremely low oxygen.
Where it is found
It occurs as grains less than a micrometre across with other sulphides in Yamato 691.
How it is recognised
It was identified using transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction.
Did you know?
Did you know?
Yamato 691 was found in Antarctica by a Japanese team in 1969.
Did you know?
John Wasson's work on nickel, gallium, germanium and iridium sorted iron meteorites into their chemical groups.