Chemical Composition of Meteorites

Sodium and Potassium
Na2O and K2O vs. Fe2O3(T) + MgO

Na2O

Most terrestrial rocks are richer in Na2O than any meteorite.
Rocks with >2% Na2O are probably not meteorites.
  


K2O

Sodium and potassium are both alkali elements, and all alkali elements are in low concentrations in meteorites compared to most terrestrial rocks. Rocks with greater than 0.4% K2O are probably not meteorites.

See Notes, Caveats, and References
  


 
 

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Prepared by:

Randy L. Korotev

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Washington University in St. Louis

Please don't contact me about the meteorite you think you’ve found until you read this and this.

e-mail: korotev@wustl.edu