Yamato-86720: A CM carbonaceous chondrite having experienced extensive aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism

A petrographic and mineralogical study of Yamato-86720 (Y-86720) shows that it may be a CM carbonaceous chondrite that has experienced a considerably different alteration history from most CM chondrites. Y-86720 has an unusually high abundance of troilite (～9 vol%); most troilite occurs in submicron to micron grains dispersed throughout the meteorite. Ca-Mg carbonates and minor Fe-Ni metal, mostly taenite, are present, but magnetite and PCP are absent. This meteorite contains chondrules and aggregates that were completely replaced by optically translucent materials, presumably phyllosilicates. Thus Y-86720 was probably extensively affected by aqueous alteration; the degree of alteration may be the highest of the CM chondrites. Matrix consists largely of fine grains of Mg-Fe olivine, a nearly amorphous Si-Mg-Fe-rich material, and an Fe-rich material; the latter may be ferrihydrite. Phyllosilicates are rare. The textures suggest that the olivine and the Si-Mg-Fe-rich material were produced by alteration of phyllosilicates by heating. The replacement products of chondrules and aggregates show lower (Mg+Fe)/(Si+Al) ratios than serpentine and relatively high Na contents (up to 2.0wt% as Na_2O), suggesting the presence of not only serpentine but another type of phyllosilicate. However, the replacement products show consistently high analytical totals; thus they may have been dehydrated and partially altered to anhydrous phases. These results suggest that Y-86720 has experienced mild thermal metamorphism after the aqueous alteration; it appears to have been heated above 500℃ in a reduced condition. Most fine-grained troilite probably segregated from matrix during the metamorphic process. Many of the troilites are replaced by a ferrihydrite-like material; thus, Y-86720 may have been affected by additional mild aqueous alteration after the thermal metamorphism.