Images
Formula: TiS
Valence: Ti2+S2-
Sulphide of titanium
Crystal system: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 4.452 calculated
Colour: Dark bronze to brown (synthetic material)
Environments
Localities
The type locality, the Yamato 691 meteorite, Queen Fabiola Mountains, Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica, is
an EH3 enstatite chondrite; E indicates enstatite, H indicates high iron content, and type 3 designates chondrites
that are characterised by abundant chondrules, low degrees of aqueous alteration, and unequilibrated mineral
assemblages. If primary igneous glass occurs in the chondrules, it belongs to type 3.
A chondrule is a round grain found in a chondrite. Chondrules form as molten or partially molten droplets in space
before being accreted to their parent asteroids (Wiki).
Wassonite was discovered within the meteorite. Twelve Ti-S phase grains were identified in a rare
barred olivine (BO) chondrule (A barred texture is one in which individual crystals, typically
olivine, occur in sets of parallel, elongated bars or plates). The
wassonite grains crystallised from the chondrule melt that was itself formed in the solar nebula, not on the
parent asteroid. The other crystalline phases in the BO chondrule include
forsterite, enstatite,
troilite, metallic Fe-Ni,
osbornite and schöllhornite
(AM 97.5.807-815).
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