Toronto, a new Canadian meteorite

Abstract

A specimen easily identified as an iron meteorite was first authenticated at the University of Toronto. Although the finder, Karl Heinz, is deceased, it is believed that the meteorite was found on a canoe trip in the Province of Qubec. The 2.715 kg main mass is weathered and has no preserved heat-affected zone, although the external shape has a suggestion of regmaglypts, providing evidence that the specimen is a new find. The meteorite is a coarse octahedrite, with kamacite bandwidth 1.64 0.56 mm. Neutron activation analysis yielded Ni 70.4 mg/g, Ge 372 μg/g, Ga 87 μg/g, and Ir 2.55 μg/g, clearly indicating that it is a member of group IAB with composition similar to that of Canyon Diablo. However, of 13 minor and trace elements, As, Au, Ir, Pt, Re, and Sb are more than three standard deviations from well-established Canyon Diablo means, and Ge differs by nearly three standard deviations. The meteorite thus appears to be a new find. The name is in recognition of the University of Toronto, where the meteorite was first examined.