Discovery of Kaitianite, Ti^(3+)_2Ti^(4+)O_5, in Allende: A New Refractory Mineral from the Solar Nebula

Abstract

The Allende meteorite, fell in Mexico on February 8, 1969, is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. It is often called the best-studied meteorite in history. Fifty years after it fell, this meteorite continues to be source of new discoveries. Allende has yielded 19 new minerals since 2007 [e.g., 1-4], including 11 ultrarefractory or refractory phases. Each new mineral adds a new puzzle piece toward our understanding of nebular or parent body processes in the early solar system. Reported here is the discovery of kaitianite, Ti^(3+)_2Ti^(4+)O_5, a refractory titanium oxide from the solar nebula – the latest new mineral in Allende.