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Afanasii E. Telnov
Afanasii E. Telnov
Postgraduate Student
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Postgraduate Student
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Moscow
Russia

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Articles

Article
Geology
  • Date submitted
    2026-01-20
  • Date accepted
    2026-04-28
  • Online publication date
    2026-09-01

Microfragments of the Saratov meteorite in the magnetic fraction of modern soils: search and identification

Article preview

The paper addresses the problem of identifying microscopic traces of meteoritic material in soils more than 100 years after a fall. The area of the Saratov meteorite shower of October 6, 1918 was selected as the study site. In 2024, soil samples were collected along the historical flight trajectory, and the magnetic fraction was separated using the heavy-mineral concentration (panning) method. A combination of techniques – optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), and Raman spectroscopy – was used to study the morphology and composition of the separated particles. It is shown that the bulk of the magnetic spherules are likely technogenic in origin. However, microfragments of rock containing fayalite and olivine with Ni and Cr admixtures, as well as plagioclase with reduced crystallinity, were detected in the samples. Their composition and morphology are consistent with published data on the Saratov meteorite. The obtained results demonstrate the fundamental feasibility of detecting microfragments of meteoritic material in modern soils and illustrate the effectiveness of an integrated mineralogical-geochemical approach for reconstructing the strewn fields of meteorite showers.

How to cite: Ivanov A.V., Gabdullin R.R., Merenkova S.I., Samsonov A.A., Chistyakova A.V., Ayatskov D.F., Vinnik M.A., Pogozhev E.Y., Telnov A.E., Churikov Y.A., Anisimov N.N., Badulina N.V. Microfragments of the Saratov meteorite in the magnetic fraction of modern soils: search and identification // Journal of Mining Institute. 2026. Vol. 280. p. 131-144.