In spite of the beauty of this object it appeared essential to cut it to be able to carry out it's scientific study.

It's analysis has been entrusted to the Laboratoire des Matériaux, Surface et Procédés pour la Catalyse of Strasbourg (CNRS) in January 2005, which passed us on the following answer the 21st April :

"The EDS (Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy) analysis carried out on the photographed zones shows that this stone contains iron, sulphur, oxygen, silicon. On certain zones, we can find here and there some nickel, copper and zinc, in very small quantities. The whole is however quite unhomogenous, some zones being rather rich in iron and oxygen, and others rather rich in iron and sulphur, either rich in iron and silicon. Yet in almost all cases, it's a mix between these elements.

However, some areas do not contain any sulphur or silicon (then only iron and oxygen)."

An X-Ray Diffraction analysis (DRX) is pending...

Take a look at the Sweeping Electron Microscopy photographs on the

Photo Gallery.