[meteorite-list] Illegal Trade In Meteorites In Australia

From: Michael Farmer <farmerm_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:48:14 2004
Message-ID: <000901c16022$2f0202a0$93d00140_at_computer>

Who is doing this? I have seen no illegal meteorites from Australia being
sold lately. There is nothing from there on the market other than the usual
old crap. Why do people keep reporting on this?
I also would love to know what meteorite they speak of at 3000 times the
price of gold.
Mike Farmer
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Baalke" <baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>
To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 9:08 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Illegal Trade In Meteorites In Australia


>
>
>
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_435364.html?menu=news.scienceanddiscove
ry.space
>
> Illegal trade in shooting stars falling to earth in Australia
> Ananova
> October 28, 2001
>
> Shooting stars falling to earth in Australia are being sold on by
> opportunists.
>
> The rocks, often found on the Nullarbor Plain, can be worth up to 3,000
> times their weight in gold.
>
> Even though it is an offence to sell the meteors, hunters are not
> deterred by the five year jail terms and massive fines.
>
> All meteorites found in Australia are protected by the Federal Protection
> of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act.
>
> "They sell for big money these days and it is just too tempting for some
> people," Vic Gostin, of Adelaide University, told news.com.au. "It's
> basically stealing."
>
> Dealers often break meteorites into fragments, selling the pieces for
> between £10 a gram and, in rare cases, more than £21,000 a gram.
>
>
> Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund -
http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-71
56648
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Received on Sun 28 Oct 2001 09:34:05 PM PST