[meteorite-list] Sahara Sand and Michigan Dirt

From: TMS/TNS/HRC <musnat_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:52:05 2004
Message-ID: <004b01c239d8$80ce0620$498c70d1_at_museumst>

I will eagerly be awaiting any further thoughts you have on this! I wish I
could take a picture of them.

Regards,
Jeanne


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Fox" <unclefireballmtf_at_yahoo.com>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 5:04 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Sahara Sand and Michigan Dirt


> Aug. 1, 2002
>
> Greetings Jeanne Devon and Fellow Meteorite
> Enthusiasts!
>
> I believe I have a clue to what you are describing.
> On our farm I have often seen thin layers of what
> appear to be dark grey to black particles in wash
> outs. They are very minute to be sure. However, a
> magnet readily attracts them as if they were metal
> filings. If they were magnetite, wouldn't one expect
> them to rust and/or corrode? I find them to be very
> strange and even more so under a microscope. Some, I
> recall, reminded me of micro iron meteorites. I have
> pondered there presence for a long time and have come
> up with a few theories, one being that they are
> connected in some way to an impact crater.
>
> I hope to investigate this matter more thoroughly when
> time permits and hopefully solve this possibly
> meteoritic mystery and perhaps answer your question as
> well.
>
> Long strewn fields!
>
> Mark Fox
> Newaygo, MI USA
>
>
> --- MuseumStore/NatureSource <musnat_at_alaska.net>
> wrote:
> > (I tried to post this yesterday, but didn't see it
> > come up. Sorry if it's a repeat!)
> >
> > Hi List!
> >
> >
> > Can anyone tell me anything about the general
> > composition of Sahara Desert sand? I have a couple
> > vials that I've been looking at on my lunch break.
> > Just out of curiosity, I held a Nd magnet against
> > the glass of the vial and several little black
> > specks jumped up on to the magnet. I looked at them
> > under a binocular microscope. I couldn't rule them
> > in or out as little micrometeorites.
> >
> > The orange color of the sand leads me to believe
> > that iron may be a factor in the sand's coloration
> > and composition, and that these specks may just be
> > ferrous minerals and nothing to get too excited
> > about.
> >
> > Has anyone come across this? Does anyone have any
> > information/thoughts/comments?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Jeanne Devon
> > IMCA #9236
> > www.thenaturesource.com
> > The Museum Store/The Nature Source
> >
> >
>
>
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Received on Thu 01 Aug 2002 11:55:53 PM PDT