[meteorite-list] "Barren Lands" and Meteorites

From: Notkin <geoking_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:17:49 2004
Message-ID: <v04220801bc0503d5fa69_at_[68.38.242.161]>

Dear Listees:

Some time ago a List member recommended Kevin Krajick's fine book,
"Barren Lands." I located a copy, and greatly enjoyed this
fascinating history of diamond prospecting. Specifically, it is a
chronicle of two prospectors' determined, almost fanatical, search
which, after many years, led to the discovery of major diamond fields
in Canada's Barren Lands.

I don't recall who it was that recommended this book, but please let
me know, so I can say thanks!

"Barren Lands" is a gripping adventure tale (or as we used to say in
England, "a ripping yarn"), full of historical and scientific detail.
I'm sure it will appeal to many List members.

There are several interesting meteorite references in the book, and I
include a couple of excerpts:


Pgs. 68 - 69

"One day [Geological Society of Canada geologist] Robert Folinsbee
traversed Misery Point. Its name, adopted by Ottawa cartographers,
was in fact the only name on the map except for Lac de Gras itself.
Here Folinsbee mapped the visible bedrock . . . he drew a map of Lac
de Gras showing exposures of the various bedrocks, which his wife
colored with lovely Japanese watercolors. After the GSC published his
map, he put out a minor paper on his own about the beach minerals.
Folinsbee proceeded on a brilliant career as a university professor
and, later, as a hunter of freshly fallen meteorites."


Pg. 114:

"As the nation's population grew and more ground was turned over
[George Fredrick Kunz, North American gem expert] was busy. He
authenticated a diamond found by a Chinese man near Deer Lodge,
Montana, and a beautiful one of 4.25 carats, found by a little girl
in a pile of garden dirt by her house in Shelby, Alabama. In 1899 he
recorded Tennessee's first proven stone -- perfectly white and
flawless, found along the south bank of the Clinch River. It lay next
to an ancient Indian mound . . . He tracked wild rumors of diamonds
at Mount Edgecombe, Alaska, to a geologist who had merely mentioned
rocks resembling kimberlite. Kunz helped show that Arizona's Canyon
Diablo meteorite held diamond dust, presumably created on impact, by
using bits of the meteorite to polish a diamond in front of
flabbergasted onlookers at the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition. In
his spare time he investigated freshly fallen meteorites and made the
world's first major collection of them, though he found no more that
contained diamonds."


"Barren Lands," by Kevin Krajick, was published in hardback by W.H.
Freeman, New York. First edition 2001. Price: $26.00


Highly recommended.


Regards to all,

Geoff N.
www.paleozoic.org
www.notkin.net
Received on Tue 16 Dec 2003 02:10:14 PM PST