[meteorite-list] Rifle, Colorado

From: bernd.pauli_at_paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:57 2004
Message-ID: <DIIE.0000003F00001153_at_paulinet.de>

Matt wrote:

> Good find. Have been looking for a piece. See here for more info

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2002/pdf/5165.pdf

Steve Arnold wrote:

> Could anyone tell me about the history of the Rifle, Colorado
> meteorite? I just purchased a small piece and was wondering
> about its origin. It is a neat sounding name for a meteorite.

BUCHWALD V.F. (1975) Handbook of Iron Meteorites, Volume 2, p. 406:

Canyon Diablo (Rifle), Colorado, U.S.A. 39=B0 31' N / 107=B0 50' W

A mass of 102.7 kg was allegedly found in 1948 near Rifle, Garfield County, and
was described as the independent coarse octahedritc, Rifle (Nininger & Nininger
1950: 127; plate 18). According to a note in the Smithsonian Institution, the finder,
Harry M. Morre of Rifle, maintained that the specimen had been found about 6 ms.
 from Rifle. However, Dr. E. P. Henderson suspected it to be just another Canyon
Diablo specimen. Maringer & Manning (1962) noted in passing the softly bent Neu-
mann bands and rhabdites and gave a photomicrograph. Bollman & Maringer (1964)
examined the graphite nodules and found indications of a particle bombardment by
cosmic neutrons. Wasson (1970a) assumed that Rifle was an independent meteorite
and gave a photograph of the large etched section in the U.S. National Museum.

Collections:

Tempe (25.8 kg), London (21.77 kg), Washington (2.7 kg),
D.M. Gillespie's private collection (51.1 kg).

Description:

An examination of the specimens in Tempe, London and Washington, shows
that the Rifle material is a typical Canyon Diablo specimen of the plains type.
There is no point in giving a full description, since the structure corresponds
in all details to what has already been described under Canyon Diablo, Stage 1.
I will, however, particularly draw attention to the large complex graphite -iron nodule
of 4 cm which is a hallmark of Canyon Diablo and has never been reported for any
other iron meteorite. The analytical data are, within experimental error, identical to
those of Canyon Diablo. It must be concluded that Rifle is another of those transported
fragments from the Meteor Crater field. However, it is not known when this occurred.
The distance between Meteor Crater and Rifle is 600 km as the crow flies, but Rifle
is situated on Highway 70, and the automobile was invented long before the 100 kg
mass was "discovered."

Specimens in the U.S. National Museum in Washington:

2.7 kg full slice (no. 1705, 39 x 18 x 1 cm)
1.6 kg slice (no. 1705)

To: mmorgan_at_mhmeteorites.com
    steve_arnol60120_at_yahoo.com
Cc: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Received on Wed 17 Sep 2003 04:41:33 PM PDT