[meteorite-list] Wilcox Playa [sic - Willcox Playa ] (Arizona) Meteorite

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun Nov 21 18:34:37 2004
Message-ID: <20041121233435.33266.qmail_at_web51709.mail.yahoo.com>

This message is only being sent to correct a previous
typographical error. The purpose of all this is to
help in the retrieval of this thread whenever a Search
Engine is queried for "Willcox Playa".

Otherwise, please disregard this message.

I apologize for this inconvenience,
Bob Verish

-------------------------------
[meteorite-list] Willcox Playa (Arizona) Meteorite
Robert Verish bolidechaser at yahoo.com
Sun Nov 21 04:04:41 EST 2004


Hello Mark (and List),

Point well taken. Hopefully we all have learned a
lesson about putting into print assumed provisional
numbers before they are assigned by Dr. Rhian Jones.

But here are some "safe" assumptions that I would like
the List to know about.

You can safely assume that I would never speak for the
Nomenclature Committee (Nom Comm).

You can safely assume that, if I ever make statements
about policies or procedures of the Nom Comm, I will
make sure that they are current and factual. These
statements will be based upon what I've learned from
my numerous emails and phone conversations I've had
with various Nom Comm members.

But, in the case of these Willcox Playa specimens, I
made no assumptions. Before I sent my message to the
List, I phoned Rhian and asked if she knew of any
other Willcox Playa finds that were up for name/number
approval.
Presently, there are only these two finds in the queue
for a number approval.

But now we need to say a few things about "provisional
numbers".

Keep in mind that these provisional numbers are only
relevant to areas of dense accumulation/concentration
AND particularly for those from new localities. And
once the Nom Comm votes to approve these numbers,
there is no going back and changing them. But up
until that vote, (say there is a common desire to
maintain a chronological sequence to the numbers AND
everyone agrees to it) provisional numbers can be
changed.

Also keep in mind that, for localities with already
formally approved names-with-numbers, there is little
that can be done to maintain the chronological order
once meteorites (which were found "earlier") are
subsequently submitted for number approval. In this
case, it's back to the same old "whoever is first to
the counter, gets the next number".

And that is where we find ourselves, today, with these
two Willcox Playa finds. I find my self at that
counter ready to get the next number. But there is
nothing to stop me from stepping aside and letting
that number go to the ~72gram stone, if it helps
maintain their chronological sequence.

Bob Verish

--- MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector at msn.com> wrote:

> Hello Bob (and list),
>
>
> Bob noted: “..I made another WP find on 2004 March
> 07..”
>
> Congratulations on another find Bob.
>
> Bob asked, "When was this find made?"
>
> I was not sure last morning when I made that web
> page. Since then I have talked with the finder, his
> wife and his brother, who was in town at the
> time of the find, in order to try to get a good
> date. It was found in the fall of 2001.
> The brother thought October, but I was not able to
> confirm the month.
>
> Bob continued: "...If the ~72 gram stone was found
> prior to that date, it is WP 003, if found after
> that date, it will be WP 004 (again, assuming there
> are no other Willcox Playa finds awaiting
> classification)."
>
> Would I be correct in thinking it is Dr. Jones who
> assigns the U.S. number names? As you know Bob
> (which means I am typing this for the rest of the
> group), In a normal United States find....or I guess
> I should say, in normal meteorite finds not from
> high collection areas, whoever owns the meteorite
> will usually submit it for a name, providing a
> couple appropriate names.
> These names are then voted on by the Met.Soc.Board.
>
> I remember you mentioned in an article a couple
> months ago (?) that any U.S. meteorite could get a
> provisional name whether classified or not, and you
> have implied that it is important for all meteorites
> to do such for chronological reasons.
>
> I wonder about such as I own a couple meteorites
> found by your team members without name/numbers,
> which would make personal cataloging easier.
>
> Clear Skies,
> Mark Bostick
> www.meteoritearticles.com

------------------------------

[meteorite-list] Willcox Playa (Arizona) Meteorite
Robert Verish bolidechaser at yahoo.com
Fri Nov 19 12:28:10 EST 2004


Hi Mark,

Congratulations on your latest acquisition.

But, I have a question:

When was this find made?

It depends on this "date of find" whether the ~72gram
stone is WP 003 or WP 004 assuming there are no other
Willcox Playa finds awaiting classification.

For instance, I made another WP find on 2004 March 07
so, if the ~72 gram stone was found prior to that
date, it is WP 003, if found after that date, it will
be WP 004 (again, assuming there are no other Willcox
Playa finds awaiting classification).

I had planned to write about my find in my February
2005 Bob's Findings article prior to the Tucson Show.
That article would have answered many of the questions
that I'm sure will now be raised concerning the "date
of find" (one day before the cancelled Willcox Playa
Hunt) and the presumed too muddy condition of the
playa. All answered in due time.

And regarding the importance of recording the "date /
time-of-day of find", I will spare you my sermon and
just refer you to this article:

http://meteorite-recovery.tripod.com/2004/jan04.htm

Hope this info helps,
Bob VERISH

Additional info:
http://www.mail-archive.com/meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com/msg19483.html

------------- Original Message -------------

[meteorite-list] Willcox Playa (Arizona) Meteorite
MARK BOSTICK thebigcollector at msn.com
Fri Nov 19 04:49:30 EST 2004

Hello list,

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/colwillcox.html

Seems I get the honor of introducing another U.S.
meteorite to everyone.

I recently acquired this chondrite from a gold hunter
in southern Arizona.
It was found on the west shore of Willcox Playa dry
lake, which most of you will remember as the place we
had planned to group hunt last Tucson
show.

According to the finder he had sent it the University
of Arizona, Center of Meteorite Studies, where they
confirmed it was a meteorite and requested to cut a
sample off for study, which they did. The letter from
the University, returned with the stone, has been lost
so I will have to do a little research on this one,
but from his description of the person he dealt with I
think I know who handled the meteorite for him.

The finder's memory says it is an H5. Which appears
accurate, there is a lot of metal in the stone.
Something I found interesting is that the meteorite
look a lot like, crust and surface features wise, to
Bob Verish's small L6 find on the same lake bed.
Perhaps other meteorites, if we find more, from
the lake bed will have like features as well.

See Bob Verish's recap of Willcox Playa meteorites
from his Feb. 2004 Meteorite Times article.

http://meteorite-recovery.tripod.com/2004/feb04.htm

Could anyone provide good photos, or better yet, trade
or sell me a type sample of Willcox Playa 001?
I imagine this will get named Willcox Playa 003,
even if it is paired with Willcox Playa 001, but it
would be interesting to know. Willcox Playa 001 is
classified as an H4.


Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com

------------ End of Original Message -----------
Received on Sun 21 Nov 2004 06:34:35 PM PST