[meteorite-list] Cutting a large meteorite with ...

From: bernd.pauli_at_paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Feb 26 15:52:20 2005
Message-ID: <DIIE.0000000600003424_at_paulinet.de>

> I'll bet this photo of this clueless moron cutting
> a meteorte will really give you shivers, then:

> http://webpages.charter.net/garrison6328/cluelessmoroncuttingmeteorite.jpg

Hello All,

The 6.1-ton Mundrabilla II found in a chunkyard in Australia by P. Ramdohr (MPI
Heidelberg) was cut using the "wire-cutting technique". Professor Paul Ramdohr
used a four-millimeter-thick steel wire and carborundum powder (silicon carbide
or SiC - silicon carbide is about as hard as diamond) as a lubricant. It took 188
hours to cut the first slice although the maximum width was only about 130 cm !!!

Another interesting aside:

About 8 or 9 slabs were cut from this mass, four of which (about 250 kg each)
were donated to the Smithsonian Institution, the Academy of Science in Moscow,
the British Museum in London, and the Australian Museum in Adelaide.

When these slabs were handed over, the following representatives were present:

a) Professor Paul Ramdohr
b) Professor Wolfang Gentner
c) British ambassador Nicholas Henderson
d) Representative of the Soviet Embassy in Germany (Kaplin)
e) US ambassador M.J. Hillenbrand
f) Australian representative John Trotter


Best sawing (files),

Bernd
Received on Sat 26 Feb 2005 03:48:59 PM PST