[meteorite-list] NWA 869

From: Martin Altmann <Altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Jun 13 13:20:07 2005
Message-ID: <002801c5703d$3892fc00$06739a54_at_9y6y40j>

Yes Martin, Mike, Jeff

 who ever had some cut specimens of NWA 869 in his hands
has to confess, that it's a remarkable stone, very characteristical and
distinct from the desert average,
not only because it's fresher, but because it's a marvellous breccia with so
many features, excellent chondrules, sometimes basaltic and carbonaceous
fragments are found in,
polished it's one of the most beautiful stones a collector can get.
Among my clients is a collector, who completely switched to NWA 869 (bad for
me), doing nothing else than cutting and polishing NWA 869 stones since 2
years and it didn't became boring yet, as always something new could be
found.
Each dealer and experienced collector, although if he/she's not a fan of
desert stuff like me, will tell you, if you'll present them a bunch of cut
stones, which one is NWA 869 ad which one is not.
NWA 869 is ubiquitary, must been one of the largest, if not the largest
stone meteorite found ever.
Due to it's commonness the comercial value is extremely low at the moment, I
saw it offered on ebay from persons, who knew, that it was NWA 869, which
didn't tell the number in that auctions, because they brought out higher
results, when they told that it's unknown, because of it's unique beauty.
Hencefore for sure not a collective drawer for all unknown unclassified
Morroccain stones.
Here I think, it's one of the rare cases, where regarding the experience we
amateurs have a little lead over the professionalists ;-)
Thus a find of great importance, beautiful and interesting material, well
worth to do some analyses with.
Check the list archives, where some members posted links to their polished
slices, perhaps the links are still working (I remember Christian posted a
lot of pictures).

See you in Ensisheim&
Humble Buckleboo!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin H." <planetwhy_at_yahoo.com>
To: "Jeff Grossman" <jgrossman_at_usgs.gov>;
<meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 5:51 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NWA 869


> Hi Jeff,
>
> "...make yourselves useful..." ?
>
> Seems that a touch of contempt for the List has
> slipped out from between your keys.
>
> "Garbage can" ?
>
> Again, maybe NWA 869 might not be your favorite
> meteorite, but surely it deserves more respect than
> that.
>
> As far as your question, like Mike and Al (and no
> doubt other normally useless members of this List will
> or have told you) 869 is abundant to say the least. In
> fact, at the recent Tucson show, there were many
> fossil dealers who had many, many kg of what might be
> 869, and likely much of that material is back in
> storage or on a slow boat back to NWA given their
> prices.
>
> The reason for mentioning this is that while this List
> may have its faults, it also has its limits, and the
> complete picture of NWA 869 will hardly be filled in
> by a single post here. Further, I know of at least one
> meteorite dealer who does not partake of the fine
> commentary of this List, but does possess many, likely
> hundreds of kg of 869 - in fact I think he stores it
> in garbage cans...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dr. Martin Horejsi
>
>
>
> --- Jeff Grossman <jgrossman_at_usgs.gov> wrote:
>
> > Okay list, time to make yourselves useful...
> >
> > Everybody wants the NomCom to publish and make
> > official the name NWA
> > 869. So please, if you know anything, help
> > contribute to the facts so I
> > can produce a writeup for submission to the
> > committee.
> >
> > Here's what I've got:
> >
> > * At least 400 kg of material has been sold out of
> > markets in Morocco under
> > this name.
> >
> > * Alan Rubin classified a piece. It was a
> > fragmental breccia, probably
> > L4-6. A thin section of L5 material gave Fa24.2,
> > S3, W1.
> >
> > So what's the rest of the story? How much is out
> > actually there? When did
> > it appear on the market? Is it all coming from one
> > finder/dealer? Is the
> > find location known? Is it really L4-6 (is this the
> > right range)? Is it
> > all coming from the same fall, or is the name NWA
> > 869 a garbage can for all
> > kinds of unclassified ordinary chondrites? What
> > large stones are in
> > collections? Are other NWAs paired with 869?
> > Which?
> >
> > Please reply to the list only... I don't need a
> > separate copy.
> >
> > jeff
> >
> > Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman phone: (703) 648-6184
> > US Geological Survey fax: (703) 648-6383
> > 954 National Center
> > Reston, VA 20192, USA
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________
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> > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> >
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> >
>
>
>
>
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Received on Mon 13 Jun 2005 01:27:47 PM PDT