[meteorite-list] MORE ON KALAHARI 008 - 009

From: Norbert Classen <trifid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:20:53 +0200
Message-ID: <001401c77c5d$c37ab4b0$2002a8c0_at_lunatic>

Hi Sterling, and All,

In the meantime, at least two other (rather experienced) teams have checked
the alleged find location of the Kalahari lunars, and all are reporting the
same: that's no place to hunt for meteorites, there are no sand dunes as
described in the MetBull entry for the Kalahari lunars, and so at least the
find location seems to be questionable.

Sterling wrote:

> However, please note that the Bischoff paper says that "the other
> four samples were recovered during geological field work in various
> areas of Botswana." If the finder was doing "geological field work,"
> this suggests that the finder is a geologist, which is not an
> absolute disqualifier for a knowledge of meteorites. Presumably, he
> is working near Kuke because he's already acquired meteorites from
> there.

Presumed that the finder of Kalahari 008/009, and the finder of the other
four stones are one and the same person. I have my doubts about that.
According to what I've heard first hand, the finder of the Kalahari lunars
is a South African diamond prospector, and it's certainly not usual if not
illegal to prospect for diamonds in a natural reserve. Anyway, I still
believe that these finds have been "planted" into Botswana - the whole story
is odd, as are the missing photos of the masses.

> If it's an elaborate setup for the reasons Norbert suggested, it's
> a damned good one. Try to prove otherwise... On the other hand,
> if he's a geologist in the largest sandcovered area of the planet
> and sees a large rock, ANY large rock, doesn't he check it?

The area is covered with more or less dense vegetation, and that's part of
the problem. It's as improbable to find a lunar there as it would be to find
it in the loess covered vineyards of the Kaiserstuhl area where I live...
And I know my lunars... Adam compared the Kalahari stones to the Dhofar
lunars, and I think that's a pretty good comparison from the first look at
Randy's photos. At least the small feldspathic sample reminds me a lot of
certain Omani finds. So I might have picked this rock up - BUT, I recall it
very well: when I returned with Dho 908 and 909 even some scientists had no
hope for these ugly ducklings, devoid of any fusion crust that would have
revealed their extraterrestrial origin.

Back to our geologist/diamond prospector in the Kalahari: I still think that
Jeff's words were wisely put: "... it sounds improbable that a person who's
not into meteorites at all recovers a large lunaite, AND - having no idea of
what he has there - combs the place for additional fragments. That's really
odd."

Something's wrong in the State of Botswana, but I have no idea what.

Take care,
Norbert
Received on Wed 11 Apr 2007 01:20:53 PM PDT