[meteorite-list] Did I Destroy This End Cut

From: David & Kitt Deyarmin <bobadebt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 11:19:43 -0500
Message-ID: <006101c7c0b2$a0a889a0$aff33842_at_David>

I am processing some Uruacu Iron Meteorites for a fellow collector and they
are covered in a brownish black material.

I was concerned that it was rust so I soaked them in a solution of NaHO but
it had little effect, so I soaked one specimen over night in a chemical that
literally eats rust without damaging the original metal.

It also had no effect on the material, so I figured it was just some sort of
terrestrial matter.

It's not too hard to remove with my cleaning process so I'm not too worried
about it.

But just to be sure I figured I would soak a small end cut in this solution
for a couple days to see what would happen

Well it had no effect on the surface material but it did eat deeply into the
surface of the cut face, I think it was strong enough to dissolve all of the
non-iron material.

When I removed it from the solution it was black so I took it to my buffing
wheel and this is the best I could get it to look:

http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p298/BobaDebt/Uruacu/?action=view&current=280grec1.jpg

It will not take an etch BUT you can still see the cohenite worms and this
piece is loaded with them.

So should I try to sand this piece down and hope it takes and etch or should
I just try to sell it "as is"
Received on Sat 07 Jul 2007 12:19:43 PM PDT