[meteorite-list] Cali, Colombia meteorite tidbit

From: Michael Farmer <meteoriteguy_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 04:17:45 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <828636.61082.qm_at_web33109.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

I am up now at 5 am, preparing to leave Colombia in a
couple of hours, typing with my broken glasses on, so
forgive any typos please, it is hard for me to see
this morning. My glasses I use when my contacts are
out got stepped on in Sweden and I never did get time
enough at home to repair them.

I should make it home tonight if I can make tight
airline connections, as I changed my ticket, and so I
would expect tomorrow to being having photos uploaded
and a page began. I have hundreds of photos and maps
to try and deal with, so bear with me on that one.

As of now, 22 days after the fall, there are only 7
stones found. I do not expect much more if any to be
found, as the streets (like in Park Forest) would be
pretty much the only places suitable for hunting. We
did that for hours yesterday and unfortunately due to
torrential rains and spotty street sweeping, most are
already lost to the sewers. When it rains in the
jungle, let me tell you, it pours!
The total weight recovered is barely 300-350 grams. I
know that there are likely many kilos on the ground,
but when I post the maps, you will understand that it
is all in the canefields and garbage dump. And
considering that terrain, absolutely impossible to
hunt, and the danger to life and limb there, forget
it. I think some more might be found in the streets,
but that chance dwindles by the hour as rain and
cleaning dump them all in the sewer, and that area
that is populated is where the strewnfield began, so
only small stones there.

Here is a list of stones with estimated weights (I
left in such a rush that I forgot my scales, but then
again, in the drug capital of the world, scales might
be viewed as something of interest for the customs
agents).

Cali 001 ~80 grams, roof smasher, sold to a Spanish
scientist.

Cali 002 ~40-50 grams, roof smasher, I have the main
mass and the metal roof which Robert and I cut out.
Much of the stone was lost as police took some
fragments and no report, and one week of attempts to
locate that material were in vain.

Cali 003 ~40 grams, complete stone, ~99 % crusted.
Roof smasher and fridge denter, now owned by Robert
Ward.

Cali 004 ~120 grams, roof smasher, ~70% complete, some
frags missing from impact with roof and top of cement
wall. I own this one and some of the damaged tile
material. The hole was large and the tile panel over 1
meter long. We were attempting to get it last night,
but absolutely impossibe to get within 5 miles of that
neighborhood at night and it did not work out.

Cali 005 ~12 grams, 90% complete stone, found in
street a few days after the fall.

Cali 006 ~6 grams, fusion crusted fragment, found very
close to Cali 0005 in the street gutter, same day as
that stone.

Cali 007, complete stone, ~85% crusted with chips from
being run over by cars and some slight oxidation from
rainfall. Found 8 days after the fall in another
street. Robert and I bought this one last night, for
the highest price I have ever paid for a chondrite.
Astronomical like the Astronomy Clum member who found
it. But well worth it.

That is it folks, we were hoping that the publicity
would bring others forward, and thankfully it did,
that is how I got the Cali 004 stone yesterday, they
saw offers of cash and finally spoke up. After 8 days
of non-stop tv, radio and newspaper interviews, I
think that even that time is passing. Anyone who had a
stone should have already tried to sell it. Of course
calls and emails came pouring in but for junk and
pieces which amazingly fell the same day in FARC
strongholds hundreds of miles from Cali.

More later, but I have a flight to catch, this should
tide you over for a day right?

This morning's newspaper.
http://www.elpais.com.co/HOY/REG/meterin.html

Michael Farmer
Received on Thu 26 Jul 2007 07:17:45 AM PDT