[meteorite-list] US States & Fed Govt Laws regarding prospecting, hiking, ...

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 10:25:38 -0500
Message-ID: <e51421550904050825h1a1241e1g9da5010cca5911a4_at_mail.gmail.com>

The thing is, plenty of people apparently ignore the laws and prospect
around Canyon Diablo. And what ruin has been brought upon the area
from it? An eBay search yields countless Diablo specimens of all
types available, starting at a nickel and running to hundreds of
dollars each. I doubt every single one of these specimens was
gathered before Barringer staked his claim, Bar T Bar established
their boundaries and the state of AZ placed the land in trust.
People, probably in considerable numbers, are illegally gathering
Diablos right now as we sit discussing this. Are ranchers losing
cattle left and right because of it? Is the desert around the crater
strewn with coke bottles and cigarette butts? Are people falling over
themselves and making the local paper on a daily basis or weekly
basis? Unless I am wrong (entirely likely!), the state allowing a few
dozen permits a year to gather meteorites wouldn't open the floodgates
to ruin. I guess what bothers me is the apparent arbitrary nature of
the prohibition. There are other areas of the country that are more
friendly towards non-commercial prospecting - Crater of Diamonds
Arkansas comes to mind.

I just wish there was some sane middle ground between rampant
prospecting and complete prohibition. Afterall, the science being
done at the crater is not curing cancer - it's rewriting impact
mechanics and it's related geological ramifications. Microscopic
Venusian fossils are not hiding in Diablo irons. The area around the
crater could be opened up a little without noticeable negative effect
I think. Those that would abuse that or ruin it for all of us, should
be deterred - not those who are willing to be responsible.

Well, like I said, it's all moot. It's off limits to anyone who
doesn't want to break the law.

Best regards,

MikeG




On 4/5/09, GeoZay at aol.com <GeoZay at aol.com> wrote:
>
>>>And besides, how many meteorite hunters would come crawling out of the
> woodworks and crowd the desert looking for irons around the crater? I
> seriously doubt people are knocking down the doors to get out into the
> desert and walk around for hours under the pummeling sun looking for
> pieces for rust. There are only so many of us crazy enough to find
> that idea enticing. <<
>
> Over time, you never know how many folks will become instant or weekend
> Meteorite hunting experts. If dealers/sellers have no qualms about dicing
> and
> slicing meteorites into tiny jiblets just so they can be sold, what is
> there to
> stop them from getting aggressive out around and inside the crater if they
> were allowed to hunt? The general public now sees meteorites as something
> with
> value. That impression has been planted by dealers and collectors over the
> years no doubt. So they will most likely hunt the known meteorite mother
> lode
> areas and one of the best well known areas would be Meteor Crater.
>
>
>>> I'd doubt we'd see another situation like the one
> in our biggest national parks where people are lined up 20 deep by the
> hundreds every day to watch a geyser erupt.<<
>
> True...but you are standing on a wooden platform and no one is allowed to
> chip off pieces of the geyser.
> GeoZay
>
> **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10
> or
> less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)
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-- 
.........................................................
Michael Gilmer (Louisiana, USA)
Member of the Meteoritical Society.
Member of the Bayou Region Stargazers Network.
Websites - http://www.galactic-stone.com and http://www.glassthrower.com
..........................................................

Received on Sun 05 Apr 2009 11:25:38 AM PDT