[meteorite-list] AD: Unique and Uncommon new Martian - NWA 5990

From: Chladnis Heirs <news_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:36:13 +0100
Message-ID: <001b01ca79e0$cca87df0$07b22959_at_name86d88d87e2>

Dear collectors,

today it is highest time to introduce our new ? not only in our eyes ? quite
sensational planetary recovery.
NWA 5990. A new Martian, remarkably distinct from the so far known finds.

Before cutting it was a relatively small stone of only 59 grams, coated with
an unweathered black fusion crust with some indications of flight marks,
which seemed to have spalled of on one corner by impacting the ground. The
stone felt somewhat heavier than one would expect for a planetary one.

Here you have a picture of the intact mass:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/uncut-mainm-klein.jpg


The first cut then revealed the outstanding nature of that small stone.
The overall fresh appearance of the exterior was trumped by the pristinely
looking cross section and you may comprehend our sudden elatedness, if you
take a look at this picture of the unpolished cut surface:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/6.995g-end-kl.jpg


As you can see, that stone looks simply different from all other Martians we
know.
Well, with the numerous partially blackened olivines, one could tend to
think into the direction of a lherzolithe, but it turned out, that the stone
contains by far too much plagioclase to be lherzolithic. The grain size
however fits to a diabase.


That material is currently under analyses with a high priority at Dr.Irving,
Dr.Herd et al. - and perhaps as early as in January an abstract will be
already available.
Therefore we beg for your understanding, that we can't forecast the exciting
results, but have to leave the first publication to the researchers, avidly
working on that surprising material.
Maybe the one or other being already the proud owner of a slice will share
his/her observations here in this thread with us instead.

And here starts our dilemma - you may wonder, why we go public with this new
Martian already without being able to name and explain the particularities
and specifics of this new material - especially so shortly before a paper is
scheduled; also it is planned to introduce the stone at the next Lunar &
Planetary Science Conference in Houston in beginning March..

Well the reason is simple - until then the material will have been
completely gone and you would have to miss out that important new Martian.

As the tkw was so low and this unique meteorite has such a scientific
brisance, we had of course to address firstly to research institutes, like
we had to do with NWA 5789 too. Afterwards we supplied the Martian
enthusiasts from our address book (and we cordially recommend and invite the
planetary specialists to contact us, if they want to be added there too).

So in the end and at present there are only two specimens left!


Half a fullslice with fusion crust. 2.338g
Price is 1600$/g

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/2_338g.jpg


And a crusted partial endcut. 1.908g
at 1500$/g

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/1_908g_endcut.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/1_908g-end2.jpg



Else there would be only these two pieces, but they are on hold for a
museum, the negotiations aren't finished yet.
So most probably they won't be available.

A cap of the stone with a lot of crust and flight marks.
(Largest intact piece, hence depending on definitions the "main mass"):
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/6.955g-end2-kl.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/6.995g-end-kl.jpg

?
And a partslice.
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/2_055g.jpg


If these specimens will have been gone, not a single grain of the stone will
remain available.


We hope you're as fascinated as we are from that new Christmas greeting from
the Red Planet and wish you a peaceful time.

Stefan Ralew & Martin Altmann

Chladni's Heirs
Munich - Berlin
Fine Meteorites for Science & Collectors
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/
Received on Thu 10 Dec 2009 04:36:13 PM PST