[meteorite-list] New Type of Martian Rock - limburgitic NWA 5789 - ......and came back!

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 01:43:00 +0200
Message-ID: <00ec01c9e4a5$08096520$177f2a59_at_name86d88d87e2>

Dear List Members, Dear Greg,

indeed, the new Mars landed at us.
We acquired the fragments as good candidates for a fresh Martian, not being
aware of the enthralling results, which the first analyses of the first
sample had yielded meanwhile.

And what for results!

As you went public, I think it is o.k. to add some more?
Under reserve of course, as the first type specimen was to tiny, that the
full methodic palette could have been applied.

But seems, that NWA 5789 could be a new type of Mars rock.

Virtually it contains almost no plagioclase, nor maskelynite, it resembles
the primitive Yamato 980458/497, however it is more ultramafic than these.
As a terrestrial pendant, it is similar to limburgite.

(like it once also was identified by the ?Spirit?-rover, See G.G.Kochemasov:
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006cosp...36..796K )

Here were the three stones, before cutting:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-4kl.jpg

Note how foamy and bubbly the fusion crust is and how extremely glossy!

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-2kl.jpg


Cut surfaces reveal a relatively unweathered material, peppered with small
olivines.

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-2.487g.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-1.592g.jpg


Well, unfortunately the total weight is with only 49 grams very limited.


After the deposit mass was removed, after a few Mars-specialists and
institutes from our address-book were supplied and after some donations were
done, we have left following specimens:

The main piece, a cut stone, weighing 10.682grams

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-10.682g-end1.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-10.682g-end2.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-10.682g-end3.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-10.682g-end4.jpg



And an uncut fragment of 5.684g:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-5.684g-fragment1.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-5.684g-fragment2.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-5.684g-fragment3.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/nwa5789-5.684g-fragment4.jpg


As the tkw is so small and the material so unique, we would like to avoid to
produce more cut loss in slicing the remaining pieces further.

And as it most probably represents a new and so far unsampled type of
Martian, please understand, that we have to offer these remaining pieces to
institutes and researchers first, and that we currently have nothing for
sale.

Only after the science side will have taken their advantage, then there
might be still an opportunity for you to acquire a sample and more could be
cut.

You can already apply for that option,
though we can't promise yet, whether something will be left.


Finally we want to express our thanks,
to Norbert Classen, who informed us about the amazing results firstly and at
all, to Greg Hupe who allowed for the pieces being set together again under
the existing, under his number and to Dr. Irving, who studied the first
sample and arranged further analyses with the additional material, so that
we all can hope for further results about this find, which certainly ranks
among the most interesting Martians found in this decade.

Though, last and certainly not least,
the greatest thanks have to go to our Moroccan colleagues.

It is amazing, what and how many important finds they still bring to light
under more and more difficult conditions.
As I still remember the pre-desert-times it certainly isn't said too much,
if one states, that the work of the many nameless searchers and the
specialists down there, being able to recognise the most exotic messengers
from space, commenced a new epoch in meteoritics.
In only one decade, they even achieved to trump the so fruitful Antarctic
programs, making the Sahara to the most important source of new meteorites
of our days.
They profoundly changed the world of meteorite collecting and they changed
the world of meteorite science.
That we never should forget and for that they have earned our thanks and our
respect.

Martian Greetings!

Stefan & Martin

Stefan Ralew & Martin Altmann
Chladni's Heirs
Munich - Berlin
Fine Meteorites for Science & Collectors
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com




-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Greg
Hupe
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 3. Juni 2009 01:20
An: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: [meteorite-list] New Martian - NWA 5789 - The One That Got Away!

Dear List Members,



I would like to announce a new Martian meteorite, NWA 5789 (Provisional),
the one that got away... mostly!



NWA 5789 is currently under study and so far has been described as an
Anomalous Shergottite Martian meteorite. This new meteorite has a very low
Total Known Weight (TKW) of just 49 grams in three main fragments. I sent a
small type sample to the University of Washington who confirmed (NWA 5789)
to be a new Martian meteorite with a 99% certainty. Wanting 100% certainty,
I sent an additional sample for oxygen isotope analysis, which proved it to
be authentic. While waiting for this final analysis, I was negotiating with
the Moroccan owner and we were almost at an agreement (or at least I
thought). To my dismay, after informing the Moroccan that the material was
indeed Martian, he never intended to sell me the material and was shopping
it around, leaving me acquiring just 1.8 grams. He only wanted to use me for

our quick scientific connections to get material confirmed and/or
classified. This is one of the problems when working with Moroccans, you
occasionally get the short end of the stick!



Not knowing if the additional 47.2 grams would surface or ever be available
to collectors, I asked that an NWA number be requested for the 1.8 grams and

the next day, "NWA 5789" was assigned to this small amount. Approximately
three weeks after this date, it was discovered that the extra 47.2 grams was

purchased by a European group (Martin/Stefan). Upon learning of this news,
it was agreed by all parties to include the extra 47.2 grams under the
designation, "NWA 5789", for a TKW of 49 grams. To say that I was
disappointed with the Moroccan for his greedy and underhanded actions would
be an understatement, but at least the additional material has been
accounted for! NWA 5789 resembles Yamato 980459, as commented on by a
well-known planetary collector.




Image of 30.5-gram NWA 5789 fragment:

http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa5789/nwa5789-30_5g.jpg



Image of broken face of 1.328-gram fragment:

http://www.lunarrock.com/nwa5789/nwa5789interior.jpg



The lead scientist wrote after examining the first sample of (NWA 5789):

"GH-367 (NWA 5789) appears to be a very mafic (or even ultramafic)
shergottite consisting of small olivine phenocrysts and small orthopyroxene
phenocrysts in a finer grained groundmass composed mainly of prismatic
pigeonite grains, chromite, pyrrhotite, and mesostasis regions composed of
laminar intergrowths (some sheaf-like) of pigeonite, intermediate
plagioclase (possibly NOT maskelynite), silica, ilmenite and merrillite."
"This specimen is unlike any other, in that it has very little plagioclase,
yet it is texturally different from "lherzolitic" shergottites. I believe
that it may be a new type of Martian igneous rock."

NOTE: You will notice a slight change in the weights in this email compared
to the ones I quoted in my eight eBay auctions of NWA 5789, currently
running. I just confirmed the total known weight with the classifying
scientist.

Best regards,
Greg

Click here for my current eBay auctions:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault

====================
Greg Hupe
The Hupe Collection
NaturesVault (eBay)
gmhupe at htn.net
www.LunarRock.com
IMCA 3163
====================
Click here for my current eBay auctions:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault




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Received on Wed 03 Jun 2009 07:43:00 PM PDT