[meteorite-list] Carancas: Arsenic smell ?

From: Michael Bross <element33_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:46:53 +0100
Message-ID: <069201c9a834$94ddf630$166d8a5c_at_Inspiron8200>

Hi List

I am coming like "hair in the soup"... about Carancas, seeing the just
recent exchanges :)
but following the post about Staten Island today I did some search on
NYTimes website

and got to this article from 2007 in the first 10 hits:
(http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/perus-meteor-illness-explained-invitation-extended/?scp=2&sq=meteorite&st=cse)

Was the Arsenic theory ever proven ?
Did anybody from the List, on site at the time, remember a "like garlic"
smell, which is typical for
most of arsenic forms ? (Although, some forms or in small quantities would
not yield a strong garlic smell)

If not, any further studies and lab test about that smell ?

Peru has been the place for a lot of mining waste recycling from US and
elsewhere.
Copper, gold, silver ores can contain quite some Arsenic (in Philippines up
to 14% !)
I remember also Tacoma, Washington, where we got to the "arsenic kitchen"
site from an
old smelter place (beginning 20th century)... the underground soil smelt
like a huge pot of cooked garlic :)

I know... it is not the main interest on this list.
But having been quite active in arsenic cleaning in soils and groundwater...
I enjoy seeing
this Carancas story including probable (?) arsenic release

A bientot
Michael B, France
Received on Wed 18 Mar 2009 09:46:53 PM PDT