[meteorite-list] Caution when cutting meteorwrongs?

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:21:53 -0400
Message-ID: <j2me51421551004170621x664ec360g9bed65713da5a6e_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Listoids,

An unclassified meteorite may be an unknown, but as a meteorite it has
certain well-established parameters for chemical composition. We
aren't going to cut into a chondrite and find Mercury or anything else
hazardous in noticeable quantities.

A meteorwrong is a whole new ballgame when it comes to chemical
composition. If it is a natural meteorwrong, then it's probably
"safe" to handle and process it.

But what about slags and manmade meteorwrongs? As we know, human
industry can produce some nasty substances, especially as byproducts -
so who is to say that a manmade meteorwrong doesn't contain hazardous
levels of mercury, cadmium, or industrial byproducts that may be
toxic? Until it is analyzed by a lab, a meteorwrong is more of an
unknown than an unclassified meteorite is.

I bring this up, because I don't recall this being discussed
previously and I am about to embark on an epic session of slicing and
polishing with the famous Mendota meteorwrong. I have several larger
specimens of this material that I will be preparing - and I think it
is one of the most interesting and beautiful meteorwrongs since
Plutorano or Shirokovsky. But I always wonder about these wrongs -
where do they come from? What are they made of? The lab reports on
these materials usually raise more questions than they answer.

Well, I don't want anyone to think I am trying to scare people away
from meteorwrongs or the Mendota wrong - I just think it's wise to
exercise some extra discretion when cutting these materials - because
we really have no clue what is inside them. I'll be wearing my mask
and gloves while cutting today.

If anyone has had this Mendota material analyzed yet, I'm keen to hear
the results.

Best regards and Happy Cheese Country Hunting!!

MikeG

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Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
http://www.galactic-stone.com
http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
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Received on Sat 17 Apr 2010 09:21:53 AM PDT