[meteorite-list] Submerged Meteorites - Methods of Retrieval

From: Richard Kowalski <damoclid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:57:00 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <9443.58150.qm_at_web113611.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>

Mike,

one could also consider piggy-backing on the mining of Manganese mining, but since this idea, where known mineral reserves are mined from the sea-floor has been shown to be unprofitable, having too many environmental restrictions, with taxes on the recovered minerals (yes, international taxes) would be prohibitive, I suspect any meteorites recovered by such a project, or by any other means would be worth the cost of effort and would not attract a single investor...

Interesting read about Deep Sea Manganese mining here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese_nodules

--
Richard Kowalski
Full Moon Photography
IMCA #1081
--- On Mon, 2/15/10, Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com> wrote:
> From: Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Submerged Meteorites - Methods of Retrieval
> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 7:18 PM
> Hey Mike,
> 
> It's not entirely crazy to think one could retrieve
> meteorites from the bottomw of the ocean. However, a marine
> expedition would most probably be cost prohibitive. The high
> costs of a boat, fuel, and crew, not to mention a
> specialized trawling mechanism/device that would allow you
> to locate meteorites via magnetism or perhaps an underwater
> metal detecting device would be so expensive it may outweigh
> the value of anything found if you were lucky enough to find
> anything at all. It's expensive enough to find meteorites on
> the surface of the Earth, imagine trying to find meteorites
> "sight unseen" in hundreds of feet of water. this is like
> flying over a desert 200 feet above the desert pavement in a
> hot air balloon and dragging magnets along behind you.
> 
> Now, having said how it's not likely feasible or worth it
> monetarily, it is possible. I remember reading about a
> trawler that found a rather large chondrite meteorite in
> their net. The cool thing was that it was in great shape.
> Deterioration of meteorites in salt water may happen slower
> than most people think.
> 
> From what I've read about Antarctica meteorites have been
> falling into the ocean as the glaciers/ice shelf melt. I
> also read that glaciers that meet the ocean acts as a
> conveyor and drops meteorites in the ocean as pieces of ice
> fall off and melt. You can imagine a large chunk of ice
> floating away in the ocean holding within it large pieces of
> meteorite that fell thousands or millions of years ago.
> These icebergs would float with the currents until the
> iceberg enters warmer water and melts it would then release
> the meteorites to the bottom of the ocean.
> 
> If I were to trawl the ocean bottom, I'd get a map (chart
> in marine terms) of the area just north and east and west)
> of Antarctica. I'd then map the currents to find where
> icebergs would go to warmer water, then I'd trawl that area.
> Unfortunately that water may be SUPER deep and it would
> probably not be possible to get a length of cable long
> enough to trawl something that deep.
> 
> Again, costs are probably prohibitive, but I'm optimistic
> that somehow it is possible.
> 
> Regards,
> Eric Wichman
> Meteorites USA
> 
> 
> 
> On 2/15/2010 4:52 PM, Galactic Stone & Ironworks
> wrote:
> > Hi Listees,
> > 
> > I was wondering about all of the meteorites that fall
> into the oceans
> > and large bodies of water.? Presumably, these
> meteorites are forever
> > lost because they will oxidize away completely, or
> they will be
> > entombed in sediments.? But, would it be possible
> for a trawler to
> > drag a big magnet across the ocean bottom (or other
> body of water) to
> > retrieve some of these meteorites before they are too
> far gone to
> > oxidation?? I know this notion seems silly at
> first, but would there
> > be underwater areas that would be more forgiving for
> this kind of
> > operation?? I can imagine some gigantic iron
> sitting on the bottom,
> > with a thick rind of oxidation around it, and it would
> stick to a huge
> > magnet for retrieval.
> > 
> > Is this idea silly, or is it something that could be
> attempted?? I
> > imagine it would be fruitless to just pick an area at
> random and start
> > trolling for meteorites, but if there was a suspected
> fall or other
> > reason to think that a particular area might be rich
> in meteorites,
> > would it be possible to get at them?
> > 
> > Best regards and happy huntings,
> > 
> > MikeG
> > 
> > 
> >? ? 
> ______________________________________________
> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> 
      

Received on Mon 15 Feb 2010 09:57:00 PM PST