[meteorite-list] New Iron (Ataxite) SHRAPNEL

From: Mexicodoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:25:22 -0400
Message-ID: <8CCDF3269425450-E74-18459_at_webmail-d019.sysops.aol.com>

Hi Michael, List,


I finally got the pictures done - for an example, see this:
http://www.diogenite.com/ataxite/255c.jpg

Thank kindly for the thoughtful note. I'll start off by saying that
hopefully the relatively high nickel will also make this meteorite a
real keeper in the sense that irons richer in nickel can be less prone
to rusting ... in addition to the favorable arid preservation locality
and relative young age of the crater which was already mentioned.

With regard to your question, I have to be conservative and can only
emphasize what I had mentioned somewhere else - my understanding is
that it is an ataxite, so if you recognize ataxites as a "structural"
group within your collecting interests, it has been proposed to be
anomalous among ataxites.

For further information, I don't have the chemical or trace
compositions here and at this point, to prevent any misunderstanding,
that is a question best addressed directly by the classification
scientist or future philogeneticists -or whatever the cool geological
term is here (help?!).

If you are collecting simply based on how anomalous it is, I would
ideally wait at least until publication of the formal classification
blurb, and in your case perhaps until further comparisons show up in
the literature or you can put the tables together yourself if it is an
important facet of your enjoyment of collecting ... since students and
tenured meteoriticists have been known to disagree on occasion.

Personally, I am not much of a type collector - just a minor focus in
diogenites and CMs, but so much is really so unique in meteoritics when
it comes down to it and each material seems to have an identity of its
own no matter what the experts say, organizing classifications into
families and genera can be a convoluted business. But the meteorites as
individuals are all like old friends. I certainly respect others and am
impressed by those who have been able to limit their habit or scope by
doing this, but I go more on the "personality" of the meteorite, which
is what makes this one so darned interesting.

In my case, since the energetic Sterlitamak is not available (for now,
hehe) this shrapnel beats the pants off the suggestions of
shrapnel-like specimens from don't mess with ol' Chinga and grandpa
Henbury sculptures, some borderline svelte, moonstruck Glorieta
material; but in the present case the illustrious crater connection is
nothing less that awesome!

The iron seems very stable and has an interesting surface morphology
and color (perhaps more a hematite than a fully oxidized magnetite
skin, though this is only conjecture). Ah ... So many exciting
meteorites and so little time :(

Kindest wishes
Doug


-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Fowler <mqfowler at mac.com>
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Cc: Michael Fowler <mqfowler at mac.com>
Sent: Sun, Jun 20, 2010 11:41 pm
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] New Iron (Ataxite) SHRAPNEL


Hi Doug,

Could you elaborate on the classification of the new Iron?

Is it an ungrouped iron, or an anomalous member of an existing group?

Thanks,

Mike Fowler
Chicago

PS My main collection interest is ungrouped irons.





> Dear List,
>
> New Egyptian Iron (Ataxite) with anomalous features!
>
> I have a few great selected pieces for sale since I showed them to
some
> of you in Denver in April, to pay for mounting bills (getting these).
> No sense hanging on to them since other dealers have picked up a few
> kilos in Ensisheim and that poor, ever innocent cat is finally out of
> the box ... or so I was told.
>
> The meteorite is relatively new and appears to be extremely stable,
> with an interesting sand blast, riddled, yet smooth, surface, with
some
> caliche present where pieces were on the surface. About 100 Kg was
> recovered by "nomads" in an unstable, militarized zone a few
kilometers
> from the Sudanese border. The crater itself is relatively small and a
> 10 minute walk from the Sudan and not too far from Libya, for those
who
> would enjoy a safer GooglEarth trek for the the impact crater can
look
> here in the Gilf Kebir zone (22?01'6"N, 26?05'16"E). This is a real
> crater with real meteoritic shrapnel, not borderline, even look at
the
> rays which are still there from the impact !
>
> It will make a great complement to Sikhote Alin pieces and is likely
to
> be one of the most stable irons you can get due to the dry terrain
and
> relatively young age. Regarding the presense fusion crust, I am not
> sure about that (may well be though not claiming this), but the cause
> of the "speckled" surface will be very interesting to study and I
think
> collect. Very beautiful find! They range from about 300 grams to over
6
> kilograms. (And the 6 kilogram piece is really a great, solid shape
> which could be oriented, but I'd rather not go down that road for
what
> may be a weak case depending on who you ask :)
>
> It has been classified at Vernadsky (Russian Institute of
Meteoritics),
> however it has not yet been approved, so it is still at the moment of
> la petite morte (metaphorically) of classification science, i.e.,
party
> time for hunters and collectors with a thrilling new space object
> offered with a 100% money back guarantee on meteoritical authenticity
> as a new iron shrapnel meteorite.
>
> Please email me for your needs - I'll do my best to make you happy
with
> this beautiful new meteorical iron ataxite shrapnel that is bound to
> unlock more secrets and smiles :)
>
> Kindest wishes,
> Doug
> (Sorry not to be in Ensisheim as planned - family health)
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Received on Mon 21 Jun 2010 04:25:22 AM PDT