[meteorite-list] Vietnam's murky meteorite market

From: MikeG <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2012 11:10:55 -0400
Message-ID: <CAKBPJW8qHcs5zOZXY-SAJ_rWC6=G2bWjAZP_1FWKL5Kz84omGg_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Paul and List,

It is good to see that Vietnamese authorities are taking action
against the fraudsters. But the busts are just the tip of the
iceberg. Southeast Asia is a hotbed for fake minerals, bogus
meteorites, and faux fossils. Vietnam, Taiwan, China, the
Philippines, and South Korea have histories of trade in fraudulent
goods. Meteorites and tektites are fair-game for fakery there. I
have seen plentiful fakes from this region on eBay in recent years.

One of the major scams is to pass off a cheaper material like
low-grade indochinite as a more-valuable material like meteorite.
Notice how many of those suspect black/dark spheres and "meteorite"
carvings are for sale - they are all over eBay and most of them are
offered by sellers in Southeast Asia. I know at least one of my
customers purchased some small meteorite spheres from a seller in
China on eBay, and they turned out to be an unknown material that is
not meteorite. (surprise surprise).

You will also see terrestrial ores and industrial slags that can be
cleverly dressed or presented to look like some types of meteorite -
especially when the buyer is purchasing over the internet and cannot
inspect the material in person. So while some the fakes are very
obvious to experienced eyes, others can be more subtle and difficult
to detect. Fake Moldavite is a good example. The market is flooded
with bogus "apple green" Moldavite coming out of the Far East, and the
quality of the fakes has improved to the point where the casual eye
can be readily fooled.

Obviously there are some legitimate and honorable sellers in these
countries and I do not mean to imply that everything coming out of
that part of the world is suspect. But, most buyers should take an
extra measure of caution when considering a purchase of such
materials. Besides the risks involved with the specimens themselves,
shipping and customs can be problematic as well.

Best regards,

MikeG

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On 8/4/12, Paul H. <oxytropidoceras at cox.net> wrote:
> Vietnam's murky meteorite market (Selling tar and painted
> rocks as magical stones from the beyond) by Patrick Winn
> Global Post, July 31, 2012 05:26
> http://www.globalpost.com/globalpost-blogs/southeast-asia/vietnam-meteorites
>
> Vietnam police busts gang selling fake meteorite chunks
> Thanh Nien News, july 29, 2012
> http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20120729-ho-chi-minh-city-busts-gang-of-fake-meteorites.aspx
>
> Man seized for selling fake meteorite for $95,000, Tuoi Tre News.
> http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/society/man-seized-for-selling-fake-meteorite-for-95-000-1.56065
>
> Meteorites or rip-offs? (Feng shui shops in Ho Chi Minh
> City are selling unidentified rocks said to be meteorites to
> superstitious people who believe they can cure illnesses
> and bring good luck.  Tuoi Tre News.
> http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/society/meteorites-or-rip-offs-1.14840
>
> Bets wishes,
>
> Paul H.
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Received on Sat 04 Aug 2012 11:10:55 AM PDT