[meteorite-list] True? - Russian Government Seizes Meteorite Fragments for Sale!

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:27:24 -0500
Message-ID: <CAKBPJW8U1eFOxGsRqBu_f2fk84EBXcHz+Zd0F+WdNSm0Y=9dTA_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi List,

I just ran across this -
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/5119/20130222/russian-meteorite-fragments-seized-local-man-trying.htm

If true, since when does a seller need "certification" to sell a
Russian meteorite? Has Russian changed their laws to follow a
Canadian-style model? Do sellers need an export permit for Russian
meteorites now?

Text :

An unidentified substance has been seized from a local man by the
police in Chelyabinsk region. The man was trying to sell the object as
a 'meteorite fragment', reports news agency RIA Novosti.

Talking about the seizure, spokeswoman Anzhelika Chirkova said that
the police identified the person as a 29-year-old resident of
Chelyabinsk region. He was trying to sell about 60 grams of a
substance via the Internet as a meteorite fragment. The substance that
the police seized was sent for lab testing in order to determine its
composition and whether it could pose any health risk.

Chirkova police representative said that they were sending across
their message to people informing them not to purchase any meteorite
fragments that are being sold, as they are being sold without permits
or certification. People have been selling the fragments online for
10,000 to 500,000 rubles. Two laboratories, one in Moscow and one in
Ural, are the only two labs that have the authority to issue meteorite
certificates, reports RIA Novosti news agency.

The concept of discovering the meteorite fragments was initiated after
the last weekend, when some scientists claimed they discovered
fragments of the meteorite near the frozen lake Chebarkul. The chunk
of meteor left a 20 foot wide hole in the frozen lake and scientists
believe that it landed in the lake. Divers, however, could not trace
anything at the bottom. But they recovered 53 small fragments from the
lake that are less than 0.5 inches in size. They also claimed that the
chunk that was recovered consisted of 10 percent iron.

Bright objects streaked across the sky Feb. 15 in central Russia and
Urals regions, lighting up the blue sky, smashing windows and causing
injury. The fragments have caused widespread damage and have injured
1,000 people. The plunging meteor exploded with a flash, hitting six
towns and affecting the entire population.

The Russian Space Debris Hunters have posted ads on websites stating
they would offer 300,000 rubles for an authentic piece of the latest
space rock to hit the planet, reports Economic Times.

NASA estimates that the meteor, which was is 50 feet in diameter,
travelled faster than the speed of sound and its mass increased from
7,000 to 10,000 before plunging into the Earth's atmosphere.

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Received on Fri 22 Feb 2013 11:27:24 AM PST