I classified this 44 gram meteorite and it is still in my possession; 9
grams of it is now in the IOM repository and the remaining mass of 35 grams
will be shipped back to the owner. If you look at the classification in the
MetBull you will see that I determined it to be a lunar fragmental breccia
based on electron microprobe analyses. The find history was communicated to
me by the owner which I reported verbatim in the write-up. This is normal
practice. I was quite surprised to read on the internet today that someone
is accusing Xinjiang meteorite hunters of transplanting NWAs to the
Taklamakan Desert and implying that Pakepake 005 was also transplanted from
NWA. The comment was on the MPOD website, but there was no tangible
evidence provided by the accuser other than ??the physical and chemical
weathering features were dissimilar from those of the meteorites recovered
in the Xinjiang deserts by my team??. Obviously, such a public accusation
should be backed up with quantitative data, however none was provided. I
look forward to seeing such evidence if it exists or which tests were
carried out to prove NWA transplantation. In the meantime, it is probably a
good idea for everyone to take a deep breath and resist jumping to
unsupported conclusions. Now for a few points of clarification. This
meteorite was not sold to the owner by the finder as a lunar meteorite. It
was initially identified as a likely HED and sold as such. I was the one
who determined it to be lunar through my microprobe work. I have learned
from the owner that hunters in Xinjiang are becoming more aware that the
most valuable and rare meteorites are not necessarily magnetic like the
lion?s share of what is normally found, namely EOCs. Therefore, they are
now also on the lookout for achondrites. I believe a similar evolution took
place in NWA many years ago and now we see mostly very rare meteorites
coming from NWA because they have been high-graded by Saharan hunters and
dealers ? the EOCs, unless massive, never see the meteorite market light of
day. The owner also told me that the discoverers are Uyghur people from
Xinjiang who might not easily obtain lunar meteorites from NWA to
transplant and they typically want to remain anonymous. Does this mean that
it is impossible for some of the Xinjiang meteorites to be transplanted? Of
course not, this is always a possibility with ?found? meteorites ? anywhere
in the world. On the other hand, am I surprised that a small lunar
meteorite was found in China?s largest sandy desert? Not at all, especially
given that there are now over 660 lunar meteorites in the MetBull, weighing
many kilograms, most of which were found in the Sahara Desert. No one bats
an eye when another ~10 kg lunar highlands breccia is found in the Sahara.
I think the more interesting question is why are there not more lunars
found elsewhere in the world like in the deserts of Antarctica, Atacama,
North America, etc. And of course, why are there no lunar falls?

*************************************
Carl B. Agee
Director, Institute of Meteoritics
Professor, Earth and Planetary Sciences
MSC03 2050
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131-1126

(505) 750-7172
(505) 573-5131
Email: agee at unm.edu
http://meteorite.unm.edu/people/carl_agee/
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