[meteorite-list] Meteorite numbers

[Matt Morgan]

Just to add a note...
There is a fundamental scientific problem of classifying meteorites.

Try sending two pieces of the same meteorite to different labs.  Chances
are you will get different results.
For instance, I have "L5's" that came back as "L4's" and "L6's".
"Regolith" this and "Primitive" that.
I heard the same situation happening for NWA 1929, either howardite OR
eucrite. I understand some of it is "interpretive".

The system itself is flawed. 

Ideally, we need an NWA consortium of labs to correct this and have type
specimens on hand.

This SEEMS to be an easy fix, but university politics plays a huge role.

So all you scientists who study NWA's, how about a network for meteorite
"data sharing"?  It will make ALL our lives easier...

Matt Morgan
Mile High Meteorites

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Rob
Wesel
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 2:38 AM
To: Michael Farmer; meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorite numbers


While I truly believe this practice is ultimately costly to the
collector, 
truer words have never been spoken. Thanks Mike:

"Virtually every dealer including myself has been or is guilty of this,
we are in the process of correcting the situation and to start people
MUST immediately comply or this will just spiral downward as we see 
tonight."

So, for now, we make it right. We follow the rules and pay out to prove 
pairings. We wait longer to get to market and costs go up because repeat
lab 
fees and repeat type specimens factor into prices per gram. I don't like
it 
one bit but that's what we do. I will be finishing off my "likely
paired" 
howardite as such but new specimens are already off to the lab,
specimens I 
know are paired.
While I seriously doubt the law has any holding here, the NomCom asks
this 
of us. Bottom line, if two folks buy bread from the same baker...they're

eating the same bread. The full weight of this ruling will soon be felt
by 
all as we bog down institutions who want to study meteorites with
incessant 
pairings, not much grant money in pairings, not much recognition. But
this 
is what we do...for now.

Rob Wesel
------------------
We are the music makers...
and we are the dreamers of the dreams.
Willy Wonka, 1971



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Farmer" <meteoritehunter at comcast.net>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2004 7:56 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Meteorite numbers


> To clarify something that is obviously causing some problems in the
> meteorite world right now, I want everyone to know that
> NWA 788, 787, and NWA 482 are numbers that came from rather large or 
> meteorites with hundreds of pieces bought during one of my
expeditions.
> The Hupes and many other people have the right to those numbers.
> Now, there are other numbers being widely used without proper title
(as Dr 
> Grossman has stated publicly and with finality that people do not own 
> numbers, but numbers are assigned to specific meteorite specimens and
must 
> not be used with other meteorites just because you heard or someone
told 
> you it is the same).
> Let's all please stop this practice as it is really hurting our
business 
> and hobby. Virtually every dealer including myself has been or is
guilty 
> of this, we are in the process of correcting the situation and to
start 
> people MUST immediately comply or this will just spiral downward as we
see 
> tonight.
>
> I perused eBay today and it is still rampant with sellers using 
> numbers
> they seem to have drawn from a hat. So please ask you seller next time
you 
> buy something, how they got that number, who it was assigned to and if
not 
> them, just how they came to call it that.
> Mike Farmer
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> 


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