[meteorite-list] Re: NWA's, 'Dealers', Science, & NomCom

[Jeff Grossman]

The NomCom struggled with this issue for months this year.  We were not 
able to find a satisfactory way to deal with pairings of desert 
meteorites.  Until we can, we will not do this.

jeff

At 02:29 PM 11/25/2004, Michel Franco wrote:
>Stan, List,
>
>I have not really all the details about that present case, ( who really 
>kowns ?).
>
>So many NWA are thought to be paired. CV 3 series, CR series, IMB series, 
>Howardite/eurcite, etc...,
>
>You know that a lot of collectors think now any new CK chondrite from the 
>Sahara is now said to be possibly paired with the CK recent  series, same 
>with R series.
>
>What I personnaly think is that pairing is obvious for not brecciated 
>meteorites,  much more difficult for brecciated, xenolitic, etc... Look 
>the majority of scinetific problems in NWA pairing come from brecciated ones.
>
>I had that case of addionnal mass and it worked for, Djermaia, fall chad 
>1961, published this year. I have running a case with an important 
>meteorite that might be paired with an existing NWA. It is  analysed thses 
>days. I'll will ask for an additonnal mass  publication, if the lab says 
>it is paired, not for an extra number or another name. I do not care about 
>having the first declared mass. But some dealer care, as a new number make 
>a new meteorite and a new openning on the market. This is a major problem, 
>not the scientific pairing. Everybody knows that a new meteorite name ( 
>even a new NWA !) make more money that an addionnal mass of an already 
>marketed meteorite. The smaller the TKW, the higher the $/g, that' the rule.
>
>I guess that if your lab say that NWA XXX is paired with your meteorite 
>then there is no objection to declare an additonnal mass.  It is not that 
>much work for the Nom Com. Same as declaring a new number. The Nom Com has 
>just to publish: Additionnal mass to NWA XXX, 2.543 kg and add the name of 
>the main mass owner plus his location.
>In fact the repsonsabilitry of the pairing is given by the lab. The Nom 
>Com only act here as a registration chamber, which is not at all 
>prejorative in my words.
>I think that the problem comes with provisionnal number sgiven to NWA 
>meteorites. I never asked for a provisionnal number for any of my finds. I 
>send them to the lab with my proprietay  hunter numbers. Then the Nom Com 
>decides what name they have. But as, I said it take a year to have it 
>published.
>
>Best regards
>
>Michel FRANCO
>Caillou Noir www.caillou-noir.com
>BP 16, 100 Chemin des Campènes
>74400 Les Praz de Chamonix FRANCE
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "stan ." <laser_maniac at hotmail.com>
>To: <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 7:13 PM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Re: NWA's, 'Dealers', Science, & NomCom
>
>
>>
>>>You may go to the Met Soc web site and fill the form for declaration of 
>>>a new meteorite.
>>>If the report of the lab says it is paired, the Nom Com will probably 
>>>declare an additionnal mass to the already known NWA. And you will not 
>>>steal a number to anyone. But you will wait for next July.
>>>It works for non NWA meteorites, I do not see why it could not work for 
>>>a NWA meteorite. Are they so different ?
>>
>>
>>I thought the NomCom already adressed this issue when they said that all 
>>new masses from nwa need to have a new number. If you could just 'add on' 
>>weight as you propose above half of the discussion on the list that has 
>>occured recently would be moot
>>
>>
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>
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman
Chair, Meteorite Nomenclature Committee (Meteoritical Society)
US Geological Survey
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA
Phone: (703) 648-6184   fax:   (703) 648-6383