[meteorite-list] NWA 869

[michel FRANCO]

Hi list, Hello Jeff,

Interesting topic.

I am the one that had 410 kg classified as Sahara 02500. L3.8 etc... 
I have the coordinates of the 64 first individuals found. ( And I have
drawn the ellipse of the fall. For many reasons I choose not to disclose
the coordinates.) The people working for me searched and found more, on
the field 3 times. We gave to the Nom Com a full report of our work. It
was partially published. 

On the same field we recovered also other meteorites. It is almost very
easy to visually identify it from other meteorites. When I have doubt I
used a SM30 to mesure the magnetic susceptibility of the specimen. It' s
a good cross check, not an anlayse. I will not be surprised that other
teams went on the field to recover more, as we had no exclusivity of any
search in the Sahara. It could be what is commonly called 869.  From
what I have seen in different shows, Sahara 02500 and 869 look pretty
similar. I don't know, as I never tested a 869 specimen with the SM 30,
nor had any accurate location for the 869. I will argue that i am not
interested in trying a pairing with meteorites that I have not
recovered, knowing all sorts of discussion about pairing that we had on
this list and elsewhere too.

I discussed that with Ted Bunch in Tucson. He made a compementary study
on some big inclusions that are commonly found in this meteorite and he
was surprized that he could not publish it because 869 has never been
published! He should have made his work from my samples ! We had a good
laugh. About these inclusions, some are chondritic, some achondritic,
but it very rare to find achondritic material in it, according what I
know today.

Today, I am 55, and I am retired of these salvage huntings, which will
be called  plundering in some years.  Since 2001, things moved a lot and
I will not prospect without a permit anywhere in the Sahara. I am not
ready to experience the Omanese jails, nor any other Saharan jail. 

Today, I say also that it is difficult, if not impossible, to export
meteorites from the Sahara with all legal documentation. When I say
meteorites I say meteorites not minerals, of course.

My 2 cents.

Michel FRANCO


> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com 
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] De la 
> part de Jeff Grossman
> Envoyé : lundi 13 juin 2005 14:23
> À : meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Objet : [meteorite-list] NWA 869
> 
> 
> Okay list, time to make yourselves useful...
> 
> Everybody wants the NomCom to publish and make official the name NWA 
> 869.  So please, if you know anything, help contribute to the 
> facts so I 
> can produce a writeup for submission to the committee.
> 
> Here's what I've got:
> 
> * At least 400 kg of material has been sold out of markets in 
> Morocco under 
> this name.
> 
> * Alan Rubin classified a piece.  It was a fragmental 
> breccia, probably 
> L4-6.  A thin section of L5 material gave Fa24.2, S3, W1.
> 
> So what's the rest of the story?  How much is out actually 
> there?  When did 
> it appear on the market?  Is it all coming from one 
> finder/dealer?  Is the 
> find location known?  Is it really L4-6 (is this the right 
> range)?  Is it 
> all coming from the same fall, or is the name NWA 869 a 
> garbage can for all 
> kinds of unclassified ordinary chondrites?  What large stones are in 
> collections?  Are other NWAs paired with 869?  Which?
> 
> Please reply to the list only... I don't need a separate copy.
> 
> jeff
> 
> Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman       phone: (703) 648-6184
> US Geological Survey          fax:   (703) 648-6383
> 954 National Center
> Reston, VA 20192, USA
> 
> 
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