[meteorite-list] Meteorite hunting in Oman

[Matson, Robert]

Hi All,

I think the crux of the issue on Oman is that there is conflicting
information regarding the legality.  On the one hand, Oman has produced
pamphlets encouraging collection of minerals and fossils by rockhounds,
and as others have pointed out, Omani customs has happily passed through
hundreds if not thousands of kilos of meteorites over the last several
years.  This would seem to be tacit approval.  But on the other hand,
we have John's latest experience to show us that there is either a
disconnect between customs/tourism and the Omani legal system (or the
Sultanate), or there has been a relatively recent change in the legal
status.  I suspect it is more a case of the latter.

An alternate possibility is that there has always been a meteorite
export law, but that it was either unenforced or only weakly so (perhaps
because local businesses benefitted from the truck rentals, provisions,
hotel occupation, meals, etc.)  Or who knows?  Maybe the Sultan had had
enough of seeing westerners boasting of their martian and lunar meteorite
finds from Oman in cyberspace and on his TV and declared, "I've had about
enough of this!  We're being robbed of our treasure and it's time to put
a stop to it."  We could hardly fault him if this is his view.

--Rob