[meteorite-list] 1.2 Ton Mundrabilla Meteorite To Be Sliced Up for Research

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,19235735%255E2862,00.html

Just a slice of heaven
Mary Bolling
Herald Sun (Australia)
May 24, 2006

WHAT'S 1.2 tonnes, as big as a washing machine, and falls out of the sky?

It's a meteorite, but don't panic -- it arrived in Melbourne by truck.

The monster meteorite fell about 200,000 years ago at Mundrabilla, on
the Nullarbor Plain in WA.

And it's in Melbourne with steel specialists Bohler-Uddenholm, who are
slicing up the giant for research.

The Dandenong-based team have used a 13.5m saw to cut the nickel-iron
rock in half, and are slicing one half into 15mm thick slices.

Each time they cut through the meteorite, it takes eight hours of
constant sawing.

Bohler-Uddenholm sales manager Warren Spencer said it would take about a
week to carry out the job.

"It's the first time we've ever had to cut a meteorite, but basically
it's a solid lump of iron with a few holes in it," Mr Spencer said.

An Australian museum will research the meteorite.

It will then be on display to the public.