[meteorite-list] "Rock and Gem" Article + "Alien Metal"?

[Notkin]

Dear Listees:

Greetings all from sunny Tucson -- the all-sunshine/no-winter city.

The current (November '06) issue of "Rock and Gem" includes a feature 
article by Mark Mathosian entitled "Collecting Rocks from Space: Tips 
for Beginning Collectors," pgs 80-82,90. It's an entry level article 
with a few errors, but otherwise is written with considerable 
enthusiasm and includes nice plugs for books we all know and enjoy 
("Art of Collecting Meteorites," "Rocks from Space," etc.).

What puzzles me is the following paragraph:

"Some meteorites are very different from Earth rocks and contain 
materials not found on Earth. The Estherville meteorite is a good 
example. This space stone is composed of iron, nickel, phosphorous, 
sulfur, and a metal not found on Earth. Because it contains an alien 
metal, it is even more attractive to collectors."

And a picture quote which reads:

"The Estherville (Iowa) meteorite is composed of iron, nickel, 
phosphorous, sulfur, and some unknown alien metal."


I never heard of any kind of "unknown alien metal," apart from the 
Roswell ship, or course  : )  Is there any truth to the above 
statement?


Regards.

Geoff N.
www.aerolite.org