[meteorite-list] NWA material (you can't tell just by looking)

[Randy Korotev]

I have been fortunate to have seen, photographed, and chemically 
analyzed practically every lunar meteorite that has ever been 
found.  I still can't identify a lunar meteorite "just by looking" at 
it, however, and I believe that no one else can, either.

I know that some terrestrial rocks from northwest Africa have been 
sold as lunar meteorites:

http://meteorites.wustl.edu/meteorwrongs/m237.htm

I myself bought an alleged lunar meteorite from an experienced and 
respected European dealer who must, I assume, have obtained it from a 
"local" dealer or finder.  The sample turned out to be a howardite.

I'm willing to believe that the local dealers perhaps believed these 
various stones were lunar meteorites.  Nevertheless, they clearly 
didn't do the obvious, as Greg suggests, and submit a type specimen 
for an expert to verify first.  For what it's worth, I have never 
been sent a sample of a lunar meteorite by a northwest African dealer 
with a request to verify its authenticity.

caveat emptor,
Randy Korotev




At 21:49 26-12-07 Wednesday, Greg Hupe wrote:
>Hi Tim,
>
>My point is that Aziz is advertising a "90g Lodranite Breccia" for 
>sale. I asked simple questions that had nothing to do with the broad 
>NWA unclassified market. How does he know it is a "Lodranite"? What 
>lab classified it? Did he (Aziz) submit the proper type sample (18 
>grams in this case)?
>
>Respectfully,
>Greg