[meteorite-list] Moroccan Influence or Pairings

[Greg Hupe]

Hi Dirk and List,

A lot of the pairing problems originate directly from the Moroccan dealers. 
Case in point, the Martian material paired to NWA 2975. They distributed the 
material inmasse during the Ensisheim Show to a lot of people. If the 
original Moroccan dealers (Aziz Habibi and Mohamed Sabai) waited and 
submitted a full type sample, received an NWA number, then the could have 
offered it under a single correct number.

Another example of which I am directly aware of is a 5 or 6 kilo single 
stone ureilite I received a sample from, had analyzed, and then personally 
saw while in Morocco last year. I was not interested in it due to price and 
let it go. Next time I saw it again was at the Tucson Show where it had been 
smashed into a half dozen pieces by a Moroccan and offered to several US 
dealers/collectors. That stone was a beautifully clean and shaped ureilite, 
what a waste!

The more the Moroccans get involved in direct sales to collectors, I feel 
they need to abide by the NomCom rules and moral high standards of what 
meteorite science and collecting is all about. Unfortunately, most Moroccans 
consider these "stones" as a meal ticket. In some cases, like the nomads who 
actually find them, this is the case, but once they arrive in Morocco's 
"dealership row", there are no excuses since they often send samples to us 
and some scientists for analysis.

These are a few of my observations, thoughts and complaints of Moroccan 
behavior.

Best regards,
Greg

====================
Greg Hupe
The Hupe Collection
NaturesVault (eBay)
gmhupe at htn.net
www.LunarRock.com
IMCA 3163
====================
Click here for my current eBay auctions: 
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault



> .....Yeah, wait until the mess/mass of NWA martian
> classification numbers and pairing  that will be done
> after this recent find of fresh NWA Martians.
>  In my opinion it is a waste of scientific resource
> to have each holder/buyer/seller submit under a
> separate NWA# and then pairing has to be done.  Pair
> the things then assign one official number all at the
> same lab with the same scientist and don`t pass off
> extra material that you cannot sell without a number
> so that someone else is left to have it classified
> again with an additional NWA #.
>  I am not saying that anyone has done this...it is
> purely my opinion that number games need to cease and
> that priority should be given to supporting the
> scientists to get proper information, so that timely
> classification and recording in the MetBull can be
> completed within months and not years.
>  Best Regards,  Dirk Ross...Tokyo
>