[meteorite-list] Biggest Meteorites by Type

[almitt2 at localnet.com]

Quoting Steve Arnold <meteorhntr at aol.com>:

> Bondoc might be the largest mesosiderite.  Are we going to fill out 
> the list for L6, L5. L4, L3.9, L3.8 etc?
>
> Steve Arnold
> Of Meteorite Men
> Sent from my BlackBerry
>

Greetings all,

Bondoc is a meteorite with a great human interest story and a Nininger 
recovery (with the great help of his friend who lived in that region). 
I was able to see this meteorite at the ASU Collection about a year ago 
and was intrigued. Anyway here is the Bondoc story.

--AL Mitterling

Nininger Moment #27
The Bondoc Philippine Meteorite Recovery Story

One of the largest and best meteorites might have gone undiscovered in 
not for Nininger's effort and that of his friend John A. Lednicky. Only 
2 other Philippine specimens had been found prior to the Bondoc find. 
It started when Nininger and Addie were on their 5 month long tour and 
after the sale of the first part of their collection. Nininger had been 
seeking tektites from south east Asia and visited the National Bureau 
of Mines in 1959. There Nininger found a sample sent in as iron ore 
that was round and badly weathered. The Mass having "stony" material 
attached and testing positive for nickel set Nininger's mind into 
motion. After seeking Permission to hunt the material down he was given 
the name of Senator Tanada of the Filipino Congress who Nininger 
visited. The matter had been transferred to the Senator's Son a lawyer 
who shared the prospect with his friend Mendoza another lawyer who 
lived closer to the site a remote jungle far down the Bondoc Peninsula.

The two young lawyers contacted two Japanese geologists who sought 
finding an iron mine. The two Japanese geologist went to check out the 
possible iron deposit but returned discussed and disappointed as it was 
only something that had fallen out of the sky and they sought an iron 
mine. Part of the state of mind of the geologists was due to the great 
effort to reach the site. Several hours journey by slow train. Then 
waiting hours for a bus that ran on days the roads were passable and 
dry. A full days journey 40 miles to a small village. Then from the 
small village by boat down the coast to the mouth of a river. Down the 
River as far as the boat could go then trampling on foot ten hours 
through crocodile and snake infested jungle! Nininger attempted to make 
the trip himself along with his wife Addie with guided help but twisted 
an ankle before they were very far along. He then turned for help 
asking his friend John Lednicky who assisted in the hunt.

The process of locating, finding a way to extract, floating the 
specimen to the small village and finally getting it to Nininger was a 
three and a half year process. Estimated recovery cost was $3750.00. 
Lednicky hired men who loaded it on to a wooden sled but three caribou 
were unable to move it. Neither was a small bulldozer. A larger 
bulldozer was then used to bring the specimen to the mouth of the 
river. A raft was then constructed of bamboo to tow the specimen on to 
Manila. The effort to float it to Manila was a nightmare with much risk 
involved. While transporting the specimen a typhoon hit the area and 
huge waves rocked the raft and meteorite. Two fishing boats with motors 
were hired to help stabilized the cargo. One sank in the process and 
four men nearly drowned. Difficulty in hiring a truck was the next 
problem after the storm, as roads were washed out and dangerous and 
risked recovery of the specimen. Finally a truck was hired from a 
friend of the men who were hired to bring the specimen to Manila.

After reaching Manila more red tape and delays plague the shipping of 
the specimen to Nininger. The specimen weighed Just under one ton (1955 
lbs) and was the second largest stony meteorite recovered at that time. 
Upon reaching Nininger's newly built home in the hills, he placed the 
meteorite just inside a window where his shop was. Nininger studied the 
specimen's outside structure before attempting to cut a slab from it. 
Nininger invited about 60 friends and colleges over before the first 
slab was taken from it for an "opening party". Nininger knew that the 
specimen was a unique one from the original sample and he was very 
curious as to the internal structure. At the party Nininger started the 
saw which ran for 162 hours and cut the first end piece off weighing 
120 lbs. Of the distinguished guests Carleton Moore was there and 
carried the first slice back to the laboratory at Tempe Arizona for the 
University of Arizona as a gift from Nininger. Nininger stated the real 
hero as John Lednicky who's relentless effort brought about recovery of 
the specimen at great personal time and sacrifice. Only expenses and 
satisfaction of success were his requirements for payment. Nininger 
later sent him a special meteorite gift as an added thank you.

Source: Find A Falling Star By H.H. Nininger

The Nininger Moments are articles or books written originally by Harvey 
Nininger and put into a consolidated form by Al Mitterling. Some of the 
items written in the moments might be old out dated material and the 
reader is advised to keep this in mind.

--AL Mitterling