[meteorite-list] Xining writeup

Fri May 24 03:57:03 EDT 2013

Martin, thanks very much for the Xining classification info.

I had acquired in early Spring 2012 a 21.5 g ~30% crusted fragment  
from a Chinese source, who also provided some data regarding the fall  
and its recovery, that I used to build up a provisional collection  
writeup until the meteorite is officially classified.

I just modified this initial writeup using the new Metbull data. Here  
it is (for what it is worth) for those who like to associate their  
collection meteorites with some historical and scientific data.
Enjoy or delete.
-----------------------------
XINING History and scientific significance.

On February 11, 2012, a large meteor blazed across the sky over the  
mountains of rural China. This meteorite exploded in flight and the  
fragments showered across the remote mountainous region of Huangzhong  
County in Qinghai Province.
The fireball was witnessed by local villagers who lived near the area  
and pieces of the meteorite were seen to fall aross a wide area that  
includes a snow-covered mountain top area at an altitude over 8000 feet.
Shortly thereafter villagers recovered about 10 stones within the  
Huangzhong county, roughly centered around Xining city of Qinghai  
Province. The strewnfield (ellipse of 20-30 km in length and 4-5 km in  
width oriented NNE) is in a mountainous region, at an average altitude  
of over 2500 m. The fall includes the villages of Baina, Small Sigou,  
Yehong, Heergai, and Baiya.
The total weight of the fall is more than 100 kg. The largest  
meteorite landed on a mountain slope, weighing 17.3 kg and the second  
largest stone of about 12.5 kg was found on a mountain top of  
Xiaosigou village. A third stone weighing 7.5 kg landed in Baiya  
village, created a small crater and shattered into many pieces. A  
fourth stone weighing 5 kg also broke when it landed in a Muslim  
villager's yard in Herguy village. A fifth stone weighing about 2.5 kg  
landed on a concrete road creating a small crater in Yehong village,  
and broke into many pieces.
Many pieces and fragments, among which the two lergest meteorites were  
bought from the villagers by "meteorite lovers".
Miao Buikui and Liu Xijun (Guilin University of Technology-GUT) and  
other researchers from the Beijing Planetarium, who heard the news of  
the fall and visited the fall site, recovered several meteorite  
samples for study and classification.
Early recovered pieces of the fall show pristine black velvety fusion  
crust up to 1 mm thick and none of them showed signs of rusting. Later  
recovered specimens started to oxidize in the snow.
Most stones have a similar appearance with a blocky shape and not well  
rounded corners. Where orientation is present, it is poorly developed.
The broken exposed matrix is primarily white or virgin grey with tiny  
flecks of metal or metal-troilite nodules with (Fe-Ni) metal and  
troilite reaching 20.9 wt.%.
This meteorite first appeared to be an L chondrite, possibly L5 or L6  
with noticeable shock veins, slickensides and troilite inclusions. The  
final
classification argued for a L5 type (Metbull, May 23, 2013).

-----------------------------

I'd also appreciate to be informed in case someone notices something  
wrong or incomplete in this just built writeup.
Thank you!

Best wishes,

Zelimir
-- 
Prof. Zelimir Gabelica
Université de Haute Alsace
ENSCMu, Lab. LPI-GSEC,
3, Rue A. Werner,
F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 89 33 68 94

Michael Farmer <mike at meteoriteguy.com> a écrit :

> About time:)
> I have some killer fragments available.
>
> Michael Farmer
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On May 23, 2013, at 9:59 PM, "karmaka"  
> <karmaka-meteorites at t-online.de> wrote:
>
>> Dear list members,
>>
>> XINING is OFFICIAL in the MetBull now:
>>
>> http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=57470
>>
>> Martin
>>
>> Von: Michael Farmer <mike at meteoriteguy.com>
>> An: Robert Beauford <robertbeauford at rocketmail.com>
>> Cc: "meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com"  
>> <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] Feb 11, 2012, Qinhai province, Fall
>> Datum: Thu, 23 May 2013 01:04:31 +0200
>>
>> Plenty was found, but I have no idea why the Chinese have refused  
>> to publish it.
>> I have a couple kilos of fragments if you want some.
>> Great meteorite, at least 100 kilos recovered.
>>
>> Michael Farmer
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On May 22, 2013, at 6:02 PM, Robert Beauford  
>> <robertbeauford at rocketmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> The early reports on the Feb 11, 2012, fall from Qinghai province  
>>> seemed to indicate that it should lead to an epic recovery, but I  
>>> have not heard of a subsequent name, classification, or any large  
>>> number of finds... was I just not paying attention at the right  
>>> moment (entirely possible), or did nobody do any hunting in  
>>> earnest after the snow melted in the spring?
>>> Thanks, in advance, for any thoughts.
>>> -Robert
>>> ______________________________________________
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