[meteorite-list] Photos of a meteorite?

[Michael Farmer]

Doug, it is a nice shape, but you have to know! I see
no problem cutting a small end off, and etching it,
then it would be so much nicer, with a beautiful
pattern on one end, and the question would be solved. 
If you cut a tiny groove, you are making an ugly mark,
that while it might sort of confirm that it is a
meteorite, it is like drilling a core sample, it does
damages, makes it ugly, and can not me undone. A small
endcut however, is normal, shows the etch which would
allow classification, and gives you full proof that it
is a meteorite. The specimen is nice, but not the best
shape, so it is not like you are destroying a perfec
oriented button shaped meteorite covered in flow
lines. 
Michael Farmer

By the way, for one this small, have it cut on a wire
saw, not in a metal shop!
--- mexicodoug <mexicodoug at aol.com> wrote:


> Mike wrote:

> 

> 

> "Only one way to know, cut it, etch it, do a ni

> test.  Otherwise it could be 

> anything."

> 

> Hi Mike,

> 

> By posting, I just hoped to get some opinions on the

> shape, which I am 

> purposely not commenting on as it relates to

> meteorites in order to get some 

> feedback.  Like someone's mother said, why should I

> be the nurse, when I can 

> be the doctor for this meteorite?  Or was it, why be

> the nurse when you can 

> be the doctor :-)

> Had my Mom told me that, by now, I probably would be

> the right doctor to ask 

> what to do now!

> 

> You are right about determining authenticity, of

> course.  The problem is 

> that we are dealing with a quite small sample and

> the circumstances are not 

> bad.  If I had, say, over 200 grams of an ugly

> shape, then I would 

> definitely take your advice.  But here there is a

> minor but exciting chance 

> that it might somehow pan out.  I am not sure how

> much service I would be to 

> the specimen if I learn it is a meteorite, but in

> the process destroy a 

> major portion of it and screw up its very

> distinguishable shape.

> 

> What I am thinking of doing is filing it enough to

> do a Nickel test, which I 

> can do just fine if I want.  What I don't like about

> that is, from my past 

> experience, I have to file a relative deep grove to

> get a reasonably 

> trustworthy result, and that will disfigure this

> small piece (for the tiny 

> chance it really is a meteorite and bla bla bla).

> 

> How many classified irons are there out there

> anyway, of under 100 grams 

> TKW?  Of what use besides personal gratification of

> knowing will my 

> whatever-it-is-object be?  If it really were unique,

> could something this 

> small be useful to science in some reasonable way

> and how should I handle 

> this if that were a major concern?  Even if it were

> a meteorite, it is 

> unlikely it would have enough commercial value to

> worry about that.

> 

> I'm going to be very interested to see what I end up

> doing, not because of 

> high hopes, but rather, to know what I should do

> with such a small candidate 

> iron in general.  For the moment, the only thing is

> see is that a negative 

> test result might save me a very long trip back,

> prepared with a metal 

> detector and more respectable meteorite hunter's

> toolkit.  If I can find 

> more, having samples for testing will be no problem,

> and I will have marred 

> this piece for nothing.

> 

> At the moment, I am thinking of doing something like

> David's sphere 

> collection:  Just dump the whole thing in acid for

> etching, gently clean it 

> to look for any markings first, and then polish and

> let it etch.  But, that 

> would screw up some potential science....so I hope

> to get some opinions on 

> shape, after all, Nininger wrote a whole volume on

> it.

> 

> Best wishes, Thanks for the comments.

> Having and eating my cake with hot chocolate right

> now,

> Doug

> 

> >

> >> http://www.diogenite.com/maybe.html

> >>

> >>

> >> Dear Listees,

> >>

> >> I quickly just wrote up the circumstances of a

> new

> >> UFO (Unidentified Found

> >> Object), and hope the great list can give me some

> >> meteorite-relevant

> >> comments relating to the form and texture of this

> >> iron object.  It seemed to

> >> be the only metallic object for a distance

> around,

> >> though small, it stood

> >> out remarkably and in plain sight...

> >>

> >> Story and pictures below at the link.

> >>

> >> Thanks in advance for a little list magic and

> >> meteoritic indulgence,

> >> Doug

> >>

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