Monday 11 January 2010

Blaine Reed Meteorites List 83 12JAN2010

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………..LIST 83
January 12, 2010

Dear Collectors,
This is a copy of my just sent out mailed list. I know that this was supposed to go out last Tuesday, but I was in Denver once again. This will likely be my last posting until after the Tucson show (and my last chance to give out the info for those of you that might be coming). Contact me if you have any questions on thee items or the show. Happy New Year!

Show info: I will be gone from home from about January 27th until about February 18th (a couple days longer than usual, as a recently developed family issue will have me needing to haul and deliver a bunch of stuff from my recently departed Aunt's estate in Denver to my uncle in Phoenix). I will be at my usual show location : Ramada Limited, room 134. This is at St Marys and the interstate (next to Denny's) - just 1/4 mile or so strait West of the Inn Suites (where many of the other meteorite dealers are).My room is about mid-way down the length of the motel (right next to the walk through actually) on the west side of the building (right by the parking lot - and there is often parking available right in front of my room) I should be open the afternoon of January 30th through the afternoon of February 13th (but there is always the chance I may leave a couple days early if things get really slow, though I have not done this the past few years, but notify me if you plan to see me those last couple days so I will be extra sure to stick around). I will be open every day in between - generally from 10AM until - ?. Usually this means at least 7pm if I am going out to eat (delivery pizza and Burger King get quite old after awhile) and often until 10pm or so other nights).

DIMMITT, Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942, recognized 1950. Tkw= about 200 kilograms.
I am running low on this interesting meteorite. I used to have some individuals of this, but am now out (as is my source). I was able to acquire these slices recently though. The interior is not all that exciting to look at (a moderate amount of metal and chondrules in a dark brown matrix) but this is scientifically a very interesting meteorite. It is a regolith breccia from the surface of the H parent body that contains fragments of many different kinds of meteorites (carbonaceous, LL, and more) as well as microscopic diamonds. At around $2/g this is a real bargain for such a special (and named) meteorite!
1) Slices:
a) 3.9 grams - 30mm x 16mm x 4mm - $8.00
b) 9.5 grams - 30mm x 25mm x 4mm - $18.00
c) 20.8 grams - 54mm x 32mm x 4mm - $39.00
d) 34.0 grams - 55mm x 50mm x 4mm - $63.00

NWA (5425): (H4). Found May 2006. Tkw=995 grams.
Here is yet another H that looked very much like an acapulcoite (shows nice porosity). The last "common" chondrite I offered on a list (the most recent actually) sold out in short order. These common NWAs seem to be quite popular if priced affordably. I may have to look into getting more studied and recorded if this continues to be the case. This one shows a good number of chondrules and faint metal grains in a mixed brown and gray matrix.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 18.8 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 7mm - $16.00
b) 36.8 grams - 62mm x 40mm x 7mm - $30.00
c) 48.0 grams - 75mm x 45mm x 10mm - $38.00
d) 64.2 grams - 65mm x 47mm x 10mm - $50.00
e) 229.8 grams - 125mm x 70mm x 11mm - $170.00 - Main Mass!

NWA (4540): Carbonaceous chondrite (CO3.5). Found 2006. Tkw = about 1.3 kilograms.
I had not realized how long it has been since I offered a CO3 meteorite. It was a bit over 9 years ago since I had one on a mailed list (my October 2000 list, I believe). This material shows lots of the typical tiny chondrules and some tiny grains of metal in a medium to dark brown matrix. Overall, this is really representative of a "typical" CO3 meteorite. These are all thin cut fragments, but I do have a few (generally small) slices available as well.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 1.9 grams - 17mm x 13mm x 5mm - $21.00
b) 4.4 grams - 22mm x 10mm x 7mm - $48.00
c) 6.8 grams - 25mm x 14mm x 5mm - $73.00
d) 13.2 grams - 30mm x 20mm x 10mm - $138.00
e) 23.9 grams - 35mm x 25mm x 9mm - $240.00
f) 55.2 grams - 58mm x 45mm x 11mm - $550.00

DHOFAR (1286), Oman: (polymict Eucrite). Found December 2005. Tkw = 898 grams.
Two pieces were found about 30 meters apart. They fit together to form an almost complete stone. This material looks very much like a howardite with clasts and zones of varying shades from white to gray. This is a breccia of basalts of varying compositions, but it lacks hypoersthene (at least in high enough quantity) so it is a "polymict" eucrite instead of a howardite. I don't have much of this material, so let me know as soon as possible if you want me to set aside a piece for you.
1) Slices:
a) 2.4 grams - 20mm x 13mm x 3mm - $29.00
b) 5.2 grams - 30mm x 26mm x 3mm - $62.00
c) 8.4 grams - 37mm x 21mm x 3mm - $99.00
d) 28.1 grams - 75mm x 58mm x 3mm - $300.00
2) Cut fragment:
a) 44.0 grams - 60mm x 36mm x 12mm - $450.00

TOUFASSOUR, Morocco: (Mesosiderite). Found November 16, 2007. Tkw = 73.3 kilograms.
Numerous small pieces of this meteorite were found and sold since 2003 (unidentified, unfortunately). In November 2007 a small impact pit was discovered. Moroccan researchers recovered a 70kg piece and more small fragments during their investigation of this impact feature (and hence, the bulk of this named mesosiderite, a true rarity in the collecting world these days, is beyond the reach of collectors). The specimens I have here are some more of the small bits that were found by a meteorite hunter that came in after the research work was done. They are very fresh internally and show LOTS of metal.
1) Cut fragments:
a) .8 grams - 12mm x 9mm x 3mm - $10.00
b) 1.2 grams - 18mm x 9mm x 4mm - $15.00
c) 2.4 grams - 19mm x 13mm x 4mm - $29.00
d) 3.5 grams - 24mm x 14mm x 4mm - $42.00
e) 4.4 grams - 23mm x 17mm x 4mm - $52.00

NWA (4734): Lunar basalt. Found 2001. Tkw = 1372 grams.
A number of crusted fragments of this Moon rock have been found over the past couple years, but little has been available to collectors until quite recently. It has been listed as a "Monzo-gabbro" (an intrusive rock) but it is really a surface cooled basalt. This stuff has a crystal texture that shows that it is a surface cooled (extruded volcanic rock) and not a slower cooled sub-surface (intrusive) rock. Its overall chemistry also shows that this cannot be properly called a gabbro either. The appearance of this material is surprisingly similar to Zagami - a Mars surface cooled basalt rock. About the only differences are that this has a bit more tan coloration to it and generally shows more fine black shock lines on the cut faces.
1) Slices:
a) .04 grams - 4mm x 2.5mm x 1.5mm - $34.00
b) .10 grams - 9mm x 3mm x 2mm - $85.00
c) .21 grams - 10mm x 5mm x 2mm - $179.00
d) .32 grams - 10mm x 7mm x 2mm - $270.00
e) .63 grams - 18mm x 7mm x 2mm - $532.00
f) 1.32 grams - 20mm x 14mm x 2mm - $1100.00 - about 12mm along edge crusted.
g) 2.73 grams - 32mm x 17mm x 2mm - $2225.00 - about 30% of edge crusted.
h) 5.86 grams - 37mm x 30mm x 2mm - $4700.00 - about 40% of edge crusted.

TRINITITE: Nuclear blast formed glass. Near Socorro New Mexico. July 16, 1945.
I know, this is not meteorite related (though current theory of formation for these little blobs of glass says the sand was sucked up into the expanding blast fire-ball of the world's first nuclear explosion and then FELL to the ground as molten blobs), but I have had a number of people ask for this stuff lately. I have had this sitting around for awhile (so those that asked, got), and decided to finally offer it on a list. These are generally complete rounded blobs of green glass that have light gray sand stuck to the bottom (as they re-hit the ground still partially molten). Interesting little specimens and getting quite hard to come by.
1) Individual blobs as found:
a) .9 grams 14mm x 10mm x 5mm $5.00
b) 1.8 grams 20mm x 18mm x 6mm $10.00
c) 2.9 grams 23mm x 20mm x 7mm $15.00

Please include postage: a couple dollars on small U.S. orders and $10 on large items for first class (insurance is extra, if desired). On small overseas orders, $3 to $5 is generally plenty (I'll have to custom figure the rate for large items). Registration is also recommended on more valuable overseas shipments - an extra $12.00.
If you are sending a fax, simply begin transmitting when my line is answered. My fax will turn on automatically to receive (or I will start it if I answer) when you begin transmitting..