Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 172 - recently mailed offering
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………..LIST 172
April 14, 2015
Dear collectors,
Here is the e-mail version of my just mailed “after Tucson”, “after tax time”, spring list. Most of these things are new to me (picked up in Tucson or just got finished with research/ prep work during or shortly after Tucson). I have yet another Lunar that not only looks fantastic but it is super affordable (I kept a large slice of this one for myself). A couple old (but new pieces to me) items round out the list. Enjoy!
ALSO: I will be out of town April 23rd through the 27th for the Denver spring show.
ODESSA, Texas: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1923.
It has been a long time since I picked much of this meteorite. I managed to get 5 pieces in Tucson this year. These were natural as found when I got them. I experimented with an air-blasting tool I got awhile ago to see if I could clean some of the dirt and caliche off of them. Personally, I think it worked great. The dirt is certainly gone as is most of the caliche (each of these still has some small patches, but just enough to act as a highlight). Best yet is that the baking soda left the “metal” surfaces alone so they are still a nice original mottled orange brown to chocolate brown color and have their original texture. These are also all ex UNM pieces and each has a UNM catalog number painted on them.
1) Individuals as found but lightly cleaned:
a) 632.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 45mm - $525
b) 928.2 grams - 80mm x 70mm x 40mm - $750
c) 1764.1 grams - 115mm x 85mm x 50mm - $1400
CALDWELL, Kansas: L-impact melt breccia. Found 1961. Tkw = 12.9 kilograms.
Here is one Steve and I tried for years to acquire. We were never successful, but he managed to pick it up from the estate after the original owner passed away many years later. I picked up a chunk he showed me to sell as he didn’t want to cut it (not surprising, it does have some cracks). Thankfully, I was smart enough to have someone who really knew what they were doing cut it. This material is not much to look at, unfortunately (mostly a mottled gray-green matrix with some brown veins cross cutting it and only a rare chondrule) but it is a really rare type. As of March 2015, only 28 meteorites of this type have been reported. Of these, only two, this one and Muckera (007), Australia are not Antarctic or Sahara Desert finds.
1) Part slices:
a) 4.4 grams - 23mm x 21mm x 3mm - $35
b) 8.8 grams - 40mm x 20mm x 3mm - $70
c) 17.2 grams - 50mm x 40mm x 4mm - $135
d) 32.5 grams - 70mm x 45mm x 4mm - $250
e) 63.5 grams - 100mm x 65mm x 4mm - $475
2) End piece:
a) 163.4 grams - 80mm x 70mm x 20mm - $1000
NWA 1955: Ordinary chondrite. (H/L 3-4). Found 2002. Tkw = 2 kilograms.
This strange meteorite has a chemistry that does not fit either H or L type classifications, but something in between (my Haxtun from years ago was like this but a type 4). I last had/ offered some of this in October 2007. Back then my info cards said that this was the only meteorite in the world classified as an H/L 3-4. From my checking today, it seems that this is still the case! Usually when something rare/ interesting turns up, extra effort is put into finding more. Indeed usually more turns up. In this case, I merely turned up more pieces from the original reported material. I don’t have a lot of this, so don’t wait if your collection needs a piece of this.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 1.0 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 3mm - $15
b) 2.1 grams - 19mm x 15mm x 4mm - $30
c) 4.6 grams - 30mm x 12mm x 11mm - $69
NWA 7900: Ordinary chondrite. (LL6), W2. Found before February 2013. Tkw = 899.4 grams.
This was a stone that many thought was a diogenite. Much of it had an obvious green color (other areas were a light orange) and it showed obvious darker angular clasts. My XRF said it was an LL however (higher iron, nickel and sulfur). Frankly, it does still look much like a diogenite on cut surfaces. It shows medium gray angular to rounded clasts in a matrix that varies from light green in some areas to a very light orange in others. The only thing that clearly gives this away as an LL visually is the presence of quite a lot of very tiny metal grains scattered throughout the specimen.
1) Slices:
a) 7.3 grams - 30mm x 18mm x 5mm - $30
b) 13.6 grams - 35mm x 30mm x 5mm - $54
c) 25.4 grams - 55mm x 38mm x 5mm - $100
d) 50.2 grams - 75mm x 65mm x 4mm - $190 – complete slice.
2) End pieces:
a) 62.9 grams - 68mm x 38mm x 18mm - $220
b) 270.8 grams - 75mm x 70mm x 35mm - $900 – Main mass.
NWA 6136: Carbonaceous chondrite (CO3.3). Found 2008. Tkw = 2670 grams.
Matt and I got this years ago. We got two individuals; one 406 grams that I have already sold and one 2264 grams that we cut up (much of which is already gone). I re-discovered my slices (less than 400 grams worth) and decided to finally offer them on a list as I hadn’t ever offered any this way and figured now would be a good time before I sell it all privately. This, not surprisingly, is a pretty typical CO3. It shows lots of really small chondrules (averaging only .15mm in diameter I think the research results said) in a medium to dark brown matrix.
1) Slices: all have “natural” edges.
a) 2.3 grams - 19mm x 18mm x 3mm - $21
b) 4.8 grams - 29mm x 22mm x 3mm - $43
c) 8.9 grams - 35mm x 25mm x 3mm - $80
d) 14.5 grams - 65mm x 17mm x 4mm - $130
e) 33.0 grams - 50mm x 45mm x 4mm - $290
NWA 8277: Lunar meteorite. Mingled breccia. Found 2013. Tkw = 773 grams.
A got (and sold) quite a bit of this during the Tucson show. I really thought it was “just” another anorthositic breccia. It sure looks like one! It has clasts of white feldspars and green-brown pyroxenes and olivines in a dark gray matrix. However, my XRF seemed to indicate that this was closer to a Lunar basalt (higher Fe, Cr, Ti) than an anorthositic breccia. The detailed research work indeed supports that suspicion. It turns out that this meteorite has several different lithologies in it (including anorthositic) but Mare basalt is a major component. Classic moon-rock look but unusual composition. Better yet, this is priced as cheap as the Lunar gabbro I had on the last list!!
1) Part slices:
a) .16 grams - 11mm x 5mm x 1mm - $80
b) .25 grams - 12mm x 8mm x 1mm - $125
c) .44 grams - 14mm x 12mm x 1mm - $220
d) .84 grams - 18mm x 12mm x 1.5mm - $380
e) 2.14 grams - 23mm x 22mm x 2mm - $900 – has 4mm gabbro clast.
f) 4.09 grams - 45mm x 25mm x 2mm - $1600
MASLYANINO, Russia: Fine octahedrite with silicates (IAB). Found May 25, 1992. Tkw = 26kg.
I know, this is an iron but I am putting it where I would normally put a stony-iron. Part of this is because I already have an iron for this list and part of it is because that is what I was told this was (a mesosiderite) when it was dropped off with me in Tucson. I didn’t open the package until after I left the show to discover the truth. Actually, this thing has enough silicates in it that it does look quite a bit like a mesosiderite at first glance. Cut surfaces show a lot of silicate and troilite clasts. Each of these pieces has been polished on one side and etched on the other. I have only the one large complete slice but 6 or so of the small part slices.
1) Slices: Polished on one side, etched on the other.
a) 11.5 grams - 25mm x 24mm x 3mm - $160
b) 246.7 grams - 190mm x 110mm x 2.5mm - $2800 beautiful and complete
JACK HILLS ZIRCON: Oldest crystals found on Earth (so far).
These are the last in my “ancient rocks” series offerings I have had on a few past lists. This material comes from the Jack Hills region of Western Australia. The rock in this case is not all that old (I say that a bit tongue in cheek) at around 3 billion years old. It is the zircons that this ancient sedimentary rock contains that are special. These zircons have been dated to have formed around 4.4billion (!) years ago. They weathered out of an earlier granite type rock that formed 4.4 billion years ago but then weathered away leaving the zircons it contained (zircon is very weather resistant) to get trapped in these “young” now metamorphosed sedimentary rocks.
Roughly 30mm x 20mm x 15mm fragment in plastic display (perky) box - $25
Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.
Tuesday 14 April 2015
Thursday 2 April 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 171 April 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 171 April 2015
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 171
April 2, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another offering in my “after Tucson” series. I know, this is going out a bit early. It should have been saved for next Tuesday but I will be busy then.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1885.
Here is a rusty little slice that came from a collection I picked up over a year ago (and tried to sell intact at a few shows). It is one that I sold the previous owner probably 20 plus years ago. It is sealed in a “seal a meal” pouch as Glenn Huss had taught me back then (this piece likely came from him before I sold it). Still shows some metal and crystals, but not much of a display piece.
17.7 gram part slice – 25mm x 26mm x 7mm - $20
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Graphite nodule.
Here is a specimen I picked up in Tucson. It is a complete piece that has been nicely cleaned to show the metallic gray of the graphite but yet leaves some rusty brown coloration in the deeper areas. A quite pleasing specimen.
275.5 gram individual – 65mm x 60mm x 45mm - $400
GEBEL KAMIL, Egypt: Ni-rich ataxite. Found 2008. Tkw = about 1600 kilograms.
I got this piece along with a small collection of other irons during the Tucson show (the others sold at the show – I forgot about this one until too late). It is a nice natural flatish oriented looking piece (conical with some radiating striations that is. Shrapnel can’t really be oriented).
131.0 gram natural individual – 65mm x 38mm x 15mm - $100
INDOCHINITE: Muong Nong type.
This is a specimen that the previous owner picked up from Bethany Sciences. This is a piece of the layered tektite material that is believed to have formed by surface melt glass pooling in lower areas (near the source crater, which we still have no idea exactly where it is). This small (for this material anyway) piece shows some really nice flow structure/ features (particularly nice on one side). The Bethany Sciences “Certificate of Authenticity” with this has the location as Ubonratch-Thani, Thailand.
38.0 gram fragment as found – 50mm x 25mm x 18mm - $20
NWA 998: Martian (Nakhlite). Found before September 2001. Tkw = 456 grams.
Nakhlites are definitely one of the most difficult meteorite types to acquire. Not surprisingly as there are only 14 total reported (and I suspect that that “many” of the Antartic and NWA ones are probably paired). Most of these have well below 1kg total known weights. Anyway, I picked up a few pieces of probably the easiest Nakhlite to locate in Tucson. I have been told that the original sources on this have very little remaining. I suspect that they sold a lot of it back when it was announced that this meteorite was found to contain Martin carbonate minerals in it – indicating that water flowed through this at some point while it was still on Mars.
1) Fragments in membrane box:
a) .05 grams – 5mm x 3mm x 2mm - $75
b) .16 grams – 8mm x 6mm x 3mm - $240
c) .30 grams – 8mm x 7mm x 4mm - $450
NWA 1941, Algeria/ Morocco. Found June 2003. Tkw = 16kilograms.
This is a piece I was surprised to see in the collection it came with. Pretty much everything else with it was clearly stuff the previous owner bought 20 plus years ago (much of it frm me). Not sure where he got this one. Regardless, it is pretty nice. It is a small square cut piece that shows lots of nice metal and troilite inclusions in a dark greenish-gray matrix.
2.76 gram part slice – 17mm x 17mm x 3mm - $10
SANTA CLARA, Mexico: Ni-rich ataxite (IVB). Found 1976. Tkw = 63 kilograms.
Here is a little elongate bar of this probably hard to get meteorite (I don’t recall having a piece of it anytime in the near past). It appears that the previous owner bought this way back in December of 1993. At least that what the NEMS (New England Meteoritical Services) “Certificate of Authenticity” seems to indicate. This piece also comes with its original NEMS label as well. One specimen, two labels.
6.38 gram ‘slice” – 16mm x 7mm x 7mm - $60
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 171
April 2, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another offering in my “after Tucson” series. I know, this is going out a bit early. It should have been saved for next Tuesday but I will be busy then.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1885.
Here is a rusty little slice that came from a collection I picked up over a year ago (and tried to sell intact at a few shows). It is one that I sold the previous owner probably 20 plus years ago. It is sealed in a “seal a meal” pouch as Glenn Huss had taught me back then (this piece likely came from him before I sold it). Still shows some metal and crystals, but not much of a display piece.
17.7 gram part slice – 25mm x 26mm x 7mm - $20
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Graphite nodule.
Here is a specimen I picked up in Tucson. It is a complete piece that has been nicely cleaned to show the metallic gray of the graphite but yet leaves some rusty brown coloration in the deeper areas. A quite pleasing specimen.
275.5 gram individual – 65mm x 60mm x 45mm - $400
GEBEL KAMIL, Egypt: Ni-rich ataxite. Found 2008. Tkw = about 1600 kilograms.
I got this piece along with a small collection of other irons during the Tucson show (the others sold at the show – I forgot about this one until too late). It is a nice natural flatish oriented looking piece (conical with some radiating striations that is. Shrapnel can’t really be oriented).
131.0 gram natural individual – 65mm x 38mm x 15mm - $100
INDOCHINITE: Muong Nong type.
This is a specimen that the previous owner picked up from Bethany Sciences. This is a piece of the layered tektite material that is believed to have formed by surface melt glass pooling in lower areas (near the source crater, which we still have no idea exactly where it is). This small (for this material anyway) piece shows some really nice flow structure/ features (particularly nice on one side). The Bethany Sciences “Certificate of Authenticity” with this has the location as Ubonratch-Thani, Thailand.
38.0 gram fragment as found – 50mm x 25mm x 18mm - $20
NWA 998: Martian (Nakhlite). Found before September 2001. Tkw = 456 grams.
Nakhlites are definitely one of the most difficult meteorite types to acquire. Not surprisingly as there are only 14 total reported (and I suspect that that “many” of the Antartic and NWA ones are probably paired). Most of these have well below 1kg total known weights. Anyway, I picked up a few pieces of probably the easiest Nakhlite to locate in Tucson. I have been told that the original sources on this have very little remaining. I suspect that they sold a lot of it back when it was announced that this meteorite was found to contain Martin carbonate minerals in it – indicating that water flowed through this at some point while it was still on Mars.
1) Fragments in membrane box:
a) .05 grams – 5mm x 3mm x 2mm - $75
b) .16 grams – 8mm x 6mm x 3mm - $240
c) .30 grams – 8mm x 7mm x 4mm - $450
NWA 1941, Algeria/ Morocco. Found June 2003. Tkw = 16kilograms.
This is a piece I was surprised to see in the collection it came with. Pretty much everything else with it was clearly stuff the previous owner bought 20 plus years ago (much of it frm me). Not sure where he got this one. Regardless, it is pretty nice. It is a small square cut piece that shows lots of nice metal and troilite inclusions in a dark greenish-gray matrix.
2.76 gram part slice – 17mm x 17mm x 3mm - $10
SANTA CLARA, Mexico: Ni-rich ataxite (IVB). Found 1976. Tkw = 63 kilograms.
Here is a little elongate bar of this probably hard to get meteorite (I don’t recall having a piece of it anytime in the near past). It appears that the previous owner bought this way back in December of 1993. At least that what the NEMS (New England Meteoritical Services) “Certificate of Authenticity” seems to indicate. This piece also comes with its original NEMS label as well. One specimen, two labels.
6.38 gram ‘slice” – 16mm x 7mm x 7mm - $60
Tuesday 17 March 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 170 - after Tucson part 3
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 170 - after Tucson part 3
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 170 - after Tucson part 3
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 170
March 17, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Happy St. Patrick’s day!
I was supposed to be hitting the road today for Phoenix. I had planned on helping our uncle run another massive “garage” sale (as Blake and I did a couple years ago. That time the volume of stuff we got rid of was epic). His (my uncle’s) health is now such that he needs to get out of the large, remote house he is living in now and get into a place where he can have ready access to medical care. Unfortunately that will be on the other side of town (Sun City I think its called) and much smaller. So, the less to be moved the better (cash is easier to carry). Anyway My health has been a bit iffy lately so I stayed home. Nothing serious I suspect, just a big sinus infection flare up. I live with low grade sinus problems that often give me mild fever and such but this time it got pretty bad (much stronger fever for several days and then some). I decided that since my cousin would be in Phoenix this time (Blake and I were on our own last time) that it might be best for me to stay home and see a doctor to get antibiotics and such (it seems every spring when the local farmers start to burn their ditches I end up having to see a doctor for a sinus flare up). I had hoped to simply fly down once this is done (later this week) but then I have other issues preventing that (anniversary on riday, Linda’s dad’s funeral services the next week and such). Anyway, since I am stuck at home, here is another “after Tucson” offering.
AUSTRALITES:
Here is a small riker box containing five pieces that have been made into ancient tools. The label says “Australites. Chipped Australian Aboriginal Artifacts”. I got this from a big time artifacts dealer at my hotel this past Tucson. I had a fairly large Australite that Mike Martinez picked out as possibly being an ancient tool (though it had some minor obvious modern edge chipping). I took it to the expert to find out. Not only did it turn out to be a tool it turned out to be a particularly ancient one that the shop owner wanted for his collection. A trade and cash deal resulted in my getting this batch that he had on display in his room. I am offering this as a lot at this point but will sell these individually if they don’t sell that way (but at $25 each).
5 ancient Australite tools in riker - $100
BONDOC, Philippines: (Mesosiderite). Found 1956.
Here is a small fragment that I think the previous owner paid quite a bit of money for ($50 range I think?). It was “important” because it was from an ex J. M Dupont specimen (#88 – 47.9g according to the Michael Casper specimen label that
accompanies this piece). This specimen as it is now is just a fragment weighing under a gram. It does have a patch of white paint that does show that it was likely removed from a larger labeled specimen.
.6 gram fragment – 9mm x 7mm x 6mm - $10
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
Here is a part slice that was purchased from Robert Haag back in 1986. It is an odd, interesting piece. Its two longer sides – across from each other have natural crust. The other two sides are cut. This specimen was clearly prepared looong ago. The coating has turned somewhat yellow green. The etch is quite deep, vibrant and detailed (this piece would likely be really interesting under a scope). There are a couple small rust spots but they are small enough and not detracting enough for me to want to risk screwing up the original etch and coating to “fix” them. This comes with its original Robert Haag information card.
98.8 gram etched part slice – 63mm x 45mm x 4mm - $150
JUANITA de ANGELES, Mexico: (H5). Found 1992. Tkw = 85 kilograms.
I vaguely recall having some of this meteorite years ago. However, the previous owner of this piece got if from Alain Carion (it comes with the label Alain gave with the specimen originally). This is a weathered fragment with one large side showing what is very likely the original crusted exterior of the meteorite (the other surfaces are old natural breaks).
16.5 gram natural crusted fragment – 40mm x 19mm x 10mm - $50
NWA 6355: Lunar. Anorthositic breccia. Ound 2009. Tkw = 760 grams.
Here is a small slice in a larger membrane box that also contains the info card. This is the material that closely matches the soils at the Apollo 16 landing site. This specimen shows two fairly large anorthosite clasts (one darker and harder to see) in a dark gray to black back ground.
.39 gram slice in membrane box – 12mm x 10mm x 2mm - $275
ODESSA, Texas: Rock Flour.
This is a small (14mm diameter 50mm long) plastic tube/ vial filled with a fine pinkish white powder and labeled “Odessa, TX Crator Limestone Rock Flour”. Crater is spelled wrong, but I do believe the rest. I don’t recall having any rock flour from Odessa before, but I have had some from Canyon Diablo and it certainly has a similar appearance (though a slightly different color).
14mm x 50mm vial of powder - $15
SHALKA, India: (Diogenite). Fell November 30, 1850. Tkw = 3.6+ kilograms.
This is just a tiny (1.5mm) fragment in a capsule in a labeled plastic box. The label indicates that is was purchased from Michael Blood at some point in the past. Not much other than a cheap way to add an interesting name to your collection.
Crumb in capsule - $5
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 170 - after Tucson part 3
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 170
March 17, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Happy St. Patrick’s day!
I was supposed to be hitting the road today for Phoenix. I had planned on helping our uncle run another massive “garage” sale (as Blake and I did a couple years ago. That time the volume of stuff we got rid of was epic). His (my uncle’s) health is now such that he needs to get out of the large, remote house he is living in now and get into a place where he can have ready access to medical care. Unfortunately that will be on the other side of town (Sun City I think its called) and much smaller. So, the less to be moved the better (cash is easier to carry). Anyway My health has been a bit iffy lately so I stayed home. Nothing serious I suspect, just a big sinus infection flare up. I live with low grade sinus problems that often give me mild fever and such but this time it got pretty bad (much stronger fever for several days and then some). I decided that since my cousin would be in Phoenix this time (Blake and I were on our own last time) that it might be best for me to stay home and see a doctor to get antibiotics and such (it seems every spring when the local farmers start to burn their ditches I end up having to see a doctor for a sinus flare up). I had hoped to simply fly down once this is done (later this week) but then I have other issues preventing that (anniversary on riday, Linda’s dad’s funeral services the next week and such). Anyway, since I am stuck at home, here is another “after Tucson” offering.
AUSTRALITES:
Here is a small riker box containing five pieces that have been made into ancient tools. The label says “Australites. Chipped Australian Aboriginal Artifacts”. I got this from a big time artifacts dealer at my hotel this past Tucson. I had a fairly large Australite that Mike Martinez picked out as possibly being an ancient tool (though it had some minor obvious modern edge chipping). I took it to the expert to find out. Not only did it turn out to be a tool it turned out to be a particularly ancient one that the shop owner wanted for his collection. A trade and cash deal resulted in my getting this batch that he had on display in his room. I am offering this as a lot at this point but will sell these individually if they don’t sell that way (but at $25 each).
5 ancient Australite tools in riker - $100
BONDOC, Philippines: (Mesosiderite). Found 1956.
Here is a small fragment that I think the previous owner paid quite a bit of money for ($50 range I think?). It was “important” because it was from an ex J. M Dupont specimen (#88 – 47.9g according to the Michael Casper specimen label that
accompanies this piece). This specimen as it is now is just a fragment weighing under a gram. It does have a patch of white paint that does show that it was likely removed from a larger labeled specimen.
.6 gram fragment – 9mm x 7mm x 6mm - $10
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
Here is a part slice that was purchased from Robert Haag back in 1986. It is an odd, interesting piece. Its two longer sides – across from each other have natural crust. The other two sides are cut. This specimen was clearly prepared looong ago. The coating has turned somewhat yellow green. The etch is quite deep, vibrant and detailed (this piece would likely be really interesting under a scope). There are a couple small rust spots but they are small enough and not detracting enough for me to want to risk screwing up the original etch and coating to “fix” them. This comes with its original Robert Haag information card.
98.8 gram etched part slice – 63mm x 45mm x 4mm - $150
JUANITA de ANGELES, Mexico: (H5). Found 1992. Tkw = 85 kilograms.
I vaguely recall having some of this meteorite years ago. However, the previous owner of this piece got if from Alain Carion (it comes with the label Alain gave with the specimen originally). This is a weathered fragment with one large side showing what is very likely the original crusted exterior of the meteorite (the other surfaces are old natural breaks).
16.5 gram natural crusted fragment – 40mm x 19mm x 10mm - $50
NWA 6355: Lunar. Anorthositic breccia. Ound 2009. Tkw = 760 grams.
Here is a small slice in a larger membrane box that also contains the info card. This is the material that closely matches the soils at the Apollo 16 landing site. This specimen shows two fairly large anorthosite clasts (one darker and harder to see) in a dark gray to black back ground.
.39 gram slice in membrane box – 12mm x 10mm x 2mm - $275
ODESSA, Texas: Rock Flour.
This is a small (14mm diameter 50mm long) plastic tube/ vial filled with a fine pinkish white powder and labeled “Odessa, TX Crator Limestone Rock Flour”. Crater is spelled wrong, but I do believe the rest. I don’t recall having any rock flour from Odessa before, but I have had some from Canyon Diablo and it certainly has a similar appearance (though a slightly different color).
14mm x 50mm vial of powder - $15
SHALKA, India: (Diogenite). Fell November 30, 1850. Tkw = 3.6+ kilograms.
This is just a tiny (1.5mm) fragment in a capsule in a labeled plastic box. The label indicates that is was purchased from Michael Blood at some point in the past. Not much other than a cheap way to add an interesting name to your collection.
Crumb in capsule - $5
Wednesday 4 March 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 169 - after Tucson part 2
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 169 - after Tucson part 2
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 169
March 3, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the second “after Tucson” list. This may be my only offering this month as I will likely be out of town when the next one should go out
BILANGA, Burkina Faso: (Diogenite). Fell October 27, 1999. Tkw = 25+ kilograms.
This is simply an “add the name to your collection cheaply” type specimen. It consists of a few fragments/ crumbs (around 4mm x 3mm) of this meteorite in a capsule in a labeled plastic box.
Crumbs in a capsule - $5
GAO, Burkina Faso: (H5). Fell March 5, 1960.
Here is a nice end piece that comes with two labels. One is the original Robert Haag paper label (the previous owner bought the specimen from him in 1996) and the other is a metal, stands up on its own “GAO-GUENIE” label (I won’t take the time to go into what I believe concerning that “name” right now). Anyway, it is a nice piece. The interior is lighter than most (and shows lots of metal) and back has quite a bit of obvious fusion crust (2/3 or so).
32.4 gram end piece – 42mm x 30mm x 15mm - $80
IMPACT BRECCIA: Ries Crater, Germany.
Here are two similar sized pieces of this interesting material. It is mostly a light gray rock but contains fragments of many different materials. One of the more interesting fragment inclusions are the frothy black glass pieces. These come with their original Bethany Sciences “Certificate of Authenticity”.
22.8 grams – two pieces - $40 -SOLD
MOLDAVITE, Czeck Republic.
This is an interesting shaped piece. It is oblong in general but has a knob hanging off of one end (making it the perfect pendant shape). Overall this is what I’d call a medium grade. It is not chipped and shows nice surface features, though they are not real deep (like the high end Besednice pieces). Not sure where the previous owner got this one. It may have been from me (as many of his pieces were). The card is the one I use, but then that is one that I “stole’ (with permission) from Robert Haag many years ago.
6.1 gram complete individual – 35mm x 22mm x 7mm - $35 -SOLD
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
Here is the “mate” to the 4kg complete crusted individual I offered earlier. In fact, it was consigned by the same person. This sits nicely on its own and shows a strong, bright etch (something I have never seemed to master brining out in my etching attempts). The back- side is fully and deeply thumb-printed to the point of showing some interesting shape features, though the crust clearly has been fairly heavily cleaned (but then who wants to cut up a pristine crusted individual?).
2265.1 gram end piece – 135mm x 95mm x 50mm - $4500
SLATON (b), Texas: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Found 1940’s. Tkw = 6 kilograms.
Here is an item that I am offering before sending it back home to its owner in Texas. This interesting meteorite has a bit of a controversy attached to it. Though it has been heavily studied and is fully accepted in the Meteoritical Bulletin (Link here, I hope: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?sea=Slaton+%28b%29&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&valids=&stype=contains&lrec=50&map=ge&browse=&country=All&srt=name&categ=All&mblist=All&rect=&phot=&snew=0&pnt=Normal%20table&code=58497 )
there are some that believe that this is really a miss-placed Campo. The photo I have seen of it as a whole piece don’t argue against this (looks oddly orange and rust scaled – like an old salt bog Campo might look after years in a humid environment). However, the interior certainly looks completely different than any cut and etched Campos I have see. The etch on this has a strange taffy pulled look to it, something I don’t recall ever seeing on an etched Campo. In fact, the etch looks more like an etched piece of Sikhote-Alin shrapnel than a Campo. It seems that this particular meteorite has been in a serious collision at some point. As I don’t think there is a crater associated with this find (at least none is known) so I’d guess it happened in space. Also, this slice shows some silicate inclusions. One is fairly large (around 17mm x 9mm). It shows obvious orangish brown silicate minerals with no real graphite or troilite surrounding it. Both are features I don’t recall seeing in Campo (Campo generally has dark geenish black silicates that are usually surrounded by things like troilite and graphite). Anyway, an interesting (but certainly NOT cheap) “new” discovery.
89 gram complete slice – 150mm x 10mm x 3mm - $2500 -SOLD
TATAHOUINE, Tunisia: (Diogenite). Fell June 27, 1931.
This is strange stuff. It blew apart low in the atmosphere leaving mostly small waxy green fragments. Most believe that these pieces have no fusion crust. Careful inspection reveals that some do have very small (1mm or so) patches of black crust hiding on them. This piece is among those. This has a lot of smooth ablated looking surfaces but only a few tiny black patches of actual fusion crust. This is a piece the previous owner bought form me many years ago.
2.7 gram fragment with some tiny fusion crust patches – 15mm x 10mm x 9mm - $35 -SOLD
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 169
March 3, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the second “after Tucson” list. This may be my only offering this month as I will likely be out of town when the next one should go out
BILANGA, Burkina Faso: (Diogenite). Fell October 27, 1999. Tkw = 25+ kilograms.
This is simply an “add the name to your collection cheaply” type specimen. It consists of a few fragments/ crumbs (around 4mm x 3mm) of this meteorite in a capsule in a labeled plastic box.
Crumbs in a capsule - $5
GAO, Burkina Faso: (H5). Fell March 5, 1960.
Here is a nice end piece that comes with two labels. One is the original Robert Haag paper label (the previous owner bought the specimen from him in 1996) and the other is a metal, stands up on its own “GAO-GUENIE” label (I won’t take the time to go into what I believe concerning that “name” right now). Anyway, it is a nice piece. The interior is lighter than most (and shows lots of metal) and back has quite a bit of obvious fusion crust (2/3 or so).
32.4 gram end piece – 42mm x 30mm x 15mm - $80
IMPACT BRECCIA: Ries Crater, Germany.
Here are two similar sized pieces of this interesting material. It is mostly a light gray rock but contains fragments of many different materials. One of the more interesting fragment inclusions are the frothy black glass pieces. These come with their original Bethany Sciences “Certificate of Authenticity”.
22.8 grams – two pieces - $40 -SOLD
MOLDAVITE, Czeck Republic.
This is an interesting shaped piece. It is oblong in general but has a knob hanging off of one end (making it the perfect pendant shape). Overall this is what I’d call a medium grade. It is not chipped and shows nice surface features, though they are not real deep (like the high end Besednice pieces). Not sure where the previous owner got this one. It may have been from me (as many of his pieces were). The card is the one I use, but then that is one that I “stole’ (with permission) from Robert Haag many years ago.
6.1 gram complete individual – 35mm x 22mm x 7mm - $35 -SOLD
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
Here is the “mate” to the 4kg complete crusted individual I offered earlier. In fact, it was consigned by the same person. This sits nicely on its own and shows a strong, bright etch (something I have never seemed to master brining out in my etching attempts). The back- side is fully and deeply thumb-printed to the point of showing some interesting shape features, though the crust clearly has been fairly heavily cleaned (but then who wants to cut up a pristine crusted individual?).
2265.1 gram end piece – 135mm x 95mm x 50mm - $4500
SLATON (b), Texas: Coarsest octahedrite (IIAB). Found 1940’s. Tkw = 6 kilograms.
Here is an item that I am offering before sending it back home to its owner in Texas. This interesting meteorite has a bit of a controversy attached to it. Though it has been heavily studied and is fully accepted in the Meteoritical Bulletin (Link here, I hope: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?sea=Slaton+%28b%29&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&valids=&stype=contains&lrec=50&map=ge&browse=&country=All&srt=name&categ=All&mblist=All&rect=&phot=&snew=0&pnt=Normal%20table&code=58497 )
there are some that believe that this is really a miss-placed Campo. The photo I have seen of it as a whole piece don’t argue against this (looks oddly orange and rust scaled – like an old salt bog Campo might look after years in a humid environment). However, the interior certainly looks completely different than any cut and etched Campos I have see. The etch on this has a strange taffy pulled look to it, something I don’t recall ever seeing on an etched Campo. In fact, the etch looks more like an etched piece of Sikhote-Alin shrapnel than a Campo. It seems that this particular meteorite has been in a serious collision at some point. As I don’t think there is a crater associated with this find (at least none is known) so I’d guess it happened in space. Also, this slice shows some silicate inclusions. One is fairly large (around 17mm x 9mm). It shows obvious orangish brown silicate minerals with no real graphite or troilite surrounding it. Both are features I don’t recall seeing in Campo (Campo generally has dark geenish black silicates that are usually surrounded by things like troilite and graphite). Anyway, an interesting (but certainly NOT cheap) “new” discovery.
89 gram complete slice – 150mm x 10mm x 3mm - $2500 -SOLD
TATAHOUINE, Tunisia: (Diogenite). Fell June 27, 1931.
This is strange stuff. It blew apart low in the atmosphere leaving mostly small waxy green fragments. Most believe that these pieces have no fusion crust. Careful inspection reveals that some do have very small (1mm or so) patches of black crust hiding on them. This piece is among those. This has a lot of smooth ablated looking surfaces but only a few tiny black patches of actual fusion crust. This is a piece the previous owner bought form me many years ago.
2.7 gram fragment with some tiny fusion crust patches – 15mm x 10mm x 9mm - $35 -SOLD
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 168 - after Tucson stuff
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 168 - after Tucson stuff
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 168
February 24, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the first of possibly many offerings of stuff from collections I have had and some I recently picked up. There were two main collections. One was from a collector that lived here in Colorado and sold his collection a bit over a year ago. I had taken it to a number of shows and offered it as the “cigar box collection” as it was neatly stored/displayed in two cigar boxes. As usual with a “collection lot” people looked it over and saw things they wanted, things that they didn’t and so on. The result is that no one wanted the entire lot, so I have broken it up for listing here (and future lists). Another collection came to me just days before I left for Tucson. It contained something over 50 specimens. I sold a few in Tucson but brought quite a few back as well. Anyway, these collections (when I am done cataloging and typing them up) , along with a few miscellaneous things picked up at the show, will likely make up most of my e-mail offerings for the next few months (though one, likely late April or early May will be the e-mail version of my mailed list, once I figure out just what I’ll put on that. No clue at the moment though).
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
Here is one of the Robert Haag original offering pieces of this meteorite (this specimen still has its original Robert Haag information card with it). I remember when Robert got this thing (from Glenn Huss – well, he was the in between person anyway). I also remember the “excitement” not long after. This stuff is probably the prettiest meteorite in the world, and Robert’s piece was no exception. However, this meteorite is also among the very most rust prone and, again, Robert’s piece was no exception. This is a part slice from those early days (the previous owner bought it from Robert in 1986). It still has the slice shape (it did NOT turn into an orange goo like I some pieces do) and has lots of olivine crystals visible. In this particular case, the story and original label are probably the most important parts of this specimen.
38 gram oxidized part slice – 52mm x 30mm x 6mm - $50 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is an end piece that actually looks like a wire brushed block that had an end cut off. I etched this one myself (some years ago) and am sorry to say that it just didn’t turn out deep enough. For some reason, I just don’t get the vibrant deep etch others seem to be able to get (I end up with a dark gray mess when I have tried to use stronger acid solution or a bunch more time). I use the methods that Glenn Huss showed me close to 30 years ago. I guess I need to go back to school for etching. Anyway, nothing exciting about this piece at all. Just a decent paperweight with an etched face for a price that is hard to beat.
548.1 gram etched end piece – 48mm x 45mm x 42mm - $400
DALGARANGA, Australia: (Mesosiderite). Found 1923. Tkw = 10+ kilograms.
This is a specimen the previous owner got form me back in January of 1994. This is a complete, natural flat little piece that is clearly an internally fresh specimen (I know there were a good number of oxidized pieces of this meteorite floating around years ago). If someone where really skilled or brave, they probably cut this into two nice fresh mesosiderite end pieces (I think a wire saw would be required though). Nice and rare piece.
2.95 gram natural individual – 20mm x 17mm x 3mm - $75
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a piece I sold the previous owner a long time ago. I think it was one of the very earliest pieces I had to offer. The piece is fairly thick by today’s standards and is only etched on one side (the back side still shows saw marks). It is a nice piece none the less. It has a neat sculpted shape, the etch is nice and the natural edge (over ½ of the edge) was only lightly brushed so it has a pleasing dark brown color to it. This still has my original sticker label on the piece and comes with its original (now folded) info card.
40.1 gram etched part slice – 50mm x 27mm x 5mm - $75
INDOCHINITE, Thailand.
This is a nice but fairly typical specimen. It shows pitting on one side and a single large thumb-print on the other. Not sure where the previous owner picked this up originally as I don’t recognize the information card that comes with it.
23.3 gram individual – 37mm x 30mm x 15mm - $5
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = about 100 kilograms.
This is a technically complete individual I sold the previous owner probably not long after this stuff started showing up. I say technically complete as it has an area (20mm x 12mm) that looks broken. Closer inspection though shows that it is clearly a late atmospheric break. There is a little roll-over effect to the crust around this “broken” areas edge that could have only formed if this piece was still falling fast enough to be forming crust. The broken area shows a little slickenside and has its high points crusted as well. This does show a little browning to the crust so it was not an immediate recovery or was one that got soaked in water to bring up the weight being sold to the buyers (simply soaking a stone meteorite in water will substantially increase its weight. I don’t recommend this as an increasing sales results tactic though).
12.4 gram complete individual – 25mm x 20mm x 12mm - $70
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest Octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This beautiful specimen is a consigned item that get left with me at the show. I almost sold it a couple times. It does seem expensive but it is well priced considering today’s Sikhote-Alin market. This is a really nice completely thumb-printed oriented specimen (though its orientation is not super obvious). This has had some light cleaning work at some point in the past, but not much. Most of this retains its original crust color and texture. A museum quality piece (yep, a museum was, and may still be considering this piece when they saw it at the show).
3978.65 gram complete crusted individual – 120mm x 110mm x 80mm - $8500
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 168
February 24, 2015
Dear Collectors,
Here is the first of possibly many offerings of stuff from collections I have had and some I recently picked up. There were two main collections. One was from a collector that lived here in Colorado and sold his collection a bit over a year ago. I had taken it to a number of shows and offered it as the “cigar box collection” as it was neatly stored/displayed in two cigar boxes. As usual with a “collection lot” people looked it over and saw things they wanted, things that they didn’t and so on. The result is that no one wanted the entire lot, so I have broken it up for listing here (and future lists). Another collection came to me just days before I left for Tucson. It contained something over 50 specimens. I sold a few in Tucson but brought quite a few back as well. Anyway, these collections (when I am done cataloging and typing them up) , along with a few miscellaneous things picked up at the show, will likely make up most of my e-mail offerings for the next few months (though one, likely late April or early May will be the e-mail version of my mailed list, once I figure out just what I’ll put on that. No clue at the moment though).
ADMIRE, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1881.
Here is one of the Robert Haag original offering pieces of this meteorite (this specimen still has its original Robert Haag information card with it). I remember when Robert got this thing (from Glenn Huss – well, he was the in between person anyway). I also remember the “excitement” not long after. This stuff is probably the prettiest meteorite in the world, and Robert’s piece was no exception. However, this meteorite is also among the very most rust prone and, again, Robert’s piece was no exception. This is a part slice from those early days (the previous owner bought it from Robert in 1986). It still has the slice shape (it did NOT turn into an orange goo like I some pieces do) and has lots of olivine crystals visible. In this particular case, the story and original label are probably the most important parts of this specimen.
38 gram oxidized part slice – 52mm x 30mm x 6mm - $50 -SOLD
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is an end piece that actually looks like a wire brushed block that had an end cut off. I etched this one myself (some years ago) and am sorry to say that it just didn’t turn out deep enough. For some reason, I just don’t get the vibrant deep etch others seem to be able to get (I end up with a dark gray mess when I have tried to use stronger acid solution or a bunch more time). I use the methods that Glenn Huss showed me close to 30 years ago. I guess I need to go back to school for etching. Anyway, nothing exciting about this piece at all. Just a decent paperweight with an etched face for a price that is hard to beat.
548.1 gram etched end piece – 48mm x 45mm x 42mm - $400
DALGARANGA, Australia: (Mesosiderite). Found 1923. Tkw = 10+ kilograms.
This is a specimen the previous owner got form me back in January of 1994. This is a complete, natural flat little piece that is clearly an internally fresh specimen (I know there were a good number of oxidized pieces of this meteorite floating around years ago). If someone where really skilled or brave, they probably cut this into two nice fresh mesosiderite end pieces (I think a wire saw would be required though). Nice and rare piece.
2.95 gram natural individual – 20mm x 17mm x 3mm - $75
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a piece I sold the previous owner a long time ago. I think it was one of the very earliest pieces I had to offer. The piece is fairly thick by today’s standards and is only etched on one side (the back side still shows saw marks). It is a nice piece none the less. It has a neat sculpted shape, the etch is nice and the natural edge (over ½ of the edge) was only lightly brushed so it has a pleasing dark brown color to it. This still has my original sticker label on the piece and comes with its original (now folded) info card.
40.1 gram etched part slice – 50mm x 27mm x 5mm - $75
INDOCHINITE, Thailand.
This is a nice but fairly typical specimen. It shows pitting on one side and a single large thumb-print on the other. Not sure where the previous owner picked this up originally as I don’t recognize the information card that comes with it.
23.3 gram individual – 37mm x 30mm x 15mm - $5
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = about 100 kilograms.
This is a technically complete individual I sold the previous owner probably not long after this stuff started showing up. I say technically complete as it has an area (20mm x 12mm) that looks broken. Closer inspection though shows that it is clearly a late atmospheric break. There is a little roll-over effect to the crust around this “broken” areas edge that could have only formed if this piece was still falling fast enough to be forming crust. The broken area shows a little slickenside and has its high points crusted as well. This does show a little browning to the crust so it was not an immediate recovery or was one that got soaked in water to bring up the weight being sold to the buyers (simply soaking a stone meteorite in water will substantially increase its weight. I don’t recommend this as an increasing sales results tactic though).
12.4 gram complete individual – 25mm x 20mm x 12mm - $70
SIKHOTE-ALIN, Russia: Coarsest Octahedrite (IIAB). Fell February 12, 1947.
This beautiful specimen is a consigned item that get left with me at the show. I almost sold it a couple times. It does seem expensive but it is well priced considering today’s Sikhote-Alin market. This is a really nice completely thumb-printed oriented specimen (though its orientation is not super obvious). This has had some light cleaning work at some point in the past, but not much. Most of this retains its original crust color and texture. A museum quality piece (yep, a museum was, and may still be considering this piece when they saw it at the show).
3978.65 gram complete crusted individual – 120mm x 110mm x 80mm - $8500
Tuesday 20 January 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 167 - last of the Novak collection
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 167 - last of the Novak collection
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 167
January 20, 2015
Dear Collectors,
I hadn’t planned on doing a list today, but then noticed that I have a week yet before I leave for Tucson (gads, I REALLY need to start getting ready). Here is the last of the Novak collection material. Now this will certainly be my last e-mail offering until late February or maybe even early March.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite).
This is actually an etched part slice of a piece that is all iron (common in Seymchan but fairly rare for Brenham). It was cut from a 69kg piece that was found on October 30, 2005. This is a nearly square piece with one natural edge has a nice etch though not as strong (deep) as I’ve seen on some pieces.
74.1 gram etched iron part slice – 50mm x 50mm x 4mm - $125
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
The way this one looked when I got it, I almost could believe that the piece was truly found nearly 440 years ago. It was pretty ratty. Actually a bit of wire-brushing is all it really needed. This is clearly one of the “old” Campos but I don’t think it is as bad as many of those turned out to be. Many would completely break apart after awhile. This one merely had surface rust and only a few fragments of any size that came off while cleaning. This certainly is not a specimen for people living in Florida but it is a nice cheap “larger” iron piece (and priced about $60 cheaper than Mr. Novak paid for it years ago).
1428 gram individual – 120mm x 55mm x 50mm - $115
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This is a “natural” (in shape, it has been wire brushed) individual. It had a fairly good layer of rust on it when I got it but it cleaned up easily with wire brushing. One side of this piece is quite smooth and resembles pretty much any other wire-brushed meteorite. The other side though shows a number of fairly large pockets of softer (likely sulfide) material. Not a bad hand specimen as it is now but it should be stored away from moisture as much as possible.
883.1 gram individual – 140mm x 58mm x 25mm - $400
GHUBARA, Oman: (L5). Found 1954.
I know that this is officially labeled as just an L5 but it is really far more interesting than that. Years ago, when I had this material to sell (including this piece, Gordon got it from me) it was discovered that this meteorite consists of fragments of L5 material in an L3 host! But it gets even better. Just recently (within the past few months anyway) I read a paper on Ghubara in Meteoritics and Planetary Science (the technical journal that comes with your Meteoritical Society membership). It now says that Ghubara is a regolith (surface of its parent body) breccia. BUT it is not “just” an ordinary regolith breccia but one that was from the surface of the ORIGINAL L-chondrite parent body. So, this meteorite formed on the surface of the L parent before it got smashed apart (and showered the Earth with a huge number of meteorites) around 500 million years ago. Kind of neat. Kind of wish I had gotten more of this stuff (or sold off less of it) back when it was readily available. This is a wonderful obviously complete individual. It does not really show any fusion crust any more, but it has the complete meteorite rounded shape with the occasional thumbprint.
1495 gram complete individual – 130mm x 90mm x 80mm - SOLD
LIBYAN DESERT GLASS:
This is an “individual” that has one small (10mm x 8mm) end chipped. The remainder is obvious original surfaces. This is not the clearest of specimens (and is priced accordingly). It looks fairly foggy looking at it when it is just sitting on a table but it is interesting when held up to a light. Light passes through it quite nicely. The bubbles in the piece have an obvious layering to them. One end o the piece (the end with a chip) is distinctly more yellow as well.
46.0 gram individual – 50mm x 30mm x 25mm - $70
MOLDAVITE:
This is a really nice little piece that has been mounted (glued with silicone I think) to a small wood display base. The specimen is of very good quality, showing nice shape and surface features. I can’t be sure of the weight exactly, but I am certain that it is 6 grams or a bit over.
About 6 gram individual on wood display base – 30mm x 15mm x 7mm - $45
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Here is a nice fist-sized piece that I can pretty much guarantee won’t rust. That is because this is pretty much already all rust. This is a nice solid piece of the oxide material from this fall. This is like the Canyon Diablo material – a mix of magnetite, hematite and other oxides and hydroxides so there is no metal left to rust further. I am NOT going to cut this open to be sure that that is fully the case in this piece though. This one required absolutely nothing to get it ready for market. It is just as I got it. It has a nice yellow, brown and even some red coloration and is actually a nice “large” display piece.
1069 gram oxide individual – 125mm x 90mm x 55mm - $100
NWA unstudied:
This, in my opinion, was the nicer of the two “large” NWAs Gordon had in his collection. This is quite solid and I can tell it would be quite fresh internally. I may end up cutting it. It looks like it has a couple interesting inclusions showing on the surface so it mighty be pretty interesting internally. This almost looks like it could be an 869 but its not quite exact. Regardless, it is a nice hand specimen. It looks to have something over 50% of its exterior being fusion crust (though much of it is somewhat wind polished). The remainder is secondary crust or old breaks (no fresh breaks on this piece).
876.7 gram individual – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $260
SANTA CATHERINA, Brazil: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 1875. Tkw = over 7tons.
I got two pieces of this in the Novak collection. One is an end piece and the other is a complete “individual”. Unfortunately, they are both oxide pieces. But then, I think this is the only way I have ever seen this meteorite available. The outer surfaces of theses are orange/ brown with some darker veining and, the “complete” piece having obvious lighter colored fragments embedded in it. The interior of the cut piece shows a dark gray/ brown magnetite and limonite mix. From the label (that I am putting with the larger piece) and the painted XZZ mark on the end piece, I am pretty certain that Gordon got these from me when I was selling the Tom Palmer collection many years ago.
a) 74.3 gram end piece – 55mm x 35mm x 25mm - $70
b) 119.7 gram “individual” – 55mm x 40mm x 30mm - $100
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 167
January 20, 2015
Dear Collectors,
I hadn’t planned on doing a list today, but then noticed that I have a week yet before I leave for Tucson (gads, I REALLY need to start getting ready). Here is the last of the Novak collection material. Now this will certainly be my last e-mail offering until late February or maybe even early March.
BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite).
This is actually an etched part slice of a piece that is all iron (common in Seymchan but fairly rare for Brenham). It was cut from a 69kg piece that was found on October 30, 2005. This is a nearly square piece with one natural edge has a nice etch though not as strong (deep) as I’ve seen on some pieces.
74.1 gram etched iron part slice – 50mm x 50mm x 4mm - $125
CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
The way this one looked when I got it, I almost could believe that the piece was truly found nearly 440 years ago. It was pretty ratty. Actually a bit of wire-brushing is all it really needed. This is clearly one of the “old” Campos but I don’t think it is as bad as many of those turned out to be. Many would completely break apart after awhile. This one merely had surface rust and only a few fragments of any size that came off while cleaning. This certainly is not a specimen for people living in Florida but it is a nice cheap “larger” iron piece (and priced about $60 cheaper than Mr. Novak paid for it years ago).
1428 gram individual – 120mm x 55mm x 50mm - $115
DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This is a “natural” (in shape, it has been wire brushed) individual. It had a fairly good layer of rust on it when I got it but it cleaned up easily with wire brushing. One side of this piece is quite smooth and resembles pretty much any other wire-brushed meteorite. The other side though shows a number of fairly large pockets of softer (likely sulfide) material. Not a bad hand specimen as it is now but it should be stored away from moisture as much as possible.
883.1 gram individual – 140mm x 58mm x 25mm - $400
GHUBARA, Oman: (L5). Found 1954.
I know that this is officially labeled as just an L5 but it is really far more interesting than that. Years ago, when I had this material to sell (including this piece, Gordon got it from me) it was discovered that this meteorite consists of fragments of L5 material in an L3 host! But it gets even better. Just recently (within the past few months anyway) I read a paper on Ghubara in Meteoritics and Planetary Science (the technical journal that comes with your Meteoritical Society membership). It now says that Ghubara is a regolith (surface of its parent body) breccia. BUT it is not “just” an ordinary regolith breccia but one that was from the surface of the ORIGINAL L-chondrite parent body. So, this meteorite formed on the surface of the L parent before it got smashed apart (and showered the Earth with a huge number of meteorites) around 500 million years ago. Kind of neat. Kind of wish I had gotten more of this stuff (or sold off less of it) back when it was readily available. This is a wonderful obviously complete individual. It does not really show any fusion crust any more, but it has the complete meteorite rounded shape with the occasional thumbprint.
1495 gram complete individual – 130mm x 90mm x 80mm - SOLD
LIBYAN DESERT GLASS:
This is an “individual” that has one small (10mm x 8mm) end chipped. The remainder is obvious original surfaces. This is not the clearest of specimens (and is priced accordingly). It looks fairly foggy looking at it when it is just sitting on a table but it is interesting when held up to a light. Light passes through it quite nicely. The bubbles in the piece have an obvious layering to them. One end o the piece (the end with a chip) is distinctly more yellow as well.
46.0 gram individual – 50mm x 30mm x 25mm - $70
MOLDAVITE:
This is a really nice little piece that has been mounted (glued with silicone I think) to a small wood display base. The specimen is of very good quality, showing nice shape and surface features. I can’t be sure of the weight exactly, but I am certain that it is 6 grams or a bit over.
About 6 gram individual on wood display base – 30mm x 15mm x 7mm - $45
NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
Here is a nice fist-sized piece that I can pretty much guarantee won’t rust. That is because this is pretty much already all rust. This is a nice solid piece of the oxide material from this fall. This is like the Canyon Diablo material – a mix of magnetite, hematite and other oxides and hydroxides so there is no metal left to rust further. I am NOT going to cut this open to be sure that that is fully the case in this piece though. This one required absolutely nothing to get it ready for market. It is just as I got it. It has a nice yellow, brown and even some red coloration and is actually a nice “large” display piece.
1069 gram oxide individual – 125mm x 90mm x 55mm - $100
NWA unstudied:
This, in my opinion, was the nicer of the two “large” NWAs Gordon had in his collection. This is quite solid and I can tell it would be quite fresh internally. I may end up cutting it. It looks like it has a couple interesting inclusions showing on the surface so it mighty be pretty interesting internally. This almost looks like it could be an 869 but its not quite exact. Regardless, it is a nice hand specimen. It looks to have something over 50% of its exterior being fusion crust (though much of it is somewhat wind polished). The remainder is secondary crust or old breaks (no fresh breaks on this piece).
876.7 gram individual – 90mm x 80mm x 50mm - $260
SANTA CATHERINA, Brazil: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 1875. Tkw = over 7tons.
I got two pieces of this in the Novak collection. One is an end piece and the other is a complete “individual”. Unfortunately, they are both oxide pieces. But then, I think this is the only way I have ever seen this meteorite available. The outer surfaces of theses are orange/ brown with some darker veining and, the “complete” piece having obvious lighter colored fragments embedded in it. The interior of the cut piece shows a dark gray/ brown magnetite and limonite mix. From the label (that I am putting with the larger piece) and the painted XZZ mark on the end piece, I am pretty certain that Gordon got these from me when I was selling the Tom Palmer collection many years ago.
a) 74.3 gram end piece – 55mm x 35mm x 25mm - $70
b) 119.7 gram “individual” – 55mm x 40mm x 30mm - $100
Tuesday 6 January 2015
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering
Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………………………..LIST 166
January 6, 2015
Happy New Year! Here is the e-mail version of my recent mailed list.
Tucson show info: I will be gone from January 27th through about February 18th (yep, this show has me on the road for far too loooong). For the show dates I am at my usual spot – Room 134 of Ramada Limited (665 N. Freeway for those with GPS). I should have my room open mid-morning of January 31st. At this point, I plan on staying for the bitter end – February 14th (I have found that I generally do quite well the last few days while the “main show” is open). I’ll open most mornings at 10AM and should be open most evenings until around 9:30 to 10PM – later (within reason) if people are visiting/ hanging around.
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I don’t normally offer mixed bags of an item like this, but I somehow ended up with an assortment of pieces the past few months (after not really having any for a few years). The smaller pieces here are pretty much “natural” (uncut or brushed) fragments that are mostly oxide (though some certainly still have an appreciable amount of metal in them). These are cheap and a good way for someone to add a small sample of this famous (and relatively hard to get in small pieces) meteorite to their collection (most buyers will actually get a piece somewhat larger than the listed ones on these first 2 items). One of the heavier pieces is obviously still all metal as it has a polished face. The slice is etched on both sides. The largest individual has a Monig number painted on it (M8.33) – the only such Toluca I have ever seen.
a) 9.7 gram “oxide” fragment – 22mm x 15mm x 12mm - $5
b) 20.5 gram “oxide” fragment – 25mm x 24mm x 15mm - $10
c) 76.0 gram “oxide” fragment – 45mm x 40mm x 23mm - $50
d) 100.0 gram etched part slice (one cut edge) – 80mm x 60mm x 3mm - $100
e) 105.7 gram metallic fragment/ individual with polished face – 40mm x 30mm x 22mm - $65
f) 479g brushed metallic individual with Monig number – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
NWA 7899: Ordinary chondrite (L6), W1. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 420.2 grams.
This is one I wish I had a lot more of. The outside of this egg-shaped piece showed some black lines indicating that some shock veining was present. On a cut surface though, this one makes you say “wow!” It is among the very best breccias I have seen. It has light/medium gray and tan clasts (of all sizes) in a medium to dark gray (shocked) background. This is truly a great display specimen for getting the concept of brecciation across. I have ONLY this piece right now. I have the other half of this stone yet (planned to make it a collection piece) and may end up having to try to cut some slices off of it sometime later (it’ll have to be wire sawed. It was not easy to split this egg with the equipment I have and I’d probably only mess the thing up if I tried).
121.6 gram end piece – 80mm x 60mm x 15mm - $600
NWA 8185: Ordinary chondrite. (L5), S2, W3. Found before February 2009. Tkw = 793 grams.
This is yet another one of those offered to me as “primitive” but turned out not to be (thankfully, I think I have finally figured out how to pick out the real primitive achondrites with my XRF, at least with a cut surface). That part did not surprise me. The L-type did though. This has the medium gray color, somewhat porous texture typical for the H5s and H6s these “possible primitives” usually turn out to be. The research work though clearly showed that this is indeed an L. The interior shows many light gray somewhat angular to rounded clasts (but no real distinct chondrules) in a gray with hints of green matrix. Kind of different.
1) Slices:
a) 8.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 4mm - $15
b) 16.1 grams - 40mm x 32mm x 5mm - $25
c) 37.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 3mm - $55 – complete slice.
2) End piece:
a) 214.5 grams - 70mm x 57mm x 35mm - $300 – Main mass.
NWA 5421: (LL3.7), cluster chondrite. Found 2007. Tkw = 2.2 kilogrmas.
This is one Matt and I shared some years ago but I sold mine out before it got to any type of public offering. This is because of its amazing appearance. Most of this is nothing but a mass of large distorted chondrules tightly packed together with virtually no matrix what so ever. I got an extra chunk from Matt a couple years ago and sent it to be wire sawed, as it was an odd size and shape and wouldn’t fit into my saw. Thankfully, this took a long time to get done (around a year and a half I think). In the meantime, I learned about “cluster chondrites” from an article in Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences that described these things and had pictures of NWA (5205) as an example that exactly matched my meteorite. “Cluster chondrites” are not really a new class but usually found as small inclusions in other type 3 stones (this particular meteorite just happens to be pretty much one gigantic such “clast”). They are extremely low in matrix, composed of over 80% chondrules (the highest of all meteorites). These chondrules are deformed and indicate that they accreted while still hot hours to days after forming (which hints that they may have formed by low velocity impacts between semi-molten bodies). These “rocks” are believed to likely represent pieces of THE primary accretionary rocks (first solidified rocks that were often then later broken up and mixed into later chondrites).
Wish I knew about all of this when I first got it. I don’t have a lot of this left now. These pieces are pretty much all the “cluster chondrite” texture. Only the large full slice has zones of finer texture (40%).
1) Slices:
a) 1.3 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $25
b) 2.6 grams - 23mm x 12mm x 3mm - $50
c) 5.5 grams - 28mm x 22mm x 3mm - $100
d) 10.5 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $190
e) 20.3 grams - 52mm x 48mm x 2.5mm - $350 – ½ slice
f) 92.6 grams - 115mm x 70mm x 4mm - $1350 – complete slice.
NWA 6950: (Lunar (gabbro). Found June 2011. Tkw = 1649 grams.
A single stone that was broken in eight pieces was found (reportedly) near the Algeria/ Mali border. This material turned out to be a Lunar meteorite with a cumulate texture. This was formed by crystals solidifying and settling out of a magma of basaltic composition that was cooling and solidifying beneath the Lunar surface. These pieces are all part slices (broken from larger slices). They are mostly a mottled mix of light tan and pale green fragments/ crystals but some piece have the occasional thin black shock vein. All are in a labeled plastic box for safety (this is mildly crumbly material) and display.
1) Slices:
a) .15 grams - 8mm x 4mm x 1.5mm - $75
b) .28 grams - 12mm x 5mm x 1.5mm - $140
c) .50 grams - 15mm x 8mm x 1.5mm - $250
d) 1.04 grams - 16mm x 13mm x 1.5mm - $495
e) 2.01 grams - 27mm x 15mm x 1.5mm - $900
f) 5.33 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 1.5mm - $2100
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1937.
Here are a few cut fragments I re-discovered while doing inventory last month. Looking through my records, it seems that I have not offered any of this meteorite on a mailed list for over a decade (however, I have offered the occasional piece on e-mailed offerings over the years). Anyway, these are the usual oxidized pieces that show dark olivine in a blue gray (magnetite and hematite) matrix. I once had quite a lot of this meteorite (8 kg or so), but this is the last of it and this material has gotten fairly scarce these days. I don’t really foresee being able to obtain any sizable quantity of this meteorite in the future (I don’t know of anybody that has some). So, grab one of these if you have been wanting to add this name to your collection. I have only one each of the two larger sizes listed here.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 15.7 grams - 28mm x 26mm x 10mm - $39
b) 22.5 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 18mm - $55
c) 38.9 grams - 45mm x 22mm x 20mm - $90
d) 90.4 grams - 60mm x 30mm x 25mm - $200
CARBONADO, Brazil: Black diamonds that may be from space.
Here are some of the weird diamonds I have spent years trying to acquire since reading about them. The last batch of “Brazilian carbonados” I was sold were clearly not. These very clearly are. These weird, often large diamonds are not really crystals but more of an aggregate of microscopic crystals packed together (interestingly, this structure makes them actually harder than regular diamonds). As such, these seem to have formed by a vapor deposition method somehow. Their chemistry is also unlike any other diamonds. They don’t contain any deep mantle minerals (as other diamonds do). Among many other special features, they have nitrogen and hydrogen in their structure as well as strange minerals including reduced Fe, Si, Ti, FeNi metal and the mineral osbournite (TiN) which has previously only been found in meteorites. It has been concluded by some that these likely formed during the formation of a white dwarf star (which we are learning can basically BE a diamond), with some being blown into our area of space during the super nova that formed them around 3.8 billion years ago.
1) Individual “crystals” as found:
a) 4.1 carat (.82 grams) - 9mm x 8mm x 6mm - $300
b) 17.1 carat (3.42 grams) - 14mm x 12mm x 10mm - sold
Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………………………..LIST 166
January 6, 2015
Happy New Year! Here is the e-mail version of my recent mailed list.
Tucson show info: I will be gone from January 27th through about February 18th (yep, this show has me on the road for far too loooong). For the show dates I am at my usual spot – Room 134 of Ramada Limited (665 N. Freeway for those with GPS). I should have my room open mid-morning of January 31st. At this point, I plan on staying for the bitter end – February 14th (I have found that I generally do quite well the last few days while the “main show” is open). I’ll open most mornings at 10AM and should be open most evenings until around 9:30 to 10PM – later (within reason) if people are visiting/ hanging around.
TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I don’t normally offer mixed bags of an item like this, but I somehow ended up with an assortment of pieces the past few months (after not really having any for a few years). The smaller pieces here are pretty much “natural” (uncut or brushed) fragments that are mostly oxide (though some certainly still have an appreciable amount of metal in them). These are cheap and a good way for someone to add a small sample of this famous (and relatively hard to get in small pieces) meteorite to their collection (most buyers will actually get a piece somewhat larger than the listed ones on these first 2 items). One of the heavier pieces is obviously still all metal as it has a polished face. The slice is etched on both sides. The largest individual has a Monig number painted on it (M8.33) – the only such Toluca I have ever seen.
a) 9.7 gram “oxide” fragment – 22mm x 15mm x 12mm - $5
b) 20.5 gram “oxide” fragment – 25mm x 24mm x 15mm - $10
c) 76.0 gram “oxide” fragment – 45mm x 40mm x 23mm - $50
d) 100.0 gram etched part slice (one cut edge) – 80mm x 60mm x 3mm - $100
e) 105.7 gram metallic fragment/ individual with polished face – 40mm x 30mm x 22mm - $65
f) 479g brushed metallic individual with Monig number – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400
NWA 7899: Ordinary chondrite (L6), W1. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 420.2 grams.
This is one I wish I had a lot more of. The outside of this egg-shaped piece showed some black lines indicating that some shock veining was present. On a cut surface though, this one makes you say “wow!” It is among the very best breccias I have seen. It has light/medium gray and tan clasts (of all sizes) in a medium to dark gray (shocked) background. This is truly a great display specimen for getting the concept of brecciation across. I have ONLY this piece right now. I have the other half of this stone yet (planned to make it a collection piece) and may end up having to try to cut some slices off of it sometime later (it’ll have to be wire sawed. It was not easy to split this egg with the equipment I have and I’d probably only mess the thing up if I tried).
121.6 gram end piece – 80mm x 60mm x 15mm - $600
NWA 8185: Ordinary chondrite. (L5), S2, W3. Found before February 2009. Tkw = 793 grams.
This is yet another one of those offered to me as “primitive” but turned out not to be (thankfully, I think I have finally figured out how to pick out the real primitive achondrites with my XRF, at least with a cut surface). That part did not surprise me. The L-type did though. This has the medium gray color, somewhat porous texture typical for the H5s and H6s these “possible primitives” usually turn out to be. The research work though clearly showed that this is indeed an L. The interior shows many light gray somewhat angular to rounded clasts (but no real distinct chondrules) in a gray with hints of green matrix. Kind of different.
1) Slices:
a) 8.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 4mm - $15
b) 16.1 grams - 40mm x 32mm x 5mm - $25
c) 37.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 3mm - $55 – complete slice.
2) End piece:
a) 214.5 grams - 70mm x 57mm x 35mm - $300 – Main mass.
NWA 5421: (LL3.7), cluster chondrite. Found 2007. Tkw = 2.2 kilogrmas.
This is one Matt and I shared some years ago but I sold mine out before it got to any type of public offering. This is because of its amazing appearance. Most of this is nothing but a mass of large distorted chondrules tightly packed together with virtually no matrix what so ever. I got an extra chunk from Matt a couple years ago and sent it to be wire sawed, as it was an odd size and shape and wouldn’t fit into my saw. Thankfully, this took a long time to get done (around a year and a half I think). In the meantime, I learned about “cluster chondrites” from an article in Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences that described these things and had pictures of NWA (5205) as an example that exactly matched my meteorite. “Cluster chondrites” are not really a new class but usually found as small inclusions in other type 3 stones (this particular meteorite just happens to be pretty much one gigantic such “clast”). They are extremely low in matrix, composed of over 80% chondrules (the highest of all meteorites). These chondrules are deformed and indicate that they accreted while still hot hours to days after forming (which hints that they may have formed by low velocity impacts between semi-molten bodies). These “rocks” are believed to likely represent pieces of THE primary accretionary rocks (first solidified rocks that were often then later broken up and mixed into later chondrites).
Wish I knew about all of this when I first got it. I don’t have a lot of this left now. These pieces are pretty much all the “cluster chondrite” texture. Only the large full slice has zones of finer texture (40%).
1) Slices:
a) 1.3 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $25
b) 2.6 grams - 23mm x 12mm x 3mm - $50
c) 5.5 grams - 28mm x 22mm x 3mm - $100
d) 10.5 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $190
e) 20.3 grams - 52mm x 48mm x 2.5mm - $350 – ½ slice
f) 92.6 grams - 115mm x 70mm x 4mm - $1350 – complete slice.
NWA 6950: (Lunar (gabbro). Found June 2011. Tkw = 1649 grams.
A single stone that was broken in eight pieces was found (reportedly) near the Algeria/ Mali border. This material turned out to be a Lunar meteorite with a cumulate texture. This was formed by crystals solidifying and settling out of a magma of basaltic composition that was cooling and solidifying beneath the Lunar surface. These pieces are all part slices (broken from larger slices). They are mostly a mottled mix of light tan and pale green fragments/ crystals but some piece have the occasional thin black shock vein. All are in a labeled plastic box for safety (this is mildly crumbly material) and display.
1) Slices:
a) .15 grams - 8mm x 4mm x 1.5mm - $75
b) .28 grams - 12mm x 5mm x 1.5mm - $140
c) .50 grams - 15mm x 8mm x 1.5mm - $250
d) 1.04 grams - 16mm x 13mm x 1.5mm - $495
e) 2.01 grams - 27mm x 15mm x 1.5mm - $900
f) 5.33 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 1.5mm - $2100
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1937.
Here are a few cut fragments I re-discovered while doing inventory last month. Looking through my records, it seems that I have not offered any of this meteorite on a mailed list for over a decade (however, I have offered the occasional piece on e-mailed offerings over the years). Anyway, these are the usual oxidized pieces that show dark olivine in a blue gray (magnetite and hematite) matrix. I once had quite a lot of this meteorite (8 kg or so), but this is the last of it and this material has gotten fairly scarce these days. I don’t really foresee being able to obtain any sizable quantity of this meteorite in the future (I don’t know of anybody that has some). So, grab one of these if you have been wanting to add this name to your collection. I have only one each of the two larger sizes listed here.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 15.7 grams - 28mm x 26mm x 10mm - $39
b) 22.5 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 18mm - $55
c) 38.9 grams - 45mm x 22mm x 20mm - $90
d) 90.4 grams - 60mm x 30mm x 25mm - $200
CARBONADO, Brazil: Black diamonds that may be from space.
Here are some of the weird diamonds I have spent years trying to acquire since reading about them. The last batch of “Brazilian carbonados” I was sold were clearly not. These very clearly are. These weird, often large diamonds are not really crystals but more of an aggregate of microscopic crystals packed together (interestingly, this structure makes them actually harder than regular diamonds). As such, these seem to have formed by a vapor deposition method somehow. Their chemistry is also unlike any other diamonds. They don’t contain any deep mantle minerals (as other diamonds do). Among many other special features, they have nitrogen and hydrogen in their structure as well as strange minerals including reduced Fe, Si, Ti, FeNi metal and the mineral osbournite (TiN) which has previously only been found in meteorites. It has been concluded by some that these likely formed during the formation of a white dwarf star (which we are learning can basically BE a diamond), with some being blown into our area of space during the super nova that formed them around 3.8 billion years ago.
1) Individual “crystals” as found:
a) 4.1 carat (.82 grams) - 9mm x 8mm x 6mm - $300
b) 17.1 carat (3.42 grams) - 14mm x 12mm x 10mm - sold
Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.
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