Abstracts of Papers Published in the December 2002 Supplement  (vol. 37, #12)

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

The law of ownership and control of meteorites

Douglas G. Schmitt

Author's address:  McEwen, Schmitt & Co., Barristers and Solicitors, P.O. Box 11174, 1615-1055 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3R5, Canada; e-mail address:  dgs@marinelawcanada.com

Abstract–Increased commerce in meteorites raises questions about their ownership and control.  This article reviews the law in several countries, international law, and considers the legal and ethical issues facing curators wanting to bring finds to the research community and not divert them to a black market.  A survey was made of scientists involved in meteorite acquisition in over 20 countries to determine how well various systems work.

Meteorite ownership law is non-uniform.  English Common Law, from which the law in former British colonies including the United States evolved, provides that meteorites are the landowner's property; buried meteorites might be part of the mineral rights.  Find reporting is not mandatory.  Most Western European countries, and former colonies, have civil codes providing that meteorites are owned by the landowner.  In many countries legislation about archaeological treasures modifies earlier meteorite law.  The UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property provides for tracking and retrieving from reciprocating states, cultural property including meteorites.

The Antarctic Treaty does not deal with samples exported.  In July 2001 the Antarctic Treaty Consultative parties adopted a resolution to discourage non-scientific collection.

Curators should exercise caution if acquiring specimens of questionable legal ownership.

Governments should be urged to enact laws to (1) discourage non-scientific collection in pristine areas; (2) encourage collection in populated areas by reasonable incentives to finders, with mandatory find reporting; (3) create efficient export permitting systems allowing exchange of research samples; and (4) retrieve illegally exported meteorites under the UNESCO Cultural Property Convention.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

A "mesosiderite" rock from northern Siberia, Russia:  Not a meteorite

Allan H. Treiman*, David J. Lindstrom, Craig S. Schwandt, Ian A. Franchi and Matthew L. Morgan

*Correspondence author's address:  Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77058, USA; e-mail address:  treiman@lpi.usra.edu

Abstract–A possible mesosiderite meteorite was found in the area of the Putorana Plateau, Noril'sk district, Siberia, Russia.  Although this rock resembles a mesosiderite in its hand-sample aspect and in having Ni-bearing iron metal, it is not a meteorite.  This inference is based on the lack of a fusion crust, the lack of cosmogenic nuclides, oxygen with terrestrial isotope ratios, and several mineral chemical criteria.  Most likely, the rock is from the iron-metal-bearing basalts of the Siberian Trap basalt sequence, which are mined for their base and platinum-group metals.  Mesosiderite imposters like this may be recognized by (1) the presence of Cu metal in hand sample or as microscopic blebs in the low-Ni metal (kamacite), (2) the absence of high-Ni metal (taenite), and (3) the presence of iron carbide (cohenite) enclosing the kamacite.  Even if these macroscopic tests are inconclusive, isotopic and mineral chemical tests will also distinguish rocks like this from mesosiderites.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

One meteorite less from Vietnam

P. Rochette

Author's address:  CEREGE, University of Aix-Marseille 3, BP 80, Europôle de l'Arbois, 13545 Aix en Provence Cedex 4, France; e-mail address:  rochette@cerege.fr

Abstract–Among the four declared meteorites from Vietnam, the two most recent ones-Phuoc-Binh (1941) and Fuc Bin (1971)-appear to be the same, following a visit to the Hanoi museum and an analysis of the literature.  Phuoc-Binh (L5) with a fall date of 1941 July 18 should be the correct entry.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

The Worden meteorite:  A new ordinary chondrite fall from Michigan, USA

Michael A. Velbel*, David J. Matty, John F. Wacker and Matt P. Linke

*Correspondence author's address:  Department of Geological Sciences, Michigan State University, 206 Natural Science Building, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1115, USA; e-mail address:  velbel@msu.edu

Abstract–An ordinary chondrite fall in southeast Michigan, USA (near the crossroads hamlet of Worden in northeast Washtenaw County) penetrated the garage roof of a private home on 1997 September 1.  The Worden chondrite comprises silicate matrix, mineral fragments, chondrules, chondrule fragments, and opaque primary phases.  Electron microprobe analyses (olivine, Fa_23.9; orthopyroxene, Fs_20.1, En_78.8, Wo₁) indicate diagnostic L-chondrite silicate mineral compositions.  Recognizable chondrules and chondrule fragments constitute up to 42 vol%.  Chondrule boundaries are readily discernable (especially where chondrules have rims of opaque material) but not sharp, and discrete plagioclase crystals are visible in the devitrified mesostasis of barred olivine chondrules; together, these characteristics suggest petrologic type 5.  The spatially averaged ensemble of shock-related features (optical extinction of olivine grains, minor localized shock melt) suggests assignment of a shock stage of S3.

The ²⁶Al and ²²Na activities are typical for an L chondrite.  Worden fell near the most recent solar minimum in 1997, and the ²²Na production rate should have been at a level approaching the maximum levels due to solar modulation of the galactic cosmic-ray flux.  The low value for the Worden ²²Na activity relative to those observed in chondrite falls associated with the 1969 solar maximum and 1976 solar minimum suggests a relatively small preatmospheric size.  The ⁶⁰Co activity confirms the indication of a small body.  The ⁵⁶Co activity was essentially zero, indicating that none of the recovered meteorite contained material exposed to solar cosmic rays.

The Worden chondrite is the fourth documented fall in Michigan, and the fourth stony meteorite recovered in Michigan; all other Michigan meteorites are finds, not observed falls, and are iron meteorites.  All Michigan falls to date are ordinary chondrites.  The three falls prior to Worden were Allegan (H5) fell 1899; Rose City (H5, brecciated, black (dark matrix)) fell 1921; and Coleman (L6, veined (shocked); Osborn et al., 1997) fell 1994.  Worden has a much lighter matrix than Rose City, and is less extensively thermally and shock metamorphosed than either Rose City (Stöffler et al., 1991) or Coleman.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

The meteorite collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, Madrid, Spain: An updated catalog

M. J. Muñoz-Espadas*, J. Martínez-Frías, R. Lunar, B. Sánchez and J. Sánchez

*Correspondence author's address:  Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, C. José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; e-mail address:  majem@mncn.csic.es

Abstract–A catalog of the meteorite collection hosted by the National Museum of Natural Sciences of Madrid is presented.  It includes 88 stony meteorites, 56 iron meteorites, and 13 stony-iron meteorites, as well as 14 tektites.

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 37 (2002)
© Meteoritical Society, 2002. Printed in USA.

The meteorite collection of the Civico Planetario and the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Milan, Italy

Luigi Folco*, Fabio Peri and Federico Pezzotta

*Correspondence author's address:  Museo Nazionale dell'Antartide-Università di Siena, Via Laterina 8, 53100 Siena, Italy; e-mail address:  folco@unisi.it

Abstract–The historical meteorite collection of Milan's Civico Planetario and Museo di Storia Naturale is presented in this catalogue.  Started in 1838, the collection contains to date (March 2002) 231 samples of 77 individual falls, representing 118.935 kg (i.e., the total weight is 118 kg and 935 g) of extraterrestrial material, including 5 carbonaceous chondrites, 38 ordinary chondrites, 3 achondrites, 7 stony-iron meteorites and 24 iron meteorites.
 

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