[meteorite-list] Moqui Marbles

From: Matt <Matt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:34 2004
Message-ID: <000e01c0a268$7d85e7c0$c3dc7fa5_at_state.co.us>

Hi David:
I don't think that the Moqui marbles even merit a test for Ni or REEs. Well
you could do a Ni test, like you would on a meteorite. The REE test is
expensive and time-consuming. There is no evidence in the marbles to
indicate impact.
Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Freeman" <dfreeman_at_fascination.com>
To: "Robert Verish" <bolidechaser_at_yahoo.com>; "meteorite-list"
<meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Moqui Marbles


> Dear Robert and List;
> How about a test for nickel or rare earth's content on the marbles.
Would not that help distinguish terresterial/non teresterial origin?
> Our iron concreations up here in Wyoming seem to humorously immitate
human body parts quite frequently. I have a thumb, foot, and an amazingly
accurate stone heart in my collection of sandstone oddities of nature.
> Entry level rock collectors treasure their finds and sometimes have a hard
time understanding that it isn't a dinosaur body part...or a paleo indian
body part.... This situation seems to be just another cross to bear for
the learned mineral and meteorite collector.
> Best Rocks,
> Dave Freeman
> Robert Verish wrote:
>
> REF: http://www.rocksnstuff.com/specimens/moqui.htm
> Hello Matt,
>
> Last weekend I had a display case at the San Fernando
> Gem Fair in which I would show a meteorite, and then
> right beside it, a look-a-like meteor-wrong. One of
> these meteor-wrongs that I had displayed was a "Moqui
> Marble", which I had labeled as a "limonite/hematite
> concretion in sandstone". My explanation for how
> these stones were formed started a lively debate among
> the rockhounds in attendance at the show.
>
> What I would like to ask you is what do you know about
> the origins of these remarkably similar-shaped stones?
> I know Dave Freeman has a comment or two that he
> could make about these stones, but since you have been
> doing impact-related field work close to this area, I
> thought I would give you first crack at this topic.
>
> It just so happens that one of our own brethren
> [geologist] has muddied the waters, regarding the
> origins of these stones. ("My sediments exactly."
> said another geologist friend of mine.;-)
>
> Here is what he had to say regarding these stones, at
> this URL:
>
> http://www.rocksnstuff.com/specimens/moqui.htm
>
> "This material was formed in an impact site 12 miles
> east of Escalante UT in an area known as 'Big Spencer
> Flat'. The 'marbles' are composed of millions of
> molten spheres condensing on sand grains that bumped
> into and joined with other grains to form small
> spheres that joined with others to become even larger,
> with the hematite/silica coating always moving to the
> outside, but leaving a thin coat on most sand grains
> inside.
>
> "Some larger spheres cooled below the melting point
> during this process, so all steps of it can be seen.
> Some 'marbles' landed in sand, others in limestone,
> and
> some have joined in almost every way imaginable. Most
> of the crater has eroded away, but the remnants of
> dikes created in the impact are still visible.
>
> "The principle collecting area is in the new Escalante
> Monument, but material was deposited on top of eroded
> Navajo Sandstone as far as Lake Powell. I have yet to
> determine if reports from Scofield Reservoir could be
> the same formation, or a different impact. I am sure
> the same process has produced 'Indian Paint Pots' in
> sandstones from many time frames all around the world,
> and are much like 'tektites.'"
>
> The above quote is from Dave Cosby, a geologist who
> has been doing some research on the Utah area where
> Moqui Marbles are found. Dave believes that the
> uniformly shaped stones were the result of a meteorite
> impact in that area.
>
> While we're on this subject, here is a "heads-up" for
> the members of our eBay "Wrong Squad" - at these URLs:
>
> <http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=564933699>
>
> and
>
> <http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=564933715>
>
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Received on Thu 01 Mar 2001 10:58:42 AM PST