[meteorite-list] AD: Never Before Available- GRIFFITH, TEXAS, Ungrouped Ataxite

From: michael cottingham <mikewren_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2009 23:00:53 -0700
Message-ID: <BC377E7A-395C-465F-9DCB-68B28901D136_at_gilanet.com>

Hello,

Today I am offering a very rare and unusual Ataxite from Texas. The
Griffith, Texas Ataxite is ungrouped and is loaded with many rare
elements. It is a soft Ataxite compared to others, and was difficult
to polish. Many of the slices have inclusions, some very light and
hard to see, other distinct. Total weight available is less than 1500
grams. A lot of specimens have gone quickly into institutions and
major private collections. I will consider trades on some of the
slices, but would prefer to stay with trading for other iron
meteorites with this one. Average price depending on size is $10.00
per gram. However, after 10 days the price goes to $15.00 per gram. It
really is rare, low total known weight, and not much available.

GRIFFITH Ungrouped Ataxite

  Meteoritical Bulletin Info: Griffith Cochran County, Texas, USA
Found 1985, summer Iron, ataxite (ungrouped) A ~6 kg (~13 pound) iron
meteorite was found by Daniel de los Santos while he was hoeing in a
cotton field. Description (T. McCoy and R. Clarke, SI) and
classification (J. Wasson, UCLA): bulk metal composition, Co = 0.73 wt
%, Ni = 14.3 wt%, Ga = 0.3 ppm, As = 0.2 ppm, Ir = 10 ppm, Au = 0.06
ppm; composition is similar to group IVB. Specimens: type specimen,
120 g, contact M. Gower, TTech; 83 g plus polished section, SI.

This was a difficult meteorite to rescue out of the field! The owner
of this meteorite first contacted me a few months ago, telling me that
they did indeed have a meteorite and that they wanted to sell it. They
gave me enough information to convince me that maybe it was indeed a
meteorite. I drove to Texas to check it out. Yes, it was a meteorite
and it was already classified too! However, at first the owners only
wanted to sell me a small portion of this Ataxite, because they wanted
to keep the rest to make jewelry! Yikes. I worked hard to make them
understand that there are better meteorites to make jewelry out of. I
tried to explain that this meteorite was too rare to make jewelry out
of and that there are other meteorites which have been studied and are
more plentiful for such an activity. Well, after many hours talking,
two trips to Texas and thousands of dollars later, I was able to get
them to let this cool and rare Ataxite go free. Many of the slices
have gone to major institutions for study and into major private
collections. All that is available is in my ebay store and really that
is not much! Actually, there is less than 1500 grams available to the
collecting community!

GO TO EBAY STORE HOME PAGE--- SEARCH GRIFFITH

http://stores.ebay.com/voyage-botanica-natural-history

Thanks and Best Wishes

Michael Cottingham
Received on Wed 10 Jun 2009 02:00:53 AM PDT