[meteorite-list] Cleaning Sikhote Alin meteorites

From: Michael Gilmer <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:58:29 -0500
Message-ID: <AANLkTinAnO_ps4hHEZz8_6QFjNq0f5T0K-7MMsm9LYKj_at_mail.gmail.com>

Depending on the condition of the meteorites, you can put them into a
rock tumbler with plastic beads or deburring media. It's the same
stuff used to clean up castings and polish metal parts in a tumbler.
I imagine this same treatment would also remove light to moderate
surface oxidation on some irons. Instead of using water as a carrier,
one could use alcohol.

Best regards,

MikeG

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Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites

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On 2/11/11, JoshuaTreeMuseum <joshuatreemuseum at embarqmail.com> wrote:
> Martin,
> It's been my experience on eBay at least, that people won't buy uncleaned
> meteorites. I had a group of Odessa irons, some cleaned, some not. Every
> single one of the cleaned ones sold, not a single one of the rusty ones
> sold. I did receive numerous emails about condition issues with the
> meteorites though. People thought there was something wrong with them.
>
> ---------------------------
>
> I wanted to be a rocket scientist, but they said I was only good enough to
> be a bottle-rocket scientist. (PW)
>
> ---------------------------
>
> Phil Whitmer
>
> --------------------------
> Hi Ruben,
>
> I personally would let them, or at least some of them, uncleaned.
> Almost all of the Sikhotes of the great Russian years of the last decade
> were cleaned, many of them much too strongly, so that pieces with rusty
> patina are really an exception.
>
> And I would know a lot of collectors, who would love to own also a piece in
> as-found-condition besides their cleaned ones in their showcases.
>
> Speaking as a dealer, I would guess, you easily would get the same price for
> them as for the cleaned ones
> (and if you would be a greedy one, maybe even more, in highlighting that
> such a condition is a true exception).
>
> Speaking as collector, I would place them as they are next to the cleaned
> ones, and for the unlikely case you haven't any cleaned ones, just buy
> another lot of cleaned Sikhotes as an addition to the rusty ones.
>
> Best!
> Martin
>
>
>
>
>
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--

Received on Fri 11 Feb 2011 12:58:29 PM PST