I think Ms. Killgore has the idea. --- Darren Garrison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5554116 > > Meteorites' value astronomical > > TUCSON, Ariz. -- Marvin Killgore could be described > as the Indiana Jones of the > meteorite world. > > > In the past 16 years he has traveled the globe in > pursuit of rare treasures from > outer space. During that time he has built up one of > the world's largest > collections of meteorites, part of which was > recently on display in Sierra > Vista. > > And among his specimens was a unique Lunar > meteorite, worth an astonishing $3.5 > million. > > The moon rock was found in the Western Sahara Desert > and was the star of the > Huachuca Mineral and Gem Show last weekend. > > "We value a meteorite based on supply and demand and > the amount of material > available," said Killgore, curator of the University > of Arizona Southwest > Meteorite Center in Tucson. "Even though there are a > lot of moon rocks about, > there is less than a kilo of this material known to > man. It's worth $10,000 a > gram." > > The aim of the center, however, is not to find and > then sell rare and valuable > meteorites. > > Its purpose is rather to preserve the specimens for > future research and to > become a world class meteorite facility for > scientists, dealers, collectors and > the general public. > > It is the realization of a dream for Killgore, who > says the worldwide recovery > of meteorites is reaching crisis point. > > "We are picking up meteorites at more than a 1,000 > times the rate they are > falling," he said. "And there was no public > organization someone could go to > take their meteorites. > > "So they end up being scattered and broken down for > jewelry, watch faces, beads, > earrings and knives." > > Most meteorites are found in arid deserts, where the > climate is conducive to > their preservation, but these specimens are usually > sold to Moroccan traders who > sell them to the highest bidder. > > Commercial dealers are the only individuals with the > resources to acquire rare > meteorites, but the Southwest Meteorite Center is > currently trying to raise the > funds to buy such pieces. > > In the entrance to the center, based at the > Department of Planetary Sciences > Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, sits a 425-kilo > meteorite. > > Found in the Gobi Desert in China, the > extraterrestrial material is worth around > $8 million, according to Killgore. > > "It's a really gorgeous meteorite. This is 10,000 > times more rare than gold, > platinum or diamonds," Killgore said. > > His colleague, Dante Lauretta, an associate > professor and director of the > center, adds, "A meteorite like this represents the > core of a planet and gives > us the chance to look deep inside places we would > never be able to go." > > In the pockets of his jeans Killgore keeps a nugget > of gold from Australia, > worth $4,000, and a small meteorite, the first he > ever saw. > > They are a fond reminder of the humble beginnings > that set him off on the path > to becoming a world renowned meteorite expert. > > "I started as a meteorite hunter," he said. "When I > moved to Payson in 1981 I > started a plumbing business, but during the winter > months I wouldn't really have > any work because they weren't building new homes. So > I bought a metal detector > and started looking for gold nuggets to help pay the > bills." > > Then one of his buyers told Killgore he should start > looking for meteorites. > > "He showed me a meteorite and I told him I had found > them but thrown them away," > he said. > > Killgore, who had studied geology and chemistry, > then became a meteorite dealer, > but eventually began keeping the better pieces for > his own collection. > > As he learned more he started to educate others. He > also observed more and more > dealers setting up worldwide and became concerned > about the number of meteorites > being picked up and sold off. > > "I could see a situation where future generations > would not be able to see these > meteorites, unless there was a public organization > which could buy them, > preserve them and use them for future research," he > said. > > The Southwest Meteorite Center opened its doors with > limited funding a year ago. > Since then, Killgore and Lauretta have been > concentrating their efforts on > outreach programs and raising awareness of the need > for funds. > > Interested groups are able to tour the facility, > which also houses a replica of > the Phoenix probe, due to launch from Cape Kennedy > in August 2007. > > It is the first time a university has been given the > management of a space > craft. > > "People will be able to have their photograph taken > holding a piece of the moon > in one hand, and a piece of Mars in the other," > Lauretta said. > ______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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