NEWS PAGE
17 May 10
Another quick update
I received a 7.30 g specimen of the ANSWER iron meteorite last Monday - provenance is Colorado School of Mines through NEMS... Chicago Steve has taunted me for a year about another specimen of ANSWER that he claims he has... but then again he is a known wannabe and consistently refused to provide a photograph of same nor provide any provenance that might be able to be confirmed... same same his alleged CAT MOUNTAIN specimen... and now his website has mysteriously gone off the airwaves (again)
I have to read through the instructions of my NIKON digital SLR camera when I get half a chance to set it to default so I can take and upload a picture...
Today - I have purchased a specimen of the ELLERSLIE meteorite - thanks sincerely to Mike Bandli - it's always nice to repatriate these home to where they yearn to be with all their friends
I've taken the liberty of providing a link to the larger specimen of ELLERSLIE residing in the Bandli Collection
If readers can help me with repatriating any more Queensland meteorites - you know where I am...
23 Apr 10
Quick and dirty edit yesterday fixee fixeed... date/s, background, weblinks, Queensland Falls webpage - probably more to fix but... another day
My thoughts are with all still-serving and former members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces this coming Sunday on Anzac Day
Remember those who served our countries and who have provided us with the history and heritage that guides our lives today and tomorrow
And a special mention to those who lost their lives in the service of our great nations - and also to those who bear the physical and mental scars of war and conflict
In peace and in war, you hold a special place in my and other serving Defence member's hearts
22 Apr 10
Many know that I am unfortunately terminally ill but methinks it is better to be open and honest and sadly announce this online
Prognosis is median life expectancy of 6 months... maybe more and maybe less... and two months of this has already passed so quickly...
My focus is to spend as much quality time with my wife and children, family and friends... to maintain as much quality of life as I am able... to enjoy all the small things in life that we often do not have the time to or forget to... and to be able to die with dignity
I will attempt to finalise as many outstanding projects as I can and am pleased to say I been able to complete some - no doubt a few more - but the endstate is that I will donate my Queensland meteorite collection to the Queensland Museum together with a file of uncompleted projects that they may be able to complete ?
Today, I received a "old" Queensland find from 1978 - still unclassified - a likely H classification - found 2km north of Mussel Waterhole - Mussel Waterhole being approx 100 miles west of Longreach - 117.2 g chondrite... for your amusement, the nearest railway station to Mussel Waterhole is called Dillcar Station
One jpg uploaded at http://qmig.net/Mussel%20Waterhole.jpg
By God it's nice to repatriate unclassified (and classified too !) Queensland meteorites back home where they yearn to be with all their mates... if any readers can assist me with repatriating other Queensland meteorites - you know where I am
I should even soon very soon be receiving a type-specimen of the "missing" ANSWER iron meteorite - I should let youse know that Chicago Steve has taunted me about his alleged specimen and refused to answer any emails I have sent... but the jury still regards him as a "wannabe" and his story about the provenance does not ring true... neither does his so-called CAT MOUNTAIN
I'll take this opportunity to thank all the friends who have helped me with our beloved hobby - they know who they are - your friendship and support in my hour of need will never be forgotten
My only regret is that our little meteorite community can often be a machiavellian closed society and I'd remind all that it is only by being cooperative with each other and the museum and university community that we can ever move forwards in our beloved hobby
May all good things happen to you and yours - no doubt I'll update any special accessions before I exit - I've had to edit this tonite in a quick and dirty fashion and will fixee fixee the background and weblink tomorrow... and I have to add Mussel Waterhole to the Queensland Falls webpage too... I really have to rename that to falls and finds or another form of words
I will make some attempt for my website to outlive me... indeed Queensland Museum will have an archive copy but if my website disappears off the map you can request a copy from the Queensland Museum
11 Aug 09
I'm back following the completion of Exercise Talisman Saber...
I had a tad of spare time in Rockhampton to hunt for any remaining specimens of the Rockhampton meteorite with no outcome except that I have to revisit this another time to hunt through a warehouse that may have some of the goods and chattels of the Rockhampton School of Arts
A bit of a detour to hunt down an alleged meteor rock in Boulia but this turns out to be a fascinating meteorwrong - I may yet devote a page to this one but this opens a genies bottle I am unhappy to look at just yet - far too many alleged meteorites when you prowl through the history...
I'll get around to a better update when I settle back in - it has been a looong seven weeks or so away... but I do have some nice pix of the Arrabury and Miles main masses to upload... as well as some of the lab data from the Miles meteorite - maybe even a prev unseen newspaper article on the Rockhampton fall...
I must say I am extremely distressed (NOT) that I haven't heard from the
Mutt Tom and Jeff duo for a very looong time - Jeff hasn't
updated his homepage for months and has been very quiet on the meteorite mailing
list - Tom (I still love you because we both like Hoyas) seems to have been very
quiet too which is most unlike him
Otherwise things are quiet on the Western Front - still a lot of projects on the backburner or on autopilot
2 June 09
STOP PRESS !!!
Sorry - no dinosaur egg jokes tonite... but...
What would you get if you crossed a dinosaur with Tom K ?
Wait for it...
JURASSIC PORK !!!
2 Jun 09
Frank has sent me some pix of MILES - so I'll share them with youse... http://webspace.ezadsl.net.au/~qwalkra/miles.htm
Maybe I'll upload some dinosaur egg jokes for Tom K tonite...
1 June 09
A pinch and a punch for the first of the month...
I went away for the weekend to meet some of the remaining family of the late A (Sandy) Watson. Sandy Watson found the Answer and King Solomon meteorites but it appears that they were subsequently stolen... its becoming a familiar story... the late A Watson had most of his mineral collection stolen over a number of thefts (a reminder to self to donate my Queensland collection to the Queensland Museum before I get too old and doddering) - only a small bag of specimens remains... I have snaffled a small piece of beryl and a zircon crystal just to have some connection with one of the great aussie fossickers and have borrowed a small bag of what might just might be small irons
I'd like to hope that the Answer and King Solomon meteorites turn up one day... Steve Arnold (Chicago) lists a specimen of Answer but does not want to reply to any email which is of course his right, but forgets that we often have responsibilities to do the right thing...
Along the way on the weekend I've caught up with the finder of the MILES meteorite and I've asked him for permission to webpublish pix of this
Frank has some stories to tell about Tom Kapitany and I am minded to webpublish these too eh Tom
And I met someone who appears to have two small irons found near Gympie - so I'm trying to snaffle the smaller of the two for a full analysis to record it for posterity
27 May 09
Received a reprint of vol. X, part I, Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 28 August 1930 - The Glenormiston Meteorite - thanx sincerely Peter
Its always nice to receive original articles in good condition and I'd remind readers to share any relevant articles that I have not uploaded
I also have to upload a copy of the Queensland Times newspaper article on the Tenham meteorite - the references gave the wrong date - but it was eventually found...
No surprise that I have no reply from Steve on the Answer meteorite...
24 May 09
I've had mixed feelings lately but I'll stay online with QMIG...
I have to mention Steve Arnold (Chicago) - Steve lists a specimen of Answer http://stormbringer60120.tripod.com/id134.html but won't reply to any email....
All shapes and sizes of projects chugging away in the background - nothing really happens without an enormous amount of time and effort behind the scenes and sincere thanx to any and all who have helped
18 May 09
The Central Queensland iron meteorite mentioned below is an error - person A said person B had an iron meteorite but it is really the Weona picture below
But I do know there's one lurking out there as a doorstop... wait out to see if more details reveal themselves...
I've updated the Queensland Falls and Finds webpage now that I have most of the knowns... Rockhampton has long ago been lost and I'm afraid that the Estate of the late A Watson appears to confirm that Answer and King Solomon were long ago stolen... I'll drive up the road one of these weekends just to check the small bag of specimens remaining but I think this may be another case of far too late...
I've spent a lot of time lately chasing some deceased Estates - I'm absolutely shattered that so much has been stolen...
When you discover how much has also been stolen from UQ or what has gone missing from the University of Sydney and UNE - its difficult to accept that so much of our history and heritage has been looted and pillaged (or misplaced and lost)
And a warning of sorts - the past often reaches out to the present - there's enough clues that some of the guilty parties may be revealed and if you rake the coals who knows what will be revealed in the embers
And... when you discover how much has been illegally exported... well that's another story for another day
There's not a lot to do now - the masterplan is below... but there's a dozen or so projects ranging from minor to major that will merit an update from time to time...
I know the website needs a spring clean and revamp - but there's only so much spare time for this and my priority at the moment is to link with clubs and societies where our interests partially intersect as well as a trial of a newspaper campaign somewhere ? Charleville ?
I go away soon for a few months (no doubt Mutt Tom and Jeff
will applaud my absence) and little will be done until my return but I'd ask
your assistance if you know anything about the missing and stolen Queensland
meteorites
13 May 09
There's lots more meteorites out there... not only those patiently waiting to be found on sandhills and claypans etc but many are held privately and are not formally recorded and yet more where unpublished letters call for further investigation
I'm on the prowl in these general directions now that I have most everything and can devote more of my time to pure research and meet and greet... its time to establish linkages with some clubs and societies since our interests partially intersect and I hope this investment in time money and effort will be amply rewarded
I'm minded to do a letter drop or joint-project a newspaper article ? Charleville anyone ?
And - I'm looking forward to being an elderly grey nomad so I can roam the sandhills and claypans at will...
12 May 09
I've uploaded a picture of a 3.2 kg Weona individual - not a QMIG specimen and merely uploaded for posterity...
A bad lead on the Central Queensland iron... person A said person B had this but person B does not... back to person A again to say who the phuck really has this ?
11 May 09
Mutt Tom and Jeff haven't risen to the challenge of
returning the hurt feelings report... I'm shattered...
Another day off destroyed a la meteorites
More Weona waiting for me at the Post Office today - a 30 g and a 16 g piece - perhaps even more later this week...
I gather there's another iron meteorite lurking in central Queensland... wait
out to see if I can beg borrow or steal some (I might have to ask Mutt
Tom and Jeff for some advice on illegal doings so I can finesse this...)
A drive to Queensland State Archives to snaffle copies of the pix of the Tenham purchased by Queensland Geological Survey in 1939 which now reside at the Queensland Museum... my slice linked below is from # 28 if youse really need to know) - two pix 1 and 2
A quick sortie across town to chase down the beneficiary of an Estate in case I can lassoo Answer and King Solomon - its still a ways off being solved and may end up being a wild goose chase but I have to keep trying until its resolved one way or another... I feel I'm slowly getting closer to solving this but...
And another looong drive home in the gridlock...
10 May 09
I know its childish but I can't help myself... special form for Mutt
Tom and Jeff duo... I'm hoping they'll rise to the challenge and fill it in and
return it to me... hurt feelings report
Should be a surprise waiting for me at the Post Office tomorrow, maybe a few kg of an olde Queensland fall as well later in the week
A busy day tomorrow - off to the Archives to copy some olde photographs, some investigations to track down some Estates, maybe a hasty raid at the museum and the uni as well
And thats all for now...
30 Apr 09
I've received my 13.9 gram little iron something or other from Cloncurry-ish - this one went thru the tumbler... and was noticed as being different and thus was rescued
It has had xray diffraction done many many moons ago and the microscopy person was indeed very respected... you'll notice the film says meteorite and kamacite
I'm still a tad dubious - maybe some of you whizz-kidz might proffer an opinion ??? pix 1 2 3
Let me know what youse think please - meteorite or meteorwrong ???
I'll take it off to the university when I get half a chance so I can cut and etch it...
29 Apr 09
I've cut a nice slice of Tenham from one of the original stones collected by the Hammonds soon after the fall... its always nice to have the very freshest specimens available which are more likely to be useful to science
Much of the Tenham on the private market has suffered due to extremes of climate and you could only hunt for it with scuba gear last year...
I've also sawed off a nice end-cut from Winton 1 (pix 1 and 2) and just because I can took two thick part-slices of Arrabury
Photos up tonite - DONE ! - the new Tenham is a pearler
I've also cut some odds'n'ends for thin sectioning - a genuine Hamilton and both the so-called Hamilton (Dirranbandi) from Jeff and Tom... I cannot wait forever for Bevan et al to analyse them so I'll arrange this myself in a timely fashion eh Bevan
And I have to mention that I pray to my God every day that Moveable Heritage phucks over the Jeff and Tom duo...
Whoah - forgot - Jeff - I've cut a small piece of my new Hammond Downs (1980) to have this paired - just so Jeff doesn't get all spiteful again and be bitter and twisted about it's provenance
My suspected small iron meteorite from Cloncurry-ish should arrive tomorrow... pix up tomorrow...
24 Apr 09
My thoughts are with all still-serving and former members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces tomorrow on Anzac Day
Remember those who served our countries and who have provided us with the history and heritage that guides our lives today and tomorrow
And a special mention to those who lost their lives in the service of our great nations -and also to those who bear the physical and mental scars of war and conflict
In peace and in war, you hold a special place in my and other serving Defence member's hearts
24 Apr 09
Micros of Maroo, Mungindi and Whitula Creek received today - I also have some thin section pix of Maroo, Tookabarnoo and Whitula Creek to webpublish - UPDATE - thin section pix uploaded
I'll wait until I get some macro lenses for my Nikon 5400 (soon...) to webpublish the micros
I should have me small lump of iron from 100 km E of Cloncurry next week - initially thought to be an artifact but this one has some promise... microscopy said it was a meteorite and a slide is coming too so wait and see... too far away to be linked with Answer and King Solomon
As prev - thats about it for a while - there's not much left to do (see below) but I need to once again thank those who have helped or otherwise assisted in any way
Hellfire and damnation to those who have illegally exported and/or stolen our history and heritage - and to those that have obstructed, hindered and otherwise offended me...
21 Apr 09
Quick play with the new kamera before I go away bush tomorrow- yep - I'll have to peer thru the instructions and snaffle some macro lenses... but
I have taken a few pix just to ram home the differences in the so-called Hamilton on the market
(i) GENUINE Hamilton from UNE
(ii) Dirranbandi/Hamilton from Tom Kapitany
(iii) Hamilton from Jeff Kuyken
No wonder I questioned your provenance hmmm Jeff
20 Apr 09
Nearly a royal flush in my poker hand when some of the last few missing in action arrive shortly...
Part (1) of the masterplan in place - pre-loved nikon coolpix 5400 should arrive shortly - if I can't take good close-ups with this I'll shout for help... maybe some macro lenses ? hopefully just point and shoot in close up mode lol - and a hug to my ebay bidsniper... a loyal and fathful servant - I just don't like the idea of the time I need to invest to take new photos of EVERYTHING
Its getting time that Jeff spilled the beans on the Hamilton saga - I'd ask you all to email Bevan et al for the results of the thin-section comparison bevana@museum.wa.gov.au - hell - send him another email too at alex.bevan@museum.wa.gov.au
Phuckem - I'll get some polished thin-sections done myself and arrange for comparison by people I trust...
Its about time I publicly thanked some of the people who have given so much to assist and support this website - none of this happens without an enormous amount of time, work and effort by myself and others in the background - youse never get to see the many projects ticking over in the background and the trials and tribulations, ups and downs of making all of this happen... some false leads and wild goose chases are part of it all... none of it is as easy as going to Woolworths... some of it is subtly difficult if not damn near impossible... at the moment my sincere thanx to my motley crew of colleagues who have helped so much and given so much of their time... you know who you are and none of this could have happened without you
18 Apr 09
Just about to upload some new articles...
I'm a little bit excited today - looks like specimens of the remaining few I am missing are on the way... and maybe just maybe another new find out Dirranbandi way... and a few clues to what may turn out to be other new finds...
Rockhampton was long ago lost tho I have a few pages of unpublished investigations that may help to track this down... I also have a unpublished letter that may help to track down the Answer and King Solomon meteorites
These papers may be a wild goose chase but I have to follow through on them just in case...
Whoah - forgot - a small iron specimen on the way to me from Cloncurry-ish - maybe meteoritic, maybe not - we all get a bit jaundiced because most of these oddities turn out to be meteorwrongs...
17 Apr 09
More articles scanned at Queensland Geological Survey and QUT today...
It's late, I'm tired and the traffic on the way home was phucken horrible so no way I'm gonna upload them tonite
Plenty of spare time over the weekend - not - but I'll try and upload them this weekend
I've said it before and I'll say it again - it is exceedingly useful to hunt down the original source documents and indeed to peer through olde government files - it often points you in directions you were unaware of - in this case the possibility of new finds, unpublished documentation which may help me track down the lost Rockhampton meteorite and olde newspaper articles
12 Apr 09
A belated "Happy Easter" to all readers (except Jeff of course)
I'm uploading some hyperlinks to articles and wrestling with my laptop and scanner to webpublish other articles
It will no doubt be a late night tonite and I'll carry on through tomorrow morning... checkout my articles webpage tomorrow and it all should be done... hopefully I can get it all done tonite
UPDATE - I'm uploading the last pdf now... a reminder to readers to let me know if they find any articles on Queensland meteorites I have not found or webpublished yet...
That'll be about it for a while... most of what remains to be done is planned on an ongoing opportunity basis... I had hoped to concentrate a complete Queensland collection but only time will tell... at least there's some webpages and articles on the few that I am missing and I may be getting some of the MIA soon...
The masterplan...
(i) new pre-loved camera next week for better closeup pix
(ii) a visit to the Queensland Museum to photograph some of their missing specimens that have mysteriously reappeared as well as take some better pix of others
(iii) hopefully more museum trades including scanning more articles from the museum library
(iv) the occasional accession as opportunity allows
(v) more photographs of museum specimens as opportunity allows
(vi) ongoing projects for classification of my new finds
(vii) and it wouldn't be the same without the occasional rant...
4 Apr 09
My 211 g specimen of Hammond Downs arrived yesterday... Its from the later second find at Hammond Downs in 1980
In case Jeff is reading this - yes - I have to get a polished thin-section therefrom and arrange to have it analysed...
At least the provenance from the Haag Collection is a bit better than your so-called Hamilton eh Jeff
And its got the mark of the devil on the specimen too - RH666
RH99 - photos up now 1
2
3
4
I'll try and upload some more articles and pictures too - I'm a little bit behind with the masterplan
For those who are too lazy to read below - this is yet another stolen stone with Haag provenance and a reminder on morals and ethics is overdue for those dealers that sell stolen meteorites
28 Mar 09
I'll arrange for polished thin-sections of both my "Dirranbandi" specimens in the next few weeks - I may be able to get a polished thin-section of another "Dirranbandi" specimen from elsewhere... when and if I can get these compared with a polished thin-section from my GENUINE "Hamilton" is moot but hopefully sooner rather than later
Jeff still hasn't got around to telling me which of the two "Dirranbandi" stones my specimens initially sold by him have come from... I suspect it is from the very weathered mass that differed from one end to the other due to weathering effects
And I still have no idea which of the two "Dirranbandi" stones my specimen sourced from Tom K has come from...
I'm delighted that Jeff has arranged for one of the 'Dirranbandi" specimens to be investigated - see below
I've said it before and I'll say it again - if "Dirranbandi" turns out to be paired with Hamilton I will jump for joy since I don't have as much editing to do on my Hamilton webpage. If "Dirrranbandi" turns out to be a new find I will still jump for joy but for other obvious reasons hmmm Jeff
The whole issue of whether it is paired or not should have been put to bed well before Jeff sold and exported "Dirranbandi". To claim "Dirranbandi" was paired with Hamilton without any formal written documentation or reference is in my opinion untidy. For Jeff to claim that to his knowledge the Dirranbandi mass has been around for years as an accepted pairing to Hamilton which is well known among the museums is surprising when I have been unable to confirm this with three Australian State museums and even the Victorian Museum has stated that "We have small samples of Wynella and Hamilton which came from Ray Binns, donated in 1968, so are likely to be OK. We obtained a 20 kg piece of so-called Hamilton in 2005, but this has to be a new find, not from the original mass. We haven’t looked at it to compare it with either of the above."
26 Mar 09
Dear Mr
I have a sample of one of the 'Dirranbandi' stones and I am awaiting the
preparation of a polished thin section. It is my intention to compare it with a
sample of Hamilton (Queensland) that we have in the WA Museum's collection.
The results of my findings will, in due course, be in the public domain.
Alex Bevan
Associate Professor Alex Bevan
Head, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Western Australian Museum
Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC
Western Australia 6986
Phone: (08) 9212 3752
Fax: (08)9212 3882 `
e-mail: bevana@museum.wa.gov.au
22 Mar 09
Some more data to help Jeff identify his rox... I'll see what else I can find to help him...
Fa Fs
Ellerslie L5 25.2 20.9 28°34' 145°53'
Hamilton L6 25.3 20.8 28°29' 148°15'
Wynella H4 18.7 16.4 28°57' 148°08'
From: Mason, B Notes on Australian Meteorites Records of the Australian Museum Vol 29 1973-1975 Table 3 pages 184 and 185
The complete article lists enough other useful information and data that I'll have to ask the Australian Museum for permission to webpublish it in its entirety
20 Mar 09
Yet another update because I can...
Jeff Kuyken appears to be having an identity crisis
http://www.mail-archive.com/meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com/msg27896.html
"Dirranbandi is a pairing of Hamilton and as such has been given clearance under the name of "Hamilton". I have 17kg of mostly partslices and complete slices to choose from and again for the same reason as above, ONLY 1 KILOGRAM of this has been granted for export! A few of these slices are HUGE as they were taken from 2 large individuals."
But - Jeff now is unable to provide me with any formal written documentation or reference that Dirranbandi is paired with Hamilton
Is it any wonder that you could possibly form a view that it appears that misleading information may have been used to obtain a letter of clearance for export ?
And is it any wonder that you could possibly form a view that it appears that the Dirranbandi stones may have been illegally exported ?
And is it any wonder that those who have purchased so called "Hamilton" from Jeff could possibly form a view that the provenance appears to be dubious ?
Jeff has said that a full analysis is to be done - but when Jeff ? and by who, Jeff ? and are you going to make public the results if they are the opposite of what you have claimed in order to have them exported ?
And shouldn't you have done this before you claimed they were paired and before you exported them ?
And who could forget your comments wearing your IMCA Director hat on the meteorite mailing list and even on your own website http://www.meteorites.com.au/found.html about the illegal export of Australian meteorites
I do NOT want to mention the "fraud" word - but in my personal opinion the lack of any public statement from Jeff is unhelpful to his cause
p.s.
There is clear anecdotal evidence of yet another meteorite lurking out Dirranbandi way ready and waiting to be found - what I call the "Toulby stone" and I'll discuss how best this might be recovered with the Queensland Museum
Dr Binns approached the whole adventure with a circular letter to local residents and newspaper articles and you cannot help but wondering what a similar systematic approach now might achieve...
20 Mar 09
More updates because I can
Photographs of the main mass of Wynella and thin-section pictures of Wynella here and yet more here
Photographs of the main mass of Ellerslie here and yet more here
All of the above kindly on loan from Dr Binns who asked me to acknowledge the photographs of Ellerslie sent to him by Dr Allan Beasley of the (then) National Museum of Victoria
20 Mar 09
Here be photographs kindly loaned by Dr Binns of the main mass of Hamilton
I'll upload the papers and photographs of Wynella tonite with the photographs of the main mass of Ellerslie
19 Mar 09
An open letter to Jeff Kuyken
Thank you for emailing me and stating that "If I'm able to get a sample of the Dirranbandi stone this week, Alex Bevan is going to do an analysis of it and it will be official one way or another."
I've uploaded a letter from Dr Ray BINNS which summarises some of the petrology for Hamilton and Wynella and also uploaded an unpublished bulk chemical analysis of Hamilton kindly forwarded by Dr Binns
These may be useful as a comparison point if indeed you have arranged for an analysis of both the later found Dirranbandi stones - I (and no doubt many others who have purchased what you have sold as "Hamilton") would like to be reassured about the provenance.
For those who are too lazy to read below - I would repeat that Jeff has been unable to provide me with any formal written documentation or reference which confirms that either of the two later found Dirranbandi stones are paired with Hamilton
19 Mar 09
I've finally made the last payment to repatriate a drop-dead gorgeous stolen 211 g specimen of Hammond Downs
Its had me eating bread and dripping for months to be able to afford this and there is still a bitter taste in my mouth about having to purchase stolen goods
This is not from the original 1950 find - rather a later 1980 find from Joe Geiger (the then owner of Hammond Downs)
Joe tells me that this was stolen by Ri***** Ra** who promptly sold it to Robert Haag and I haven't yet got around to discovering if it was illegally exported or not
It has graced the pages of the Robert Haag Collection of Meteorites and is soon to be winging its way to its new home with the majority of the Queensland chondrite main masses
I will have to drive up and introduce it to the other remaining endcut held by Joe's son - and the remaining mass between the endcuts ? - this is missing in action
And - if you are reading this Jeff... I will have to ensure that this is analysed and paired (properly)... I think the provenance is a little bit more certain here but I will be the first to let you know if it turns out to be a new find
At least I'm not exporting it before a full analysis is done to exclude pairing...
15 Mar 09
I need to address the Dirranbandi/Hamilton issue from a QMIG perspective
I really do have to centralise the QMIG collection one of these days...
(1) I vaguely recall a specimen I purchased a long time ago... I can picture it in my mind in a bigger sized round but shallow gem jar marked Dirranbandi Hamilton... from memory it was a dark colour but chondrule rich...
(2) I have another tiny specimen saying Hamilton L6 in a small membrane box after most of it was sacrificed for a polished thin-section. To the best of my memory I scanned and enlarged this and this was the picture on my old Hamilton webpage and the Encyclopaedia of Meteorites are still using this same picture... I'll apologise if I have mixed up (1) and (2)... I really really have to centralise the QMIG collection
(3) I recall buying specimens sold as Hamilton by Anne Black that I understood were sourced from Jeff Kuyken
(4) And I mentioned the 277 g specimen of Dirranbandi/Hamilton I purchased from Tom Kapitany in an earlier news update - no dinosaur egg jokes please...
(5) And now I finally have a guaranteed genuine specimen sourced from UNE
(6) And now I see yet another picture of Hamilton linked from the Encyclopaedia of Meteorites Hamilton (Queensland) webpage that appears to be definitely not Hamilton
(7) And the Hamilton sold at Michael's 2009 Tucson Auction looks remarkably like a Jeff Kuyken sourced specimen http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/Hamilton.jpg
AAARGH - I do not want to be in the unfortunate or unwitting position where I not only buy a suspect specimen of Hamilton but I also webpublish pictures thereof which infers they are indeed Hamilton with a QMIG provenance and blessing with yet other websites citing them as the real McCoy because of their provenance from QMIG
Most of the above are as different in physical appearance as chalk and cheese - check out the difference in appearance yourselves - the Jeff Kuyken and Tom Kapitany sourced specimens are on my Hamilton webpage - youse can easily find the Encyclopaedia of Meteorites linked pictures yourselves
I now know that my QMIG picture of Hamilton published on the Encyclopaedia of Meteorites appears to be definitely not Hamilton - if IMCA are reading this can you please remove this picture
I do know that the specimen listed below is a GENUINE Hamilton specimen sourced from UNE and the provenance is absolute
I still have no formal written correspondence or reference to know if some of the above specimens are indeed Hamilton or not
I make no apology for nastygrams mentioned below - if this is what it takes to force the issue then so be it
But I do not want to be an unwitting partner to publishing what I had previously understood to be Hamilton when there is any doubt and certainly not when I admit a previous mistake
I would hope that the QMIG credibility is enough that I can admit to some honest doubts when I do indeed have them and that I can admit to error when I have realised that what I have purchased as Hamilton is not
And if they all turn out to be either Hamilton or paired with Hamilton then I will have to eat humble pie
But at this stage I am saying that some are most definitely not and the jury is still out on others
p.s. I've spent a lot of my time emailing a Fellow and former Chairman of the Committee of the Meteoritical Society re the above and this should add some credence to what I have stated above
14 Mar 09
I've confronted Jeff Kuyken on the provenance of the Dirranbandi he sold and exported as Hamilton in 2004 and which has also been onsold by other dealers
No surprise that I have not got an adequate reply with any written documentation or reference confirming pairing
After a variety of nastygrams to and fro, he now tells me that if he is able to get a sample of the Dirranbandi stone next week, Alex Bevan is going to do an analysis of it and it will be official one way or another... a far cry from your earlier emails Jeff and methinx the analysis should have been done before you sold and exported it
I hope Alex B EVAN is not squandering or misusing his pittance of government funds in the current economic crisis
And a little voice in the back of my head is concerned that this could appear be a rush job to provide hasty backup to an old letter of clearance - I hope not...
Seriously - hopefully an analysis will be done on BOTH the later found Dirranbandi stones - if not arranged by Jeff then certainly by me in due course
I would be delighted if either or both Dirranbandi stones indeed turn out to be paired with Hamilton (so I have less of an edit to do on my Hamilton webpage) but I would be overjoyed if indeed we had a new find or even finds
9 Mar 09
Its always nice when a parcel of chondrites is waiting for you at the Post Office - a 6.20 gram part slice of Wynella and a drop dead gorgeous 42.86 gram chunk of Hamilton, both from UNE.
I've said it before and I'll say it again that its only some genuine cooperation between the museum, university and collecting communities that will advance our differing objectives.
Now I have to upload a Wynella webpage... done !!!
I'm not sure if I should edit the Hamilton webpage just yet... readers may know that Hamilton was written up by Dr Ray Binns from UNE and this genuine specimen is sourced from UNE... but the commercially available Hamilton appears to always be a very dark brown so I now need to confirm its provenance, or indeed a dark grey in the case of Dirranbandi/Hamilton - My new specimen of genuine Hamilton is very dissimilar - photos are at 1 2 3 - I may have to undertake a project at some later stage to investigate if Hamilton and Dirranbandi should continue to be paired... questions queries comments dramas are sought from listoids re this
5 Mar 09
I should receive a specimen of Wynella shortly - hopefully in a type specimen size since this is one of the few very few I am missing
I've damn near given up re the few very few I am missing - two of these were illegally exported by Bob HAAG - damn you - but Mungindi should be accessioned later this year
If any readers want to swap or sell part or all of their Maroo or Whitula Creek specimens - you know where I am
More Hamilton should come with the Wynella, perhaps a polished thin-section of Ellerslie later
And a drop dead gorgeous specimen of Hammond Downs on the way soon - another Haag thievery...
I know I am behind uploading/webpublishing articles - hopefully this weekend... and more articles on Hamilton and Wynella are hopefully going to be available to me too
27 Feb 09
Some new articles to be uploaded shortly if I can find some spare time... Mungindi, Thunda and the Warbreccan stones (aka Tenham)... the Warbreccan article is from the the Prior article in the Mineralogical Magazine which also has info on Daniel's Kuhl etc so it is an interesting read... I'll add the article after this in MM too - its lovely to read some of the older perspectives of classifying meteorites
p.s. There isn't too much in some of the older articles but they have to be webpublished for completeness... the style and lack of political-correctness is a lovely insight into a far different day and age...
And it appears that my Ethabuka has been submitted to metsoc so I'll try and webpublish a copy of the metsoc submission...
20 Feb 09
One step forward, two steps back... more knowledge = more work to do...
My copy of Australian Meteorites, T Hodge-Smith, 1939 arrived today
As prev - wait and see if I can get permission to webpublish this... theres not as much as I thought on Queensland meteorites but I'd like to webpublish some of the relevant pages and plates...
The beauty of these olde books is that they often point you in directions you were unaware of by citing other articles so a gander thru the uni library is now a must do to hunt down, scan and webpublish those...
I was gonna sortie off to the uni today but theres just too many other damn things to do so this will have to wait until next week
19 Feb 09
Now thats wot I like to see - some genuine cooperation between the museum, university and collecting communities... Now there is a lesson for B1 and B2 at VM hmmm...
Sincere thanx to Ben McHenry of the South Australian Museum who has sent me a cd of data on the Arrabury meteorite which can be accessed on the Arrabury meteorite webpage and the articles webage
17 Feb 09
Stand by for some documentz on Arrabury and a photo (maybe two) of the remaining main mass
Hopefully more incoming documentz on Hamilton and Wynella as well...
And... I have ordered:
HODGE-SMITH, T. Australian Meteorites. Memoir Vll.
The Australian Museum Sydney, 1939. Card covers lge 8vo 84pp xix B&W plates
Wait and see if I can get permission to webpublish this classic...
That'll do for now - a nanny nap beckons
13 Feb 09
BLACK FRIDAY !!! - an appropriate time to mention the wall of shame webpage...
And how the hell could I have ever forgotten the anniversary of the Picard Meteorite...
I've uploaded some low magnification pix of complete polished thin sections viz Memie 1, Lake Koolivo, Weona, Whitula Bore, Winton 1, Ingella 2 and Memie 2
I'm hoping to snaffle more pix from the uni next week, perhaps some EMP results if I (and youse) are lucky
4 Feb 09
WooHoo - Ethabuka is damn close to a metsoc submission - it was the nicest of the batch of seven from in and around the Tenham strewnfield most likely to be confirmed as a Brecciated Chondrite LL5-6 - my sincere thanx to JCU and Bathurst Observatory
Thats one down and twenty odd to go but I swear I'll see it all through...
A few new pix of Hamilton for youse - I'm not kamera klever today with me hand splinted and slung after surgery to my left little pinkie last week... I'll take some better pix when I can
And... a long overdue update to my Naryilco webpage
Maybe I'll even upload some more artikles this arvo if I feel motivated - done !!!
Still lots happening as background tasks... hopefully another exciting year but nuthin happens as quickly as you would like in meteorite world
For those of you lucky enuf to be suffering from Tucson fever - enjoy and may all good things happen for you and yours
28 Jan 09
By God I'm beginning to venerate my ebay bidsniping program - I'll have to buy it chocolates and flowers today - I damn near proposed to it last nite
A 277 gram Hamilton/Dirranbandi slice winging its final journey back to where it should live - the Hamilton webpage desperately needed an update so better pictures soon...
Tis a harsh lesson to bargain hunting ebayers typing away in the last moments thinking they are gonna get a giveaway price... far better for them to have lodged a sensible high bid but phuckem
Whilst they frantically typed away in the last few seconds - I snored comfortably and snaffled it thank you very much
26 January 09
Happy Australia Day to all aussies wherever you may be...
23 January 09
As below - I'm in limbo - far too much take and not enuf give - I swear I'll be a pensioner before some of the accessions, classifications and other issues get finalised...
But... I did promise to update some of the fotos I was unhappy with and thus new Carranya, Galway Downs, Ingella Station and Manella Outstation pages
And that'll do for today since a nanny nap beckons...
16 Jan 09
Yesterday was QMIG's second birthday...
I'm sorta at a crossroads with QMIG - there's still much to do but it seemingly takes forever to get many things done
I'll persevere with updating the articles webpage and also update some of the photos I'm unhappy with but that's gonna be it for a while - I'll park the website pro tem until I have the motivation to continue
The only ray of sunshine may be a breakthrough in getting pictures of complete polished thin-sections under cross polarised light rather than field of view but this is only in the early stages and I do not want to get my hopes up...
There are some komplex trades on the horizon but once again they take forever and I'll be happier once the interlocutory issues become more concrete
Its a minefield out there in our little meteorite community - plenty of take and very little give - more skullduggery and scheming and downright illegality than you can imagine so a break is gonna be a godsend
For the time being - adios
8 Jan 09
Another update !!!
I snuck over to Queensland Museum today to take some new photographs to share with youse
A bit of editing to Gladstone 1, Glenormiston, Winton 1 and Winton 2
And for - the curious - no it ain't my tummy or shoes in some of the new photographs are they Alex
There are still some webpages that I am a tad unhappy with and I'll update more webpages once i centralise the QMIG collection
Contrary to all rumours myself and this website are alive and well and steady (but slow) progress is being made
I get email from some of you from time to time and seek any information or pictures that you consider should be included in the pocket-guide. I am still seeking specimens of Maroo and Whitula Creek and Wynella and seek information where I can purchase same though I have fond hopes I will have them all (with the exception of Answer and King Solomon and Rockhampton) early next year...
As previously - my sincere thanks to all those behind the scenes who have helped - you know who you are - none of this happens without an enormous amount of time and effort behind the scenes
7 Jan 09
I've done a revamp of some of the webpages as promised with a theme of "there's metal in them thar chondrites"
See Weona, Winton 1 and Winton 2 webpages... and I replaced one of the Tenham pictures that I always hated. I have to centralise the QMIG collection before I do some other updates
I'm damn close to having all of the Queensland critters... except for those either confirmed lost, missing or illegally exported...
I hope to accession Wynella early this year and I still have hopes that a specimen of Whitula Creek will magically appear - please email me if you can assist with a specimen
And if Russ Kempton ever sends the Maroo and Mungindi I paid for two years ago I will be in hog heaven (although I may accession Mungindi from another source)
Thats about all folks - I may accession some new specimens next week and I would appreciate if any readers could email me with a dummies guide to cutting iron meteorites
And there's still work to do a la the few remaining polished thin-sections I need...
5 Jan 09
I've uploaded a photograph of the QMIG collection Arrabury 4.41 gram part-slice - I'll upload a picture of another crusted 5.06 gram Arrabury specimen from the QMIG collection soon
I'm planning a revamp of many of the photographs as and when I get time... I have to centralise the QMIG collection and obtain new pictures from various museums
My trip to the Tenham strewnfield has been postponed pro tem and I will see what other opportunities I have this year
This year should see more new accessions though I still have to finalise the interlocutory work for this
12 Dec 08
The received wisdom is that the new find below is a Tenham altho methinx there is just a tad too much metal therein
UQ will arrange for any further investigation/s deemed necessary just in case it is indeed a new find but for the moment it will lurk on my Tenham shelf
I hope to visit in and near the Tenham strewnfield around Christmas and am praying to my God that more specimens will reveal themselves
To any and all visitors I would wish you the compliments of the season and may all good things happen to you and yours
11 Dec 08
Back home again...
Still nuthin much to report
I saw a un-named new Queensland iron meteorite at the Cosmos Centre in Charleville last week
We took some pictures that turned out to be very poor quality and I have emailed the Cosmos Centre to seek some better pictures for a new page on this Barcoo River find...
Prof has finally cut the 48 g chondrite mentioned below - I'm uncertain if it is a Tenham or not ??? so this will be yet another one for EMP and Raman Laser given the shock veins...
Your views on if it is or aint a Tenham would be appreciated
Yep - link for the photo of the cut face of the new find is above...
17 Nov 08
Nuthin much happening of late...
Many, many projects underway slowly creeping closer to nomenclature of my new finds - sincere thanx to JCU and UQ...
I know I have to get busy uploading photos of new specimens and new polished thin-sections but this is gonna haveta wait until the end of the year when I am on leave and have some time and space to do this...
I think I have a new find from smack bang in the middle of the Tenham strewnfield... a 48 gram chondrite lurking on a sandhill - the strewnfield has nearly been picked clean and anything on a sandhill is likely a new find... it does not have a classical Tenham shape and tis more weathered and rusty than the usual Tenham nuggets one may find
UQ will attack the stone with a buehler saw tomorrow and I hope to upload some pix tomorrow
Thats about it - I'm a bit unsettled today... Robert H**G pillaged and looted many Queensland chondrites - some of which he has sold to dealers like Jason P******s of R***s F**m H****N to name but one sad saga... and what happens... I**A seems to believe that the solution is for Jason P******s to sell the stolen stone back to the owner - unbelievable in terms of morals, ethics and professional responsibility - just wait - this is likely to happen to you too and don't think that any professional association will help you either
2 Sep 08
Same dog... different leg action... QMIG back online with a new internet provider - thank you sincerely to Leon at http://www.ezadsl.com.au/ for making the webspace available
Let me know if you find any broken links and I will try to restore them... I have to hunt for my backup copies of a few articles and pictures and I am uploading some as I type
Most of my new finds have been tested by UQ with a few to go...- hopefully some metsoc submissions by the end of the year - thankyou sincerely Prof C
Winton 2 is not one of my personal finds but I do have some specimens - this one is extraordinary and will tip science on its ear once the investigations are published - I'm sworn to secrecy so cannot say much but it may prove to be the holy grail...
I'll see how motivated I feel and will try and webpublish some EMP results and polished thin-section pictures for the new finds but the Prof may veto this since nothing has been published yet... wait out
I'll also see if I can find the time to webpublish some pictures of my new acquisitions mentioned below...
This update is more to see if I can remember how to code html and ftp upload the edits...
11 May 08
I'm looong overdue for an update...
I've been far far away and have now settled back at work and am beginning to focus on meteorites again
I'll be honest enough to say I've done very little with meteorites since the last update although I did receive some gorgeous type-specimens of NARYILCO
As previously - many projects are proceeding slowly and whilst some are nearing completion, others need kick-starting or indeed are either stalled or longer term
I have an enormous batch of chondrites being tested - thankyou sincerely Prof C - I hope to upload the results shortly...
I have a batch of new polished thin-sections and part-slices and full-slices sitting on my bed as I type this update - the main capture of note is three part-slices of ARRABURY totalling approx 15 grams one of them being a small crusted end-cut - a part-slice and two frags of GLENORMISTON and a type-specimen sized part-slice of WEONA. The new polished thin-sections are awesome and I have to loan a couple of them to check if some of my new finds are paired or not ?
I'm slowly working towards getting all the Queenslanders... Rockhampton was long ago lost, Answer and King Solomon are MIA... the others I believe are all lurking and it is merely an administrative matter to chase them all down
As above - ARRABURY has finally arrived and now I can focus on the few others I am missing
If any listoids can assist with trading or selling a specimen of WHITULA CREEK and MAROO - please email me
I had some difficulties cutting a small slice of GLENORMISTON last week and seek advice on how to best cut irons - I can utilise the services of the Mechanical Engineering Workshop at the University but simply need (in-depth) advice on how best to go about this...
I had more luck snapping off a few small frags than cutting small part-slices but that is another story
I need to take photgraphs of the new captures and will upload pictures once I have finalised this
STOP PRESS
A belated happy first birthday to QMIG
Website launch 15 Jan 07 from the metlist archives...
A long difficult and ugly year wrestling with the classification of new Queensland finds and more of the same this year...
The year has had its high points and has also had its low points - nothing is easy in meteorite land
I had thought I'd snaffle all the Queenslanders last year - maybe just maybe this year
I have new Queensland finds strewn up and down the east coast of Australia being classified - this year should see the metsoc database of known Queensland chondrites being doubled through the efforts of QMIG... and no doubt more new finds this year...
23 Jan 08
Its always nice to look in your letterbox and find a Tenham individual is patiently waiting to meet its new owner
I've put some photos up 1 2 3 - a classic 220 g Tenham slab with a hint of thumbprinting
You may have read in the news about the floods in Queensland - the Tenham strewnfield is flooded pro tem and stones can only be collected with snorkelling gear for another week or so
The receding floods may indeed expose more stones in the claypans and surrounding areas particularly as the claypans shift and contract - wait and see...
I'll be away for a few months from the end of Jan 08
I'll clear email as and when I am able and although many projects have been commenced and will continue on automatic pilot - much will have to wait until I return in April 08...
I'm praying to my God for more new finds to arrive in April 08 and once I have settled back in I will let youse know what is happening
For those going to Tucson - enjoy - look out for and snaffle me some Arrabury, Maroo, Mungindi, Whitula Creek and Wynella - tho I have cunning plans in progress to hunt these down
16 Jan 08
I have uploaded the first batch of EMP results from JCU of the Tenham strewnfield seven. As prev the EMP machine went kaput after spitting out the numbers for three of them and I hope the remaining four will go thru in Feb 08
The name I must admit is a misnomer because only the two new Ingella stones are from the Tenham strewnfield - the other 5 stones cluster around the "true" location of the "known" Lake Machattie
You will no doubt notice that the EMP results for Ingella 2 are damn close to the published values for Hammond Downs and the "known" Ingella Station - in fact all of these finds plot quite closely on the map
Whoah - one step forward and two steps back - Ingella 2 now has to be thin-sectioned compared against Hammond Downs and a "known" Ingella Station to see if the petrology reveals if it is paired or not
I should have polished thin-sections of Hammond Downs and a "known" Ingella Station early next week - a sneak peak of an image of the "known" Ingella Station is here... any of youse experts want to take a gander and let me know if youse thinx it is paired to Ingella 2 or not ???
I've also uploaded the chemical analysis results of the Tenham strewnfield seven done by the University of Queensland if you are interested - just so you know I am not sure which Ingella result is which... the numbers may NOT match my specimen numbers - I hope to know exactly what is what soon from the chemical analysis results... any of youse experts want to take a gander at this and let me know if they be 3 different finds from this analysis or not ???
The Cowarie Waterhole EMP results are hmmm close to the published Lake Machattie numbers but Cowarie Waterhole is approx 100 km SW of the "true" location of the "known" Lake Machattie so I am awaiting advice as to whether yet more thin-section comparison has to be done against a "known" Lake Machattie or whether Cowarie Waterhole can be submitted to metsoc now for nomenclature
Thank god that the EMP results for Ethabuka are clear that it is an LL and I hope this one will go off to metsoc for nomenclature soon
A footnote - no thanks to Haag and Buehler for letting the wrong coords being published
Contrary to all rumours myself and this website are alive and well and steady (but slow) progress is being made
I get email from some of you from time to time and seek any information or pictures that you consider should be included in the pocket-guide. I am still seeking specimens of Arrabury and Maroo and Whitula Creek and Wynella and seek information where I can purchase same though I have fond hopes I will have them all (with the exception of Answer and King Solomon and Rockhampton) early next year...
As previously - my sincere thanks to all those behind the scenes who have helped - you know who you are - none of this happens without an enormous amount of time and effort behind the scenes
3 Jan 08
No new news per se - though I hope to have some exciting news mid to late Jan 08...
Can my website visitor from out Richmond way email me please - you pop up on my webcounter and I'd like to chat
24 Dec 07
Aaargh - I hate computers - I must admit to being a Luddite
I finally got the computer to boot after reseating the RAM and now I have to remember how to play OCR... funny how it seemed to be so easy very early in the year but now...
Should have it done by tea and the articles uploaded as pdf - I know - read the manual...
UPDATE - whew - they're uploaded and online... a tad rough and ready but they're there... I haven't really got the time and patience to put them through OCR at the moment - maybe another day... Articles can be accessed from the Articles webpage or from the main menu bar
The point I am perhaps trying to make with the articles is that there are usually far more articles than you think exist (well sometimes anyway) and reading the articles and references often gives you serendipitous information that is extremely useful...
I put up a new animated donations picture on the home page to remind everybody that donations are sought to help keep this website alive
This website only exists through the good graces of my and some colleague's pockets and resources. Whilst we will try to maintain the site - any donations will be returned in the sense that more information, photographs and specimens can be resourced and webpublished
It's not cheap to travel and I kid you not a lot of travelling is required to make this magically happen - at least 4000 km to drive in the next month or so and more likely 10000 km in the next 6 months...
23 Dec 07
Nearly Christmas (and my Birthday tomorrow) and nearly a year since I began the initial html coding for this website - 1428 visitors to this website as of today from the webcounter which if I recall correctly was a later addition and methinx has been reset once ?
Once again my sincere best wishes to the meteorite community and any other of my webpage visitors over the Christmas and New Year period. Thankyou for your support and I will continue to build on the resources available to you
I'll hook up the scanner this afternoon - I have some interesting articles on Gladstone, Glenormiston and Tenham to upload
Tis time to do a bit more research as to what other olde articles exist...
20 Dec 07
Rockhampton meteorite webpage uploaded
Maybe just maybe I'll scan some more articles this afternoon...
19 Dec 07
As prev... nothing much happening at the moment... I'm waiting on the outcomes of several projects in motion and hope to have exciting news early in the new year...
I'll use the time to scan some articles that I consider are useful and indeed perhaps hitherto unseen by all but a very very few... I just have to find the motivation to wrestle with the vagaries of the scanner and I have to double-check the coords which do not scan well into html
I am curious about a possible article on the Rockhampton meteorite... more tomorrow once I delve into the university library holdings...
Yep - I know - a website makeover is needed and that will be one of my priorities in the new year
I am in the throes of "coining" a limited edition Tenham medallion in much the same style as the several other meteorite medallions already available online - I have the artwork selected and merely have to work out how to best achieve the required number of fragments from a small individual without too much wastage. Any thoughts on how I can best go about this would be greatly appreciated. You may wish to contact me for pre-orders... If this is indeed successful it may spin-off further medallions...
2 Dec 07
Mirror website at http://www.qmig.net
Let me know if youse see any errors I need to edit... the webcounter points to http://www.qmig.org until I can get around to fixing this...
This will allow me to have a website 24/7 while I think seriously about changing internet providers
Youse knows the story - take ADSL codes off the telephone line - wait in the queue at the telephone exchange to get on the DSLAM for ADSL 2 + ... wait for new ADSL codes on telephone line
Its not easy and perhaps deliberately so... many people simply do not want or need the hassles of being offline (up to a month or more !!!) just to change providers
But - the big Telcos will NOT price-match and you can get significantly cheaper deals from other providers
I haven't quite figured it out but methinx the bigger providers must wholesale their spare capacity
TELSTRA - long gone !!!
OPTUS - nearly gone !!!
TPG - soon...
27 Nov 07
I aint gonna be doing too much for a little while so I would take the opportunity to wish the meteorite community and any other of my webpage visitors a very merry christmas and a happy new year
Next update is more likely going to be the mid Jan 08 where I hope to reap the results of some of the projects I have commenced lately
I have had the chance to reflect on what I want to be doing next year - a webpage revamp comes to mind immediately - and it has struck me just how difficult it has been this year and next year for that matter...
All of of us come to a stage where getting the last few that you want is damn near impossible - I haven't hit the wall yet and several machiavillian plots have been commenced to round up the missing creatures and I expect to have some exciting news as the new year progresses...
Classification and nomenclature of new chondrites is not easy - it does not happen quickly either and the difficulties of achieving funding for EMP is not an easy task - you have to take your bat and ball and knock on many doors until the solution presents itself - finding new meteorites is not easy either...
At present I am hopeful that I have achieved a longer term solution for EMP which may even result in my having some of the older finds seemingly classified by mark one eyeball petrology alone put through EMP
I hope to bring you more new finds in the new year but I have enough on my plate now that this is more likely to be the second quarter of the new year
Not withstanding the above, I have 18 new finds going through classification and EMP as you read this and many should be submitted for nomenclature by the end of this year...
Now - the exciting stuff - new pictures of the Glenormiston main mass are up for your viewing pleasure - and yes QMIG expects to accession slices of these next year - you can see the previous cut face in the last photograph...
More exciting stuff - new pictures of Gladstone 1 - apparently most was long ago sold by the Geological Survey of Queensland to the Field Museum in Chicago and only this small slice is available for photographs pro-tem - and yes I intend to lop off some for QMIG and I suspect I may be able to source more elsewhere...
But wait there's more - new pictures of Gladstone 2 - and yes I am plotting to get some slices of this too... and thats a damn big previously cut face to get a specimen from...
The Gladstone irons were intially thought to be one find and two main masses therefrom - it is now felt to be two separate finds though more investigation has to be carried out to formally confirm this
Last new picture is of Winton 1 and you guessed it I hope to have some of this soon as well...
Thats enough photographs for now - I am tending to put them up as a low-res now to conserve webspace but will consider sending you high-res photographs if you ask me...
Lots of projects on the boil right now...
As prev UQ will undertake the classification of the Windorah Quartet - rumour exists that one indeed may be an achondrite - wait and see - we all know how deceptive they can look - UQ will also do the science on the Winton Triad...
Lots of polished thin-sections being prepared for me
Lots of new accessions have been begun as separate projects and I hope to have these by mid Jan 08
Some more buying sprees are planned and more importantly I am looking forward to a break so I can make some headway on the pocket-guide on Queensland Meteorites - I hope to call it "Where the Sandhills meet the Claypans" A Meteoritical History of Queensland
More new finds are planned for next year God willing
And that's it - forgive me for a longer than usual news
17 November 07
Four new chondrites from Windorah are accessioned - Carranya, Galway Downs 1 & 2, Manella Outstation - near enough to 600 grams total for all four
Two came from different ends of Galway Downs Claypan - the gut feeling is of two new finds mirroring the Memie Sandhill specimens - UPDATE - photos of cut faces tend to confirm two separate and distinct finds
The Windorah Quartet are to be loaned to the University of Queensland who appear willing to undertake classification and a nomenclature submission
Photographs are now uploaded for your viewing pleasure
I'll take the risk of adding them to the Queensland Falls webpage and they are also linked from the New Finds webpage
My Lake Machattie 2 may indeed be a known Lake Machattie - more to follow in due course
28 Oct 07
My sources of supply have found four new chondrites in the Windorah area - guestimate 750 g total - one is approx 400 g - wait and see...
I have some other priorities at the moment but should snaffle these ? mid Nov 07
These are most definitely new finds - not what turns out to be carbon steel
by one of my more excitable colleagues - the spread
would infer four separate new finds
It has been shall we say a complicated year trying to get fourteen new finds thru nomenclature - I am going to have to reassess what classification options are available to QMIG
27 Oct 07
STOP PRESS !!!
New meteorite find in Bathurst - click here
18 Oct 07
A colleague was to give me some new finds from Winton but he has misplaced them and is searching for them... he will eventually find them and then I can post some pictures...
The search however turned up a handful of other small stones that may or may not be meteorites
Their history is uncertain but to the best of his knowledge they were found on Dagworth Station (near Winton) by his Grandmother prior to WW2
His Grandmother had an eye for and love of stones which my colleague has inherited and thus I hold some hopes that they might indeed be meteorites but we all know how deceptive these can be...
UPDATE - I have cut one specimen - it falls off the magnet and the jury is unimpressed with the polished and unpolished cut faces - not to worry - more interesting specimens for my meteorwrong collection...
I cannot report the news without mentioning the most extraordinary display of childish and petulant behaviour I have ever seen from the Gunner
Even metsoc has been difficult to deal with lately...
7 Oct 07
Next Sunday I should be the proud owner of half a dozen or so chondrites found on a property just south of Winton - the date of the find/s is uncertain but most likely to be prior to WW2
More details and pictures when I am able but they are all small individuals and it is unknown if they are paired
I am always very dubious and very sceptical until I can hold these in my hand and give them a mark one eyeball inspection but these have the all the portents of being a unique find
As if I didn't have enough to do it looks like I may have another batch of new Queensland finds in November (fingers crossed)
5 Oct 07
Update but perhaps more correctly a downdate...
3 of the Tenham strewnfield seven have undergone EMP at JCU - the rest will follow once the EMP machine has been repaired... damn vacuum pump
I swear my new chondrites are cursed
More details when I am able but progress is being made... I'll liaise with JCU to see what results can be released and have to consider whether to make a metsoc submission of 3 now or submit all at once later...
I plan to peer at the thin-section of the known Lake Machattie soon just so I can have a mark one eyeball comparison against my Lake Machattie 2
4 Oct 07
EMP of the Tenham strewnfield seven today at JCU
You like I will just have to wait for the results and because they are most likely proprietary to JCU I will have to seek permission to publish them
I consider that most of the Tenham strewnfield seven will be new finds and a metsoc nomenclature submission should shortly follow... I have sighted a draft submission that once again is proprietary and needs the EMP data before formal submission... I'll see if this can be released to the public domain too...
Fingers crossed re my Lake Machattie 2 - if it turns out to be a known Lake Machattie I will eat humble pie and edit the appropriate pages... The EMP fingerprint should tell us rather than be equivocal ? nevertheless tis prudent to sacrifice one of my small part-slices of a known Lake Machattie to the thin-section God and this should be ready today
A mark one eyeball inspection may be all that is needed but looks can be very deceptive - I still think my known part-slice has more metal flecking but once again looks can be very deceiving
There are rumblings that the EMP results of the Birdsville Seven are not far away either - fingers crossed but as above you and I will just have to wait
Thats the state of play today - many sub-projects in varying stages of completion with little to report except that you should keep your eye on the news
23 Sep 07
Thin-section pictures update to the Tenham and Thin Sections webpages - Winton 2 is showcased on the Thin Sections webpage
The proposed pocket-guide on Queensland meteorites is on hold pending accession of some of the remaining falls I am missing and having thin-sections of these and others made
9 Sep 07
An update !
Queensland Falls webpage updated with links to the 7 new finds from the Tenham strewnfield including pictures of the specimens and thin-sections
EMP for the 7 new finds from the Tenham strewnfield has been booked for Sep 07... I have sighted a draft nomenclature write-up but this is proprietary and confidential given that the EMP results may change what is felt to be a H to an L and vice versa etc. The chondrites and thin-sections are of course mine so I have little compunction in posting pictures of them
Lake Machattie 2 may indeed be a known Lake Machattie and I will deal with this once I know one way or the other
The only issue causing me some grief is lodgement of type-specimens and I hope to resolve this shortly...
EMP for the Birdsville seven has been done and I am anxiously awaiting results
Once again lodgement is hindering a nomcom submission and I hope to resolve this shortly
Thats really about all I have for now - current plans are to purchase some larger specimens and to have more thin-sections made and pictures thereof placed online - I also have to do some more research on Glenormiston and may have some more new finds in October
I do have some more thin-section pictures and I will see if I have the motivation to put some of these online
4 Jun 07
Two updates in two days !!! I'm feeling re-invigorated lately - a lot of energy and motivation is needed to steer the ship in extended cruise mode - none of this is easy or happens quickly - most of you will understand the difficulties and issues including sheer damn frustration - you sometimes wonder is it worth the effort but I will persevere until the pocket-guide comes into being and most likely to a second edition and no doubt further
I have committed the grievous sin of sacrificing part of my Glenormiston to science - First picture of cut and etched face received today - I still have to download this through my private email and edit the Glenormiston page
By the time you read this I will have ftp uploaded the new page and picture
For those of you that just have to know - it was cut on one "flat" face and the outer cut crumbled into little "sugar cubes" of metal and the "sugar lumps" are perfect for study - first brief inspection gives granular coarse octahedrite with minor cohenite - a closer inspection shows it might end up being an anomalous coarse octahedrite
Metsoc has Glenormiston as an iron-ungrouped but it will take a full write-up to change this - watch this space for EMP and most likely a gallium plot but I hope to have the Metsoc entry correctly described in short order
3 Jun 07
I am hmmm 3000 km south from home with another 11 weeks course-work before I return home
Lots of news
Thin section pictures will have to wait until I get back home - but see below re the Birdsville Seven
Thin sections of Tenham received
Two micros of Lake Machattie and another micro of Ellerslie received - I'm currently negotiating for a larger part-slice of Ellerslie
A small micro of Georgetown received - I still have to chase a larger specimen in due course
Micro of Hidden Valley received
JCU have begun a project to put the 7 new finds from the Tenham strewnfield through nomenclature - this will not happen overnight but I will make available new information and photographs when they become available
Seven new finds from Birdsville (Queensland) !!! currently on loan to Bathurst Observatory who have already made thin sections and sought provisional names - see update to New Finds page with photographs including first thin-section pictures
My specimen of Glenormiston has been cut and etched - awaiting formal lab results - photographs up when I am able - submission to be sent to metsoc seeking change to classification of iron-ungrouped
Lodgement of type-specimens should have the spin-off effect of trading for specimens I currently do not hold - more details when I am able
As above - I'm getting damn close to getting specimens of all the Queensland meteorites and the plan is to publish a pocket-guide at the end of the year with a focus on thin-section photographs - I don't plan anything extravagant for reasons of cost but the thin-section pictures should be extraordinary
The pocket-guide will of course never be completely up to date - I know of at least 6 and probably more unknown Queensland meteorites out there and more will be found in due course - the purpose of the pocket-guide is to formally record the history to date in the hope that this will not only flush out the remainder but lead to an increased awareness and interest in meteorites
I still need your help on a few - Whitula Creek still eludes me - Rockhampton was long ago lost - Answer and King Solomon have disappeared off the face of the earth - Surely somebody must be able to help me with Whitula Creek and someone must know the whereabouts of Answer and King Solomon
P.S. Whitula Bore on the New Finds page is a separate find from the known Whitula Creek
Thats the state of play pro tem - I'm very busy with study and clinical placement for the next 11 weeks before I drive back home - I'm still in the throes of this special endeavour to get everything done - some matters are deferred pro tem, several projects are happening separately on automatic pilot and further new accessions should be made in return for lodgement of type-specimens - I've probably forgotten something I should have included in the news but there is always next time
25 Apr 07
ANZAC Day - my personal best wishes to serving members of the Defence Forces and to those who have previously served
Specimens of Maroo and Mungindi will be on the way back home shortly...
24 Apr 07
Back online - previous home internet provider facing liquidation...
New specimens added to the QMIG collection - update to Queensland Falls page - new photographs up soon...
More new known finds should be accessioned soon...
There are at least another four unnamed Queensland finds out there that I am aware of that I hope to snaffle part-slices from...
Export approval has been granted for Naryilco and Ingella Station - wait out for more limited edition issues
Although not meteorite-related I MAY also get export approval for Ayers Rock part-slices and thin sections...
I am extraordinarily busy with my day-to-day employment and have to travel down south for a three month course soon - this means that updates will occur less frequently but it will give me the opportunity to visit the Bathurst Observatory and the Victorian Museum in order to accession new specimens and to further my plans for a book on Queensland meteorites
I hope to acquire all the known Queensland falls by the end of this year... Rockhampton was long ago lost... Answer and King Solomon have disappeared off the face of the earth... I do need your help to obtain a part-slice of Whitula Creek and any information on the whereabouts of Answer and King Solomon - the rest are I believe well able to be accessioned - it is simply a administrative and logistical project to finalise...
15 Feb 07
Export approval for limited edition Tenham received
Pictures of coin slabbed numbered limited edition Tenhams up - don't say I didn't warn you about the loyalty implications of early subscription... Ongoing editions will only be made available to existing subscribers - this will be your only opportunity to receive ongoing editions
Tidy-up of sales page soon to include direct e-buy buttons
11 Feb 07
Photographs of Hammond Downs and Tookabarnoo up
7 Feb 07
Micro and macro of Hammond Downs received, micro of Tookabarnoo received, micro of Mulga turns out to be an unclassified Western Australian stone, not paired with other Mulga's and probably a H5
1 Feb 07
Back at work - hooyaa - site updates will occur less frequently - site tidy-up sometime...
This site was last updated 05/17/10
