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Re: (meteorobs) Re: what does a meteorite look like?




> These guys were robed by the government of a
> valuable find they had legally claimed under our mining laws.

Dave,

I think this needs not necesarrily be correct. Did the meteorite really
reside under the law in question? Is a meteorite a "loose mineral" in a
placer-deposit?
In many countries, meteorites do not reside under the mining laws, which
usually specify what resides under it and what not. Meteorites are often
troublesome in that aspect, because although they have value, they are not a
"normal" mining substance, it is not an ore or minable mineral substance.
Often, here's room for considerable debate whether meteorites do or do not
reside under the countries or states mining laws (currently in Argentina
concerning the Campo del Cielo meteorites for example). In my country for
example (the Netherlands), mining laws distinctly do not mention meteorites.
I do not know the US situation, but if (as I suspect) mining laws do not
explicitly include meteorites, but civil laws (on ownership etc.) do, then
the latter take precedence. In that case, the seizing of the meteorite was
legal, and the placer claim simply not valid for a meteorite. Note: not
everything valueble that is part of placer deposits fall under the mining
laws, especially if they are residing under another law, and that is
relevant for this discussion. Antiquities are an example, stone tools do not
reside under the mining law either (but the antiquities law) even if they
are part of geological deposits, and basically made from a
geological/mineral substance (stone). By the way, the meteorite in question
was the Old Woman iron meteorite, and indeed I believe the state officials
made the analogue with antiqities and the antiquities law to defend their
case. The meteorite in question is one of the largest single meteorite
masses ever found in the USA. It therefore is a true national treasure, part
of the countries national heritage. Thus, the discussion realy is about who
owns the countries national heritage (and what does and what does not belong
to it) and how government as well as civilians (!) should manage things that
could belong to the national heritage of a country. Here, ethic aspects are
involved and civilians (the finders) also have a responsibility towards the
nation concerning preservation of national heritage, but Dave only talks
about the money involved. Of course, states and nations also have
responsibility, e.g. by offering a legal arrangement about a monetary reward
when people find something that should be considered national heritage (we
have such for example for coin hoards in the Netherlands).

- Marco Langbroek




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