Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Hello Mike and Welcome home! Dawn and I are both releived to hear that you made it back safely. No meteorite is worth taking that kind of risk! One may get lucky once or twice, but by tempting fate like that, fate will eventually catch up with you. Sounds as though the military is probably staking out that area and sending regular patrols to try to catch the meteorite hunters. Anyone that takes you up on your offer is totally nuts! Take care -John Dawn Michael Farmer wrote: Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived to find out why we were in a prohibited area, and demanded a large bribe to allow us to avoid some very serious problems. The bribe was paid needless to say, but they had my information and copy of my passport from the hotel. I immediately demanded to get back to civilization and get the hell out of the country, which I did. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite, and anyone with the cajones to go there can be my guest. I have been around the world many times, and to worse places than this, but there is nothing that will put the fear of god in you like driving as fast as the vehicle will go for hours with military chasing you through mine-fields! This business can get dangerous as I just found out. On the second note, we also dealt with the new fall there, and it is a total disaster. I did not bother to go to the site, as all of my guys were there and none of them got any of the meteorite, and the people who had it offered it to them for $6 to $10 gram! I think that is absolutely ludicrous and anyone who pays that will seriously regret it as I expect it will be $1.00 gram soon enough, like Amgala and Bensour, the price will spike at the beginning, and collapse when more and more comes out. There is a lot of it, many kilos and it will be available. I had other problems to deal with there and the new fall was the least on my list. There is a lot more to this entire story, but this is the gist of it. For me, the Moroccans have become far to untrustworthy lately and I am likley done with that mess over there. Michael Farmer __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
$6 - 10/gr. ? Moroccan people they begin to do clever, but in the same time they will be ruined with them their same hands Matteo From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 10:14:51 -0700 Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived to find out why we were in a prohibited area, and demanded a large bribe to allow us to avoid some very serious problems. The bribe was paid needless to say, but they had my information and copy of my passport from the hotel. I immediately demanded to get back to civilization and get the hell out of the country, which I did. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite, and anyone with the cajones to go there can be my guest. I have been around the world many times, and to worse places than this, but there is nothing that will put the fear of god in you like driving as fast as the vehicle will go for hours with military chasing you through mine-fields! This business can get dangerous as I just found out. On the second note, we also dealt with the new fall there, and it is a total disaster. I did not bother to go to the site, as all of my guys were there and none of them got any of the meteorite, and the people who had it offered it to them for $6 to $10 gram! I think that is absolutely ludicrous and anyone who pays that will seriously regret it as I expect it will be $1.00 gram soon enough, like Amgala and Bensour, the price will spike at the beginning, and collapse when more and more comes out. There is a lot of it, many kilos and it will be available. I had other problems to deal with there and the new fall was the least on my list. There is a lot more to this entire story, but this is the gist of it. For me, the Moroccans have become far to untrustworthy lately and I am likley done with that mess over there. Michael Farmer __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list _ Personalizza MSN Messenger con sfondi e fotografie! http://www.ilovemessenger.msn.it/ __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
I am interested in the coordinates, Mike. Best regards Michel - Original Message - From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 6:14 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite,... __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Michel, they will be posted shortly. Mike - Original Message - From: Michel Franco [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 10:51 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. I am interested in the coordinates, Mike. Best regards Michel - Original Message - From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 6:14 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite,... __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Thanks . Michel - Original Message - From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Michel Franco [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 7:02 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Michel, they will be posted shortly. Mike - Original Message - From: Michel Franco [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 10:51 AM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. I am interested in the coordinates, Mike. Best regards Michel - Original Message - From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 6:14 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite,... __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Yes, the end is near for Moroccan meteorites. It is no longer worth the money to go there and buy, perhaps once in a great while you hit a score, but they want more than most of them are worth. Mike - Original Message - From: McomeMeteorite Meteorite [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 10:44 AM Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. $6 - 10/gr. ? Moroccan people they begin to do clever, but in the same time they will be ruined with them their same hands Matteo From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 10:14:51 -0700 Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived to find out why we were in a prohibited area, and demanded a large bribe to allow us to avoid some very serious problems. The bribe was paid needless to say, but they had my information and copy of my passport from the hotel. I immediately demanded to get back to civilization and get the hell out of the country, which I did. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite, and anyone with the cajones to go there can be my guest. I have been around the world many times, and to worse places than this, but there is nothing that will put the fear of god in you like driving as fast as the vehicle will go for hours with military chasing you through mine-fields! This business can get dangerous as I just found out. On the second note, we also dealt with the new fall there, and it is a total disaster. I did not bother to go to the site, as all of my guys were there and none of them got any of the meteorite, and the people who had it offered it to them for $6 to $10 gram! I think that is absolutely ludicrous and anyone who pays that will seriously regret it as I expect it will be $1.00 gram soon enough, like Amgala and Bensour, the price will spike at the beginning, and collapse when more and more comes out. There is a lot of it, many kilos and it will be available. I had other problems to deal with there and the new fall was the least on my list. There is a lot more to this entire story, but this is the gist of it. For me, the Moroccans have become far to untrustworthy lately and I am likley done with that mess over there. Michael Farmer __ Meteorite-list mailing list
RE: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Farmers price range is what I have been offered it at also. 50 dhirims is what everybody is offering it to me at (But with a side that they like me so I can have it cheaper - Over the past week I have had 3 moroccans tell me that farmer was in morocco and buying it up like crazy at 50 dirhams a gram). But what really pisses me off about the moroccans is their lies about TKW amounts. They contact 10 dealers and tell us all that this 300 grams is the entire find and later if you buy it then 300 grams more magicly gets found. You never know what the moroccans have hidden and almost everybody over their takes part in that particular scam. I generally dont get involved with the achondrites for strictly that reason. However, they started off saying that this new fall has 60 kilos. If there really was only 60 kilos I am betting that the reported weight would right now be 8 kilos. That would be the normal way that things are done in morocco for 60 kilos of a new find. By saying 60 kilos I am betting that the real so far known weight is more like 200 or 300 kilos. Thats how things get reported in morocco. If anybody pays anything remotely close to $6 they are taking the huge gamble that this one meteorite is the time that the moroccans have started reporting the known weights honestly. I plan on getting involved in this fall when I can offer it to my customers at $1 a gram and still make a decent profit. Until you can buy it retail at $1 a gram I would avoid it. Thats just my honest opinion. I have been wrong in the past and if there is only 8 kilos you will be sorry when the price hits $35 Cheers DEAN. --- McomeMeteorite Meteorite [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: $6 - 10/gr. ? Moroccan people they begin to do clever, but in the same time they will be ruined with them their same hands Matteo From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 10:14:51 -0700 Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived to find out why we were in a prohibited area, and demanded a large bribe to allow us to avoid some very serious problems. The bribe was paid needless to say, but they had my information and copy of my passport from the hotel. I immediately demanded to get back to civilization and get the
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
What a crock of crap, like I tell anyone, just about every word out of a Moroccan's mouth is a lie. I don't have one gram, didn't buy one gram, don't want one gram. Tell your handlers Dean, that they are liars, and hello from me. Mike Farmer - Original Message - From: dean bessey [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 11:23 AM Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Farmers price range is what I have been offered it at also. 50 dhirims is what everybody is offering it to me at (But with a side that they like me so I can have it cheaper - Over the past week I have had 3 moroccans tell me that farmer was in morocco and buying it up like crazy at 50 dirhams a gram). But what really pisses me off about the moroccans is their lies about TKW amounts. They contact 10 dealers and tell us all that this 300 grams is the entire find and later if you buy it then 300 grams more magicly gets found. You never know what the moroccans have hidden and almost everybody over their takes part in that particular scam. I generally dont get involved with the achondrites for strictly that reason. However, they started off saying that this new fall has 60 kilos. If there really was only 60 kilos I am betting that the reported weight would right now be 8 kilos. That would be the normal way that things are done in morocco for 60 kilos of a new find. By saying 60 kilos I am betting that the real so far known weight is more like 200 or 300 kilos. Thats how things get reported in morocco. If anybody pays anything remotely close to $6 they are taking the huge gamble that this one meteorite is the time that the moroccans have started reporting the known weights honestly. I plan on getting involved in this fall when I can offer it to my customers at $1 a gram and still make a decent profit. Until you can buy it retail at $1 a gram I would avoid it. Thats just my honest opinion. I have been wrong in the past and if there is only 8 kilos you will be sorry when the price hits $35 Cheers DEAN. --- McomeMeteorite Meteorite [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: $6 - 10/gr. ? Moroccan people they begin to do clever, but in the same time they will be ruined with them their same hands Matteo From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 10:14:51 -0700 Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
WOW!! Mike do write a book and make some money off this Hazardous and Great tale of Adventure!!! As an armchair adventurer I do count on the Mike Farmers of the world not only to gather my meteorites but to get involved in, though inadvertently (and extricated from) the kind of in hair raising adventures here in described. Thank you for all your efforts. Your story proves All that Movie Stuff has a basis in fact Jerry Flaherty - Original Message - From: Michael Farmer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 12:14 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news. Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. I will make a very long story short but it should serve as a warning to all. I got some of the new Pallasite last month in Morocco, and planned a trip to go to the site of the meteorite find. It is in Western Sahara, right on the Algeria/Morocco/Mauritania borders. This is the same Pallasite that John Birdsell has some of. I was assured that it was no problem to go to the area, but when I got to Assa, we changed into a very old military vehicle, this is when I should have realized that something was wrong. When we got to Zag, we detoured off road for about 20 kilometers to avoid the town and police/military checkpoints. The meteorite is 30 kilometers south and east of Al Mahbas Western Sahara, and when we got about 20 kilometers from the area, we went off-road. That is when the Moroccans told me that this was a military-only, prohibited zone, and that we were not allowed there! I of course got a little concerned (especially when we saw several mine-fields. We were driving cross-country at night with no lights, only by full moonlight, (not a safe thing in an old war zone where mine-fields are still around). The next morning we arrived at the tent of the nomad who found the pallasite. He led us there, over the berm and military fighting emplacements to the site, Algeria was only about 2 kilometers away. The place is a small area about 10 meters across, many pieces, mostly shale fragments full of olivine crystals, and some small individuals. I searched it for about an hour and found many pieces, and one of the other Moroccans found a piece about 80 grams, just metal, no crystals. We had planned a careful search, but one of the Moroccans spotted a military patrol coming so we packed up quickly and fled. It is very flat there, nowhere to hide. They chased us for about 2 hours but we were too far ahead and they could not catch up, but it was close enough for me. An American with Metal-detectors, GPS,s, video cameras, and Satellite phones, is not welcome in a closed military zone. I had to hide as much as possible, dressed like a Moroccan, under blankets, until we left Western Sahara and got back to Assa. It was not a fun trip, and when we got to Assa, the hotel owner found out we had been in Al Mahbas and called the local military colonel, who promptly arrived to find out why we were in a prohibited area, and demanded a large bribe to allow us to avoid some very serious problems. The bribe was paid needless to say, but they had my information and copy of my passport from the hotel. I immediately demanded to get back to civilization and get the hell out of the country, which I did. I will give everyone the coordinates of the Pallasite, and anyone with the cajones to go there can be my guest. I have been around the world many times, and to worse places than this, but there is nothing that will put the fear of god in you like driving as fast as the vehicle will go for hours with military chasing you through mine-fields! This business can get dangerous as I just found out. On the second note, we also dealt with the new fall there, and it is a total disaster. I did not bother to go to the site, as all of my guys were there and none of them got any of the meteorite, and the people who had it offered it to them for $6 to $10 gram! I think that is absolutely ludicrous and anyone who pays that will seriously regret it as I expect it will be $1.00 gram soon enough, like Amgala and Bensour, the price will spike at the beginning, and collapse when more and more comes out. There is a lot of it, many kilos and it will be available. I had other problems to deal with there and the new fall was the least on my list. There is a lot more to this entire story, but this is the gist of it. For me, the Moroccans have become far to untrustworthy lately and I am likley done with that mess over there. Michael Farmer __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Yes, the end is near for Moroccan meteorites. It is no longer worth the money to go there and buy, perhaps once in a great while you hit a score, but they want more than most of them are worth. well, just to put things into perspective, collectors were buying amgala at 10$ a gram when it first came out. 6$ a gram for a new fall might not bew worth it to dealers but colelctors would surely pay that price... no offense to the dealers, but i have long wondered why the moroccains dont just sell stuff direct to the collectors market and cut the middle men out of the loop. surely even nomads have hurd of ebay these days.. __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
RE: [meteorite-list] Morocco new fall news.
Hi Mike and List, Hello everyone, I have just arrived back in Tucson after one of the most difficult and dangerous trips I have ever done. I was in Morocco for the last week to investigate the new fall and a new Pallasite. Everything that could have gone wrong on this trip, did, so I left Morocco very quickly and returned home. snip Quite the harrowing story! Thanks for sharing it with the list. Your experience should give people pause -- a moment to step back and evaluate life's priorities. We all love meteorites, but it's important to maintain some perspective. Space rocks are not worth incarceration, let alone injury or death. When I read about your experiences, as well as some others that have appeared in just the last year on the pages of Meteorite Magazine, I wonder why you (and they) risk it. Of course, I realize everyone has a risk vs. reward threshold, and there is certainly a thrill aspect to just barely avoiding a really bad situation. If Morocco and the western Sahara in general were the only games in town, I could understand the appeal. But if meteorites are the true end-goal, then it seems to me that anyone living in the U.S. has the advantage of deserts in their own backyard. Why risk life and limb (and foreign food/water intestinal distress ;-) when there are plenty of meteorites waiting to be found in your own home state, or its desert neighbors? Which segues into an ironic thought that occurred to me earlier this year: many people have wondered when and where the next NWA is going to occur. Perhaps it's quietly already happening in the western US. --Rob __ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
