Big Meteorite Found In Western Australia

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31231, 1 December 1966, Page 13

Big Meteorite Found In Western Australia

(N Z PA -Reuter— Copyright>

PERTH, November 29.

The biggest meteorite in Australia and one of the 12 biggest in the world has been I found by accident near For-1 rest, about 1000 miles east of: Perth. Two geologists, Messrs' Fruce Wilson and Tony] Cooney, stumbled on the meteorite, known as an octaledrite, while surveying in the area. Dr. G. J. H. McCall, of the University of Western Australia geology department, who is an honorary associate of the Western Australian museum, said in Kalgoorie today that the meteorite, which was in two pieces, was an important discovery and would make a magnificent exhibit for the museum. Mr Wilson said he and Mr Cooney were using small trees on the Nullabor plain as

DECIMAL CONVERSIONS Decimal currency will be Introduced in New Zealand In July. 1967 Recommended conversion rates from 5s to £1 are as follows:

| bearings to plot courses duri ing a geological survey. They had unsuspectingly chosen the meteorite, which appeared as a black object on the horizon as a marker.

On closer inspection they had realised that it was a meteorite.

Dr. McCall said the existence of the meteorite had been known for about three years.

Various people, including himself and Mr W. Cleverly, a geology lecturer at the Western Australia School of Mines, had made unsuccessful trips in search of the meteorite during the last two years. The bigger fragment of the meteorite weighs about 12 tons and the smaller six to eight tons.

It was hoped that it could be taken to the museum for display and close inspection and analysis. It was of nickeliron alloy and contained about 12 per cent nickel.

The two pieces had fallen about 200 yards apart on hard limestone and had not left a crater

Slices of the meteorite would be given to collections here and overseas and a piece would be displayed in the School of Mines museum.

5S 50c 13s 91.30 6s 60 c 14s 91.40 7s 70 c 15s 81.50 Ss SOc 1«S $1.60 9s 90c 17s 81.70 10s 91 18s 81.80 Ils 91.10 19s 81.90 12s 91.20 20s 82