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15+ kilos. 11x14x2.5 inches   L6

Edwin writes:

This took a little over 20 years to obtain and we are very happy to have it in the family now.

This is CHICO, New Mexico. It was found in Colfax County, New Mexico in 1954. It was studied by Lincoln LaPaz and comes from the LaPaz collection at U.N.M.. Chico is an L6 impact melt and has always stood as my favorite and one of the most dramatic melts ever found. The matrix displays orientation that may be evidence of gravity or spinning that caused the accreted metal to coagulate in associated ends of the vugs and vesicles. This stone has vugs of up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter and some of the metal has formed into worm like stalactites. There are rivers of melt and melt veins as well as accreted metals and areas of parent body containing chondrules of up to 2cm diameter. At some time during it's life in captivity Chico was sent to Houston for research where core samples were bored from the center of the main mass on two primary sides of the mass and so virtually every slice has at least one core hole through it. This is an unusual practice only done with a few research specimens and over the years has become a part of Chico's legacy. One can see in the photos that many of the vugs are drawn out and bent with metal condensed in one end. One can also see diverse areas of density and porosity. This specimen is the main mass and weighs over 15 kilos and measures 2 1/2 inches thick and 11" by 14" across the cut and polished face. The back side has a rough surface caused when the mass was cut in half using a new and experimental water cannon known as a bazooka. As the kerf was cut through the mass and the water jet struck differing density of matrix the jet flared and created this rather cool looking cut surface. We decided to preserve this piece because is displays so much research history. The one hole close to the center of this mass is not a vesicle or vug like all of the others but rather this is the primary core sample hole. This stone is a virtual snapshot of impact history in the Cosmos.

  Click to view larger photos     #1     Bonus Photo 1

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