Beware of meteorite hunters
Three years ago, Ali al Kathiri, an Omani geologist on study leave from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry undertook a field survey with the Natural History Museum of Berne and the University of Berne in Switzerland. The geologists collected over 1,000 kg of meteorite fragments, but one in particular, now named SaU 169, after its discovery at Sayh al Uhaymir in Sharqiyah, has been identified as originating in the Imbrium Basin on the Moon.
In an initial survey in 2001, the team had also discovered a meteorite from Mars, SaU 94. Lunar and Martian meteorites are rare. One of the problems of conserving these discoveries for scientific investigations is that all too often, these fragments fall into the hands of private collectors who sell them on an open market.
Which is why, Dr Salim bin Hamad Al Busaidi, director of geological survey department in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated in May this year that "the mining law issued by Royal Decree No. 27/2003 prohibited the practice of all rock and mineral mining and exploratory activities and trading in the same without obtaining permissions from the Directorate-General of Minerals." Perhaps his statement came as a result of the incident I am about to describe.
It brings me to the subject of a newish website, for which I am reluctant to provide a link-back, in case it should in any way enhance its rankings in the search engines. But then maybe Google will also recognise my answer to dontvisitoman.com. Astonishingly, every page begins with a banner purporting to be a travel advisory against visiting Oman, declaring that the country is extremely dangerous and that its senior officials are thieves!
How could this be? The clue comes in the signature to a letter to the US State Department published on the website. The entire diatribe has been penned by a Mr John Blennert, who claims that his trip to Oman was inspired by a book called Stone Treasures of Oman. He seems to be referred to in the Omani documentation as John Karl Blizt, 59 years, American, so perhaps he was travelling on false papers. His companions were six Russians, one Latvian and one German. Did Mr Blennert know, I wonder, that different visa regulations apply to Russians and Latvians?
I don't have Stone Treasures of Oman to hand, but I recall that it was an innocuous book showing how to use semi-precious stones found in the Sultanate in making crafts and jewellry.
I looked up Mr Blennert using Google. He is a self-styled collector of and dealer in meteorites. There are plenty of references in the first page of results in case you are interested. You can see a photo of him third from the right on this page.
Mr Blennert mentions meteorites just twice on his website of vitriol against Oman, almost as an aside, and once inadvertently when meteorites are referred to in the official papers. One would almost think that he was an innocent rock-hunter.
Given that Mr Blennert was blatantly breaking the law when he and his companions were apprehended, even if he was only looking for semi-precious stones, it is hardly surprising that their property was confiscated ('stolen' according to him). He was lucky just to have been deported, albeit after a period of detention.
I guess the US State Department considers it has intervened sufficiently in his case, which is why he hasn't received a reply to his letter of complaint.
But if anyone reading this feels deterred about visiting Oman if they have visited that website, my riposte is don't believe any of it! This is an outpouring from someone who seems to think that he has the right to do whatever he wants, wherever he wants knowing that he can call on the backing of powerful diplomatic sources, whether they agree with it or not. After all, imagine the fuss if he had been charged and imprisoned. It simply wasn't worth it on the part of Oman. And I doubt that he'll ever be able to go back.
One other thing. Mr Blennert's poster has the caption, 'Camels eating garbage in Muscat'. He is obviously not well travelled. Camels eat garbage anywhere. They're like that.
Comments
Mike Fowler wrote:
Tommyr wrote:
Hi Mike!
Nothing's wrong with it, of coarse the legit hunters/dealers will make samples available to scientists to study. For the most part free of charge too. Not all hunters/dealers are thieves naturally.
Tom
Dave Freeman wrote:
Why travel to such a backward country to hunt meteorites anyway? If it weren't for modern collectors interests, most of science would still be in the meteorite dark ages and those of camel heritage would still be walking past desert meteorites or using them for tent weights.
Dave Freeman
Mike wrote:
I have never seen camels eat trash in other countries! The Australian camels are clean and disease free. They do not eat out of trash cans or hang out on the street. Saharan camels prefer natural foods and will not munch rubbage lying on the street. It comes from proper upbringing and a good gene pool that the camels use proper hygene.
Muhammad M. Shamseldean wrote:
If the government of Oman wants to prevent the depletion of meteorites from their lands and keep the meteoritic wealth inside the country, they have every right to do that and issue laws to prevent meteorite hunters from searching for meteorites in Oman. I think Australia prevents exporting meteorites outside the country.
Ted wrote:
Australia permits meteorites to be searched for and exported. One just needs to follow the procedures. The government of Oman should make their laws clear if they want to protect natural resources. It would be far better if they worked with professional meteorite hunters in order to devolope this resource rather than trying to cast them aside. The Swiss team has a pretty unimpressive recovery record by comparison. I am sure they missed some important meteorites that a true professional hunter would have found.
newsbriefs wrote:
I agree with Ted that it would be a good idea for Oman to make its regulations far more easily accessible and understandable to foreigners. In fact, I followed up this original piece about meteorites with another, after John Blennert had written to me. See it at http://www.newsbriefsoman.i...
I also agree with Muhammad that if Oman wants to stop meteorites from being exported, then that is its right, although it would probably be better off trying to ensure that rigorous scientific surveys are carried out, probaly by more than one institution, and then to regulate trade.
As for saying that Oman is backward, who is to judge? I believe that there's a saying that you should take the plank out of your own eye before attempting to take a speck out of your brother's eye.
And camels do eat trash. As do goats. I have photos of them doing it. Maybe Australian camels have access to better food supplies. Camels are left to roam across the countryside to forage for whatever food they can find in the Middle East. It seems a bit pitiful to blame a camel for its gene pool and not having hygiene.
Acura Lens wrote:
Just want to say thanks!
Max LaPlante wrote:
Why wasn't Mr. Blennert's and his colleagues equipment returned to them? Why were they caught and detained, yet others were allowed to continue rock hunting? Why does Oman keep it's laws regarding meteorites and rocks secret or hidden from visitors to Oman? It seems that Oman makes up its own laws as they go along to suit themselves. If Mr. Blennert and his colleagues did in -fact break Oman laws, then why were they not charged and brought to a court in front of a Judge and/or jury? The fact is, the officials that took Mr. Blennert's and his associates equipment are thieves and should have their hands cut off and be stoned!
What is wrong with selling meteorites on the open market? Doesn't that make them equally available to any scientist in the world who is interested?
Mike Fowler
Chicago