Battle Mountain

Battle Mountain – This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name

Welcome To Battle Mountain
Photo Keith Jenkersen

Battle Mountain

Basic informationName: Battle Mountain
This is an OFFICIAL meteorite name.
Abbreviation: There is no official abbreviation for this meteorite.
Observed fall: Yes
Year fell: 2012
Country: United States
Mass: 2.9 kg

Classification
history:

Meteoritical Bulletin:  MB 101  (2013)  L6

Recommended:  L6    

This is 1 of 9723 approved meteorites (plus 3 unapproved names) classified as L6.   [show all]
Search for other: L chondrites (type 4-7), Ordinary chondrites (type 4-7), L chondrites, and Ordinary chondrites

Comments:Approved 2 Oct 2012

WriteupWriteup from MB 101:

Battle Mountain        40.66813°N, 117.18913°W

Humboldt County, Nevada, USA

Fell: 2012 Aug 22 06:17 (UTC)

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L6)

History: The fall was observed in weather radar imagery from the US NEXRAD radar network,  operated by the US National Weather Service. The discovery and analysis was done by Dr. Marc Fries, Galactic Analytics LLC. The KLRX radar in Elko, Nevada, is approximately 33 km from the fall site and recorded the fall in eight radar sweeps between 0619.26 UTC and 0621.03 UTC. This time span of 97 s is short compared to other meteorite falls observed by radar. This could be a result of meteorite production by a single, large breakup event, by relatively little fragmentation, or a combination of the two factors. The first stone was found on September 1, 2012, 10:50 AM (PDT) by Robert Verish; it weighs 19.25 g.  As of 3 Oct 2012, at least 23 stones with a total mass of ~2.9 kg have been reported.

Physical characteristics: Most stones have a similar appearance, with a blocky shape where corners are not well-rounded; where orientation is exhibited, it is poorly developed. Regmaglypts are smaller than thumb-sized. Fusion-crust is uniformly distributed but thin, and on some sides of several stones displays a brownish patina on an otherwise uniformly black surface.

Petrography: (Alan Rubin, UCLA): The stone is recrystallized with 50-μm-size plagioclase grains. Olivine grains exhibit weak mosaicism; many chromite grains are extensively fractured. Troilite grains commonly polycrystalline. There has been localized melting of metal and sulfide. Several grains of metallic Cu occur inside metal at the boundaries of small (apparently melted) irregularly shaped troilite grains.

Geochemistry: Ca-pyroxene Fs7.8Wo43.7 (n=2); low-Ca pyroxene Fs19.8±0.2Wo1.3±0.3% (n=22)

Classification: Ordinary Chondrite (L6), grains are extensively fractured – moderately shocked (S4), unweathered (W0).

Specimens: An endcut of the 19.25 g stone found Sept. 1 was thin-sectioned and classified by UCLA. A slice from this stone of 3.85 g (20%) is held by UCLA. Another stone (56.5 g) was found in 3 pieces and is held by the finder, Martin Cunningham, Battle Mountain, Nevada. The finder donated one of the 3 pieces to UCLA which makes a total of 46 g type specimen. The second find from this fall (954 g) is held by Robert Ward, who purchased it from the finder. This stone is the largest mass recovered to date.

Data from:
MB101
Table 0
Line 0:

State/Prov/County:Nevada

Origin or pseudonym:mountainous

Date:2012 Aug 22 06:17 (UTC)

Latitude:40.66813°N

Longitude:117.18913°W

Mass (g):2900

Pieces:23

Class:L6

Shock stage:S4

Weathering grade:W0

Fayalite (mol%):23.2±0.3 (n=26)

Ferrosilite (mol%):19.8±0.2 (n=22)

Wollastonite (mol%):1.3±0.3 (n=22)

Classifier:A. Rubin, UCLA

Type spec mass (g):46

Type spec location:UCLA

Main mass:R. Ward

Finder:Bob Verish

Comments:Submitted by R.Verish

Institutions and collectionsUCLA: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, United States (institutional address; updated 17 Oct 2011)
Verish: Robert Verish, Meteorite-Recovery Lab, P.O. Box 463084, Escondido, CA 92046, United States; Website (private address; updated 27 May 2009)
Ward: No contact information provided. (private address)

Catalogs:

References:Published in Meteoritical Bulletin, no. 101, MAPS 50, 1661, September 2015

Find references in NASA ADS:

Find references in Google Scholar:

Battle Mountain fell Aug. 22, 2012. Bob Verish and Moni found the first stone on Sept 1, 2012. Word spread fast and I got on a plane as quick as I could. I made 2 trips to Battle Mountain and found 2 meteorites on each trip. The first outing I teamed up with Scott Johnson and I was fortunate to find one on my first day! BaM 006. I found it on my anniversary, Sept 8. I found another a few days later, 38 grams. After 10 days I went home to re group and rest. On my second trip I teamed up with Keith Jenkerson for another 10 days and I found 2 more stones.

My first Battle Mountain find.

My first Battle Mountain find.
Photo Scott Johnson
My first Battle Mountain find.
Photo Larry Atkins
My first Battle Mountain find.
Photo Larry Atkins

Scott was happy too!

Scott was happy too!
Photo Larry Atkins

My second find 38 grams.

My second find 38 grams.
Photo Larry Atkins
My second find 38 grams.
Photo Larry Atkins

Taking another selfie! One thing about meteorite hunting, there is lots of time alone.

Taking another selfie! One thing about meteorite hunting, there is lots of time alone.
Photo Larry Atkins

A small chip from the 38 g

A small chip from the 38 g battle mountain meteorite
Photo Larry Atkins

My 3rd find

My 3rd find
Photo Larry Atkins

236 grams, the last one I found, now part of the ASU collection and on display.

236 grams, the last one I found, now part of the ASU collection and on display.
Photo Larry Atkins
236 grams, the last one I found, now part of the ASU collection and on display.
236 g Photo Larry Atkins
236 grams, the last one I found, now part of the ASU collection and on display.
236 g Photo Larry Atkins
236 g Waves of crust! Photo Larry Atkins
236 g Waves of crust! Photo Larry Atkins
236 g Photo Larry Atkins
236 g Photo Larry Atkins
Danger of Falling Rocks? Meteorites or Earth rocks?
Photo Scott Johnson

High up on Battle Mountain. Robert Ward on the left, Keith Jenkerson on the right.

High up on Battle Mountain. Robert Ward on the left, Keith Jenkerson on the right.
Photo Larry Atkins

This place is big. To put things into some perspective, the yellow trees in the bottom are about 70+ feet tall!

This place is big. To put things into some perspective, the yellow trees in the bottom are about 70+ feet tall!
Photo Larry Atkins

Marty Cunningham, a local guy, finds a meteorite!

Marty Cunningham, a local guy, finds a meteorite!
Photo Larry Atkins
Marty Cunningham, a local guy, finds a meteorite!
Photo Larry Atkins

There were tiny trout in this stream. The interesting thing is that most of the stream was not above ground at this time of year. When startled, the trout would swim underground!

There were tiny trout in this stream. The interesting thing is that most of the stream was not above ground at this time of year. When startled, the trout would swim underground!
Photo Larry Atkins

Christopher Cottingham found an 1800 gram stone 300 yards from where Scott and I camped for several days! Once again, if your name isn’t on it, you’re not going to find it. Christopher and his dad Michael were kind enough to take Keith and I to the find location and let us drag our magnets through the impact pit. We collected a few grams of fragments each.

Christopher Cottingham found an 1800 gram stone 300 yards from where Scott and I camped for several days! Once again, if your name isn't on it, you're not going to find it. Christopher and his dad Michael were kind enough to take Keith and I to the find location and let us drag our magnets through the impact pit. We collected a few grams of fragments each.
Photo Larry Atkins

Christopher’s meteorite was broken in half. Here the two pieces are held together.

Christopher's meteorite was broken in half. Here the two pieces are held together.
Photo Larry Atkins
Christopher's meteorite
Photo Larry Atkins
Christopher's meteorite
Photo Larry Atkins

Bob V and Marty C photograph my 236g

Bob V and Marty C photograph my 236g
Photo Larry Atkins

I think this is one of Robert Wards finds.

I think this is one of Robert Wards finds.
Photo Larry Atkins
I think this is one of Robert Wards finds.
Photo Larry Atkins

Greg Hupe getting the most out of his clothes!

Greg Hupe getting the most out of his clothes!
Photo Larry Atkins

Is this the first find, Bob? Someone let me know.

Is this the first find, Bob? Someone let me know.
Is this the first find, Bob? Someone let me know. - Photo Needs Credit

Robert and I enjoy a cold one.

Robert and I enjoy a cold one.
Photo Keith Jenkerson
Battle Mountain
Photo Larry Atkins
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