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| Kamil Crater, Egypt Shortly After Discovery in 2009- click on image to enlarge |
I was looking at Wikipedia at the write up about the Kamil Crater at 22° 1'5.89"N latitude and 26° 5'15.69"E longitude. A recent addition to the article by Enrique Díaz-Martínez, Spain at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamil_Crater
states:
"According to evidence provided by Google Earth images, Kamil crater morphology and its prototypical rayed structure (well-preserved radiating features) have been destroyed between 2020 and 2023, most probably due to exhaustive plundering of meteorite fragments. The last image of the well preserved crater is of February 2020, whereas it is fully destroyed in the next image dated May 2023, so it was destroyed between those two dates. The size of the wheel tracks visible on trails to/from the former crater indicate that heavy machinery was used for the collection of meteoritic material.”
states:
"According to evidence provided by Google Earth images, Kamil crater morphology and its prototypical rayed structure (well-preserved radiating features) have been destroyed between 2020 and 2023, most probably due to exhaustive plundering of meteorite fragments. The last image of the well preserved crater is of February 2020, whereas it is fully destroyed in the next image dated May 2023, so it was destroyed between those two dates. The size of the wheel tracks visible on trails to/from the former crater indicate that heavy machinery was used for the collection of meteoritic material.”
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| Kamil Crater, Egypt, Approx. 2022/23 -click on image to enlarge |
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| Kamil Crater, Egypt, Completely Destroyed Image Approx. May 2023 -click on image to enlarge |
The note was added on October 10, 2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kamil_Crater&diff=prev&oldid=1250464561
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Ediazmartinez
I looked at the Google Earth images and essentially agree with what is written. Although the exact timeline is open to interpretation, the aerial images do show that this crater, which is a protected site, has been destroyed by people illegally mining it presumably for iron meteorite fragments and spherules. Heavy machinery, presumably electromagnets and other methods were used to vandalize, desecrate, and otherwise destroy this irreplaceable part of the Egypt's geological heritage for personal gain.
Undoubtedly, there are stolen Egyptian meteorites are already in the marketplace for sale somewhere.
Yours,
Paul H.
