Re: "Presumably, contamination from the meteors was, or can be, ruled out."
Anon because obvious.
My uncle was a respected geologist. But he had this weird notion that metallic meteors were the best explanation for wild, weird metallic deposits he had been studying.
My father was a Wegenerian before plate tectonics became the party line. While it was not, he had trouble publishing his research on subduction, etc.
I, just a High School "Science" teacher, what a misnomer for the BS we are required to distribute there, have gotten myself in trouble for asking about C14 in diamonds and coal, something I heard from Young Earthers, but, it turns out, that kind of questions are verboten, ekelhaft.
I would add 10 quid to your wager, were I not just an heretic, from a family of heretics, but a coward besides, which my uncle and dad were not (though my dad once tried to explain to me the conveniences of not tattooing a target on my chest)