Has Anyone Had Any Success Intentionally Searching For Meteorites With a MD?

[AusTexDude]

I have been exploring the possibility of taking it up a notch and want to look for iron and stony/iron meteorites.

Anyone had any luck with this?

And... has anyone of you ever found a meteorite randomly while metal detecting?

[Terry Soloman]

Your best bet is to hunt in a known strewnfield, like Franconia, or Gold Basin, in Arizona. Just happening on a meteorite is EXTREMELY rare. Best of luck!

[AusTexDude]

Your best bet is to hunt in a known strewnfield, like Franconia, or Gold Basin, in Arizona. Just happening on a meteorite is EXTREMELY rare. Best of luck!

Yes I was thinking some remote areas of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico

[warbike39]

I found two small chondrite meteorites in Arizona two winters ago while randomly metal detecting....both laying on the surface. it was also after picking up about 500 hot rocks or pieces of hematite or magnetite.

[galenrog]

When detecting for meteorites, you will have to set your machine to an “all metal” setting. Meteorites that have metal will always have iron. This means your detector will scream at you whenever the coil encounters a shoe nail, bullet casing, hot rocks, and any random pieces of metal. You will likely find thousands of random metal objects before encountering a meteorite. Yes, you will find many rocks you believe to be meteorites, but examination by a professional will disappoint nearly every time.

Have fun.

Time for more coffee.

[Back-of-the-boat]

Watch "Fun with Jim" on youtube, he detects southern California beaches and he found one on the beach and says he finds about 4 a year but he also knows the differences between meteorites and meteorwrongs.It was on one of his" would you dig it" segments.

[AusTexDude]

When detecting for meteorites, you will have to set your machine to an “all metal” setting. Meteorites that have metal will always have iron. This means your detector will scream at you whenever the coil encounters a shoe nail, bullet casing, hot rocks, and any random pieces of metal. You will likely find thousands of random metal objects before encountering a meteorite. Yes, you will find many rocks you believe to be meteorites, but examination by a professional will disappoint nearly every time.

Have fun.

Time for more coffee.

That's why when searching for meteorites you want to get away from areas where humans congregate and head to the desert. It's the one thing when metal detecting you want to avoid any human spots. In Arizona you could possibly get lucky and find a chunk of gold while hunting for meteorites.

[AusTexDude]

Watch "Fun with Jim" on youtube, he detects southern California beaches and he found one on the beach and says he finds about 4 a year but he also knows the differences between meteorites and meteorwrongs.It was on one of his" would you dig it" segments.

Wow 4 per year that's awesome! That right there would pay for much of the metal detecting expenses. I don't think that meteorites are worth as much after being subject to salt water but if you get lucky and find a recent fall it could be worth 6 figures.

Note... if you find a meteorite on and Federal land it must be donated to the Smithsonian, or at least that's what they say.

[billb]

Thanks for posting it sounds like this is something my wife would want to do while metal detecting also,take care