Is this a meteorite?

[rjs123]

I found this small rock(?) metal detecting in the woods near an old house site. Yes I heard it with the detector and it does stick to a magnet.

I originally thought it was iron ore but I was told it might be a meteorite.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Could be - it is really hard to tell from a picture. Looks like it could have a little fusion crusting.

First thing is - is it heavier than it should be for its size? That's a biggie. I know the second thing everyone asks is - is it magnetic, and, 95% of meteorites ARE magnetic - but not all. We have one that has so much nickel in it that it went through several experts before we finally had it verified. And, a regular magnet will not tell the tale. You need something in the caliber of a rare earth magnet, as the very least. Ours does have a tiny magnetic spot - about the size of a pencil eraser - the rest - nothing. And, it doesn't have to "snap" to the magnet, either - it merely has to make a magnet on a string move towards it.

Best way to find out is to take off a bit - some suggest a small file - or something similar. What you are looking for is little flaky marks, inside, and probably a different color. Look with a magnifying glass, and look from 40 different directions, because they are hard to see sometimes.

Here is a good informative site: http://meteorite-identification.com/streak.html

If you decide it is worth finding out professionaly - watch out who you send it to. Some won't send it back to you, some want a part of it, some are just not always right.

Make sure you send it to someone who will return your piece and maybe charge you a flat fee. When we found ours, the University in Arizona used to do it (they did ours on the third time around) - but I am told that they are no longer doing it.

What's neat about some of these professional places is, they can tell if its a meteorite, and, they can usually tell you what meteor it came from, and how old it is. If you are real lucky, it could be a "new" meteorite - and the value there goes up for the labs that need them for their databases.
(they don't need the whole thing, just a little slice to match composition and the patterns inside).

Beth

 

[rjs123]

It is definitely very heavy for its size. Ive been reading some about these and will do a scratch test on ceramic and also try to file it. Ill report back.

 

[rjs123]

Well I guess I have found the answer to my own question. I think it is Hematite. It easily leaves brown marks on unglazed ceramic. Looks like I was right in the first place. Iron ore.

 

[High Plains Digger]

Does hematite occur in your neck of the woods? And hematite does rust, I had a finished piece that actually formed a rusty spot. Good testing on your part, nice disserton on mrs. o's part. The chances of any old joe finding a meteorite is extremely slim, but............one farmer in Neb. or KS. used one as a door stop since the 1800's. And another guy (actually a prospector) supposedly found two very large ones in a desert gully in So Cal. I guess it isn't an ordinary joe. The Meteorite Men make it look so easy, but they only have an hour (actually 48 min) to show how good they are. Lots of research time and "pre hunt" time happens first.

I was going to track down a meteorite fall once. In happened in Johnstown, Co. in about 1927. They were having a funeral when a meteorite hit a plowed corn field just across the fence. Since they had shovels, they went over and dug it, and 5 other pieces. I suspected they could have missed some pieces and I could find them if there weren't houses on the cornfield. A little more reading dashed all my hopes---it was totally stony. Not a bit of iron. And my metal detector would do no good.