Magnet!

[Alan Applegate]

I was reading another forum, and reminded myself to make a suggestion.

The greatest percentage of meteorites falls are mostly iron based, so most of the time they get passed over. Nonetheless, most folks who have detected for a few years have dug up at least one meteorite. Albeit, they might not have known what it was!

There are a few meteorites which contain nickel (≈1% of the falls), and for the most part cannot be detected. Plessites and Taenites are examples. As a result, visual inspection is the key to identifying one. There are a myriad of web sites which explain how to ID the various types, like this one. Oddly enough, their surface irregularities are about the same. After all, they do get rather hot falling through the atmosphere.

There is one way to detect nickel-containing meteorites, and that is with a magnet. The amount of attraction depends on the amount of nickel, but any attraction means you've found a rare nickel-based meteorite. But you have to be careful, because there are other elements which are attracted to a magnet, but can't be detected.

The best magnet to carry around is a neodymium, which is the world's strongest magnet. Most Ace hardware stores carry them. Buy a large one if you can. Be careful, as they are breakable, and don't be fooled, they are very strong!

So the next time you're looking down at an odd rock which looks like it it partially melted, can't be detected, but sticks to a magnet, you very well may have found a rare meteorite worth more than a few bucks.

One more thing. Pallasites are extremely rare. They too can't be detected, but stick to a magnet. You find one, even a small one, and it is worth big bucks!

 

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[Rockhunter1620]

There is one way to detect nickel-containing meteorites, and that is with a magnet. The amount of attraction depends on the amount of nickel, but any attraction means you've found a rare nickel-based meteorite. But you have to be careful, because there are other elements which are attracted to a magnet, but can't be detected.

Now I'm offended, this statement is a blatant LIE! Nickel (Ni on the periodic table of elements), will NEVER attract to a ANY kind of magnet! Period!
There is only one single element in ALL the known elements that will attract to a magnet, and that's iron (Fe), it's the only one, period! There are only 3 different meteorite types that cannot be detected with an MD. Martians, Lunars, and most carbonatious chondrites. (b'cause they don't have any iron in them, CC's do contain a little and will stick to a strong magnet but MD's usually wont sound off on em) All others will contain a percentage of
Fe/Ni including pallesites (which are mostly Fe/Ni and peridote otherwise known as olivine).And a decent MD, ground balanced properly, will sound off on most of em. Stoney chondrites all fall into 2 primary categories, H and L.
H meaning high in iron and L meaning low in iron.
The 2 elements iron and nickel are NEVER alloyed naturally in the earths crust in mineral deposits , those metals, when found alloyed within some
rock groundmass or matrix, is proof positive it had fallen from space. Please know the facts and truth before you post, thank you most kindly!

RH

 

[Alan Applegate]

Well, the attraction is very weak, but it is there nonetheless. And, you're also forgetting about other materials like aluminum, bismuth, cobalt, and others—they all non-ferris.

Another phenomena most folks don't understand is eddy current. Although some materials aren't attracted to a magnet, they can still be moved with a fast moving magnet.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Although some materials aren't attracted to a magnet, they can still be moved with a fast moving magnet.

?

I suppose if you smack non-magnetic metal with a fast moving magnet it will move the non-magnetic material.

And nickel is magnetic - as is cobalt - though a 5¢ nickel coin is not (75% copper & 25% nickel).

 

[Tnmountains]

I buy the rare earth magnets each magnet will handle around 200 lbs of pull. They are very dangerous and will crush a finger or attach to your truck. I use them in water on my pick axe handle. Do not use if you have a pace maker or get them near any electronic they can cause great damage. There is magnet suppliers on line that encase them with mounting holes.
Cool toys of the trade and am sure great for space debri.

 

[Rockhunter1620]

Ok Alan,
Sorry fer accusing you of posting lies when the truth was that yer facts were just extremely inaccurate. to begin with, yer statements "There are a few meteorites which contain nickel(-1% of the falls), and for the most part can't be detected. Plessites,
and Taenites are examples."
"plessite and taenite are NOT meteorite classifications.
Plessite is a meteorite texture consisting of a fine-grained mixture of the minerals kamacite and taenite found in the octahedrite iron meteorites. It occurs in gaps (its name is derived from the Greek "plythos" meaning "filling"[1]) between the larger bands of kamacite and taenite which form Widmanstätten patterns.
ETCHING IRON METEORITES | Meteorite Times Magazine
Taenite is just one of the two iron minerals, that iron meteorites are composed of.
Kamacite and taenite is allways alloyed with small percentages of nickel, and that is the determining factor of whether it had fallen from space.
Chemical Elements.com - Transition Metals
Meteorite Minerals
All iron, stoney iron and nearly all "H", "L", and "LL" chondrites can easily be detected with an MD. However many carbonacious chondrites contain such small amounts of iron that they can't be detected with an MD but will attract to an earth magnet.
Concerning yer statement about other elements bein magnetic, you were correct, I was wrong. "Ni", "Co", and "Bi" do indeed possess electromagnetic or ferromagnetic properties, but these properties can only be witnessed or exhibited in the strictest of
laboratory conditions, and using very sensitive electomagnetism measuring equpment.
Any idea that the presents of nickel in a meteorite determines it's ability to stick
to a magnet is false, it's the iron (Fe) content that allows for magnetic attraction.
Magnetic Properties of Solids
http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/solids/ferro.html#c2
I believe you've under-emphasized the dangers of handling neodymium rare earth
magnets. The ameteur meteorite hunter should not need an earth magnet with more
than 20-40 lbs. of pull strength, I use #36's. Anything stronger, those are just flat-out dangerous, #60, #90, or #120's have mgnetic fields 6 ft. in diameter, they WILL
wreck yer personal electronics, cellphones, gps's, MD computers. If you get a magnet
too close to one of these you WILL wipe it clean and render it useless. Get yer
fingers caught b'tween 2 #90's, you need medical attention. I own 2 #120's, they scare
me, I don't like handling them, when I do, I'm super careful.
APPLIED MAGNETS-Neodymium Magnets-Rare Earth Magnets-Ceramic Magnets-Industrial Magnets-Magnets Wholesale To The Public
Oh, and finally, pallesites are classified "stoney iron" and are easily detected.
Steve Arnold found his world fame after metal detecting a #1400+ lb. Brenham Pallesite.
And then went on to recovering several 200-300 lb. Brennam Pallesites with
Geofrey Notkin.
Metal Detecting Meteorites | highplainsprospectors.com
And finally, I'm thinkin the mods here might move this to the meteorite section,
and I'm wonderin why you didn't post it there to begin with?
Hope this all helps to clarify a little better, and let me apologize again
fer callin you a liar it was not my intent to offend.
RH

 

[Alan Applegate]

Actually Charlie, you don't have to physically hit the object to get it to move. Coin sorters use the eddy current effect to separate clad from silver. I posted that before, but got blasted about too! Probably the best example I can think of is a mechanical speedometer. Inside is a spinning magnet mounted inside a cup, typically made of aluminum alloy. As the cable spins the magnet, the spring-loaded cup rotates against the spring. The eddy currents flowing in the aluminum, the more deflection there is.

I'll agree the magnetic attraction to Nickel, Cobalt and Bismuth are weak, but I disagree that it takes a laboratory setting. Few folks ever get to hold onto a piece of pure nickel (our coinage has never been more than about 25%nickel). If they did, they'd find out that the attraction is easily felt.

Even as old as I am, I still remember my high school physics and chemistry classes where I learned about magnetic attraction. There was even some for the redhead who sat next to me!