POSSIBLE METEORITE?

[BloodMoon]

This rock is at least 3.5 times the weight of a normal terrestrial rock. It leaves no streak whatsoever on an unglazed tile. It appears to have metal flakes on the inside. I can’t believe I don’t have a magnet! So not sure yet on that one.

 

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[Red-Coat]

Based on appearance alone, that's one of the more promising candidates I've seen on the forum. If it is, the internal appearance would be most consistent with a mesosiderite, but that's still a big 'if'. What concerns me is the absence of rusting. What were the conditions for the location of the find? For a meteorite, if you can actually see metal then it will always be magnetic, but that's a non-definitive test that doesn't rule out other possibilities. Is there no magnet on your refrigerator door? Also, how did you expose the interior and with what degree of difficulty?

 

[BloodMoon]

Thanks. Great reply!

I took a closer up, and it appears to me that there might be some rusting. I also did a nickel test and if the color is light pink to red there is nickel present.
I’ve attached the results. The bright red is a test on an actual 5 cent nickel. The lighter color is the test on the “meteorite.” I found a fridge magnet and it doesn’t seem to have any pull or attraction to a magnet whatsoever, which really surprises me. I’m not at my place so I could file down a window. It took about 3-4 solid hits from a weighted rock hammer for a time thin piece to come off.

Based on appearance alone, that's one of the more promising candidates I've seen on the forum. If it is, the internal appearance would be most consistent with a mesosiderite, but that's still a big 'if'. What concerns me is the absence of rusting. What were the conditions for the location of the find? For a meteorite, if you can actually see metal then it will always be magnetic, but that's a non-definitive test that doesn't rule out other possibilities. Is there no magnet on your refrigerator door? Also, how did you expose the interior and with what degree of difficulty?

 

[Red-Coat]

Thanks for the follow-up.

If you can see metal, but it's not attracted to a magnet, you don't have a meteorite. There are no ifs or buts about that. Visibly metallic portions of meteorites (if they have them) are always magnetic.

Any industry in the vicinity of where you found this?

 

[BloodMoon]

Fredonia AZ up in the hills where there is a lot of petrified wood.

 

[BloodMoon]

No industry. I don’t think there is even a stop light. Ha.

 

[Red-Coat]

Well we rule out meteorite if you can see metal but it's not magnetic. In your second set of pictures I see numerous small interior vesicles which would also be a contra-indicator.

If there's no industry in the area then it's not likely to be slag or something man-made providing you're also sure the area wasn't a dumping ground for industrial waste. It doesn't look like man-made space junk either.

I think you have to assume it's terrestrial and some kind of ore, but not iron ore. There has been mining in that area, but I think largely for minerals such as gypsum. Maybe copper or even silver too, but not sure about that. It could be mine tailings, just an isolated chunk of ore, or something volcanic.

 

[flyadive]

It looks like a meteor... very promising for sure! Impact strike and a crust. Arizona Dry and not much rust too. I believe I’ve read that more rare meteorites are non magnetic ?
A fridge magnet just not strong enough!
Try taking it somewhere for a closer look
Good luck
I’ve in the past sent meteor wrongs out for identification. Came back negative. Sent them to the guys on that had a short time tv show on finding them .

 

[Red-Coat]

It looks like a meteor... very promising for sure! Impact strike and a crust. Arizona Dry and not much rust too. I believe I’ve read that more rare meteorites are non magnetic ?
A fridge magnet just not strong enough!

I have to disagree. Where do you see "impact strike"? It has a darker exterior, which is likely oxidation but I wouldn't call that fusion crust. It has interior vesicles, which are not found in meteorites, except very rarely and sparsely. It's correct that some meteorites are non-magnetic or only very weakly so, but that's not correct for meteorites containing nickel-iron and @BloodMonn says he can see metal flakes inside. The only native metal that will be visible in a meteorite of any kind will be an iron-rich alloy with a moderate amount of nickel. That will always be strongly magnetic.

 

[flyadive]

Red-coat I’m sure you are correct. I highly respect your response . This is just my amateur response on meteors. I’m still learning.
The second and third photo looked like an impact ?? Not sure though if it is consistent with what has been found in the past.
[emoji4]

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Can a meteorite be non magnetic?

Lunar and Martian meteorites, and most achondrites (stone meteorites without chondrules) contain little or no iron and even a powerful magnet will generally have no effect on them. However, these meteorite types are so extremely rare that, as a general rule, we discount specimens that will not adhere to a magnet.

 

[chub]

I would still leave it on the coffee table and claim that it is one The initial pictures looked quite promising....but the pics in #3 - appear to have sharp edges?

I respect Red Coat, maybe someone from rocks and minerals can identify exactly what it is.

I have heard of the "God Rock" - apparently an all carbon meteorite?

Good luck and thanks for sharing

Chub

 

[BloodMoon]

I don’t think it’s slag like you say. It just seems too heavy to be volcanic. I really need to get the right magnet which I’m going to do right now and I’ll report back.

Well we rule out meteorite if you can see metal but it's not magnetic. In your second set of pictures I see numerous small interior vesicles which would also be a contra-indicator.

If there's no industry in the area then it's not likely to be slag or something man-made providing you're also sure the area wasn't a dumping ground for industrial waste. It doesn't look like man-made space junk either.

I think you have to assume it's terrestrial and some kind of ore, but not iron ore. There has been mining in that area, but I think largely for minerals such as gypsum. Maybe copper or even silver too, but not sure about that. It could be mine tailings, just an isolated chunk of ore, or something volcanic.

 

[Duckshot]

Could that be Kimberlite?

ive only handled a couple peices of kimberlite. It is often mistaken for meteorites and it is also magnetic but not as dense as a meteorite.



Can you measure its density?