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Think I found a meteorite...

Posted by Lisa Spencer on May 1, 2012 at 9:30am in General Discussions

Tried to post this on my status but doesn't look like it took so will post again...

I am 99% sure I found a meteorite while metal detecting...

Last Sunday while detecting on private property (with permission) I got a really strong hit on a rock.  I was deep in a forest about 20 yards from a creek.  The rock was covered with moss and leaves.  Rock was about 12" x 10" with a height of 2" - 5".  It was so heavy I had to rest about every 5-10 yards to get it out of there.  Turns out the rock weighs 26.4 pounds and it's about the size of a medium pizza box.

The rock is magnetic everywhere however nothing metal will stick to it.  I had it analyzed at a gold/coin shop and the metal analyzer showed that it was about 96-98% iron and 2-4% Nickel with trace amounts of zinc and copper.  The metal % varied depending on where the analyzer was placed on the rock.

Also, if you look at the pictures you will see that it has the "thumbprint" in clay markings that some meteorites display.

Any suggestions on where to go from here?  I'd love to get it confirmed in the near future if possible.

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Replies

  • Riverdigger May 1, 2012 at 9:29pm

    It's probably one of those pods from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". 

     You're not the real Lisa Spencer are you?!

    • Lisa Spencer > Riverdigger May 2, 2012 at 6:10am

      Take me to your leader...

  • Lisa Spencer May 1, 2012 at 8:49pm

    Out of curiosity, what else would be super dense, full of iron and a small percentage of nickel?  This thing is so heavy and the location of where it was found was strange.  Very out of place compared to the other rocks in the area.  I know the % of nickel fluctuated at the most to just above 4% which may not be enough to make it a meteorite...but if it's not a meteorite what other possiblilities are out there?

  • Robby Hoover May 1, 2012 at 7:06pm
    Lisa,  I am a member of a few meteorite specific forums and 99.9%of the time the ,"is this a meteorite "question ends up being an ordinary earth rock. Common Bassalt like that found in Franconia ,AZ  strewnfeild is magnetic and can set off a metal detector. Can drive you crazy,  but is not a meteorite. Some look very close but if you see lots of little holes all over the surface which from the pics it kind of looks like there are those are vesicles in which gas escapes those are found on terrestrial earth rocks
    • Lisa Spencer > Robby Hoover May 1, 2012 at 8:42pm

      Thanks Robby,

       

      I know it looks like there are holes but there really isn't...there is like a thumb size pushed in hole that looks like it's about 1/2" deep on one side.  I have a jewelers loupe and have looked for the pinholes and they are not there.  I don't see any bubbles and rough edges that would go along with it.  I broke off a couple more small pieces and want to sand them down to see what the inside looks like.  I see a lot of shiny particles on the inside and there is a shade of black that runs through the pieces along with lighter material around it.

  • Lisa Spencer May 1, 2012 at 6:47pm

    Okay, after all the comments and much more research I am not 99% sure that I have a meteorite...I hope I do but the odds are that it's not even though it fits most of the characteristics.

    I am going to try to get a window and measure the density.  Will keep you all posted.  And please, keep the comments coming.  They are really helping.

     

     

     

    • Flour (Indy Jones) Mike > Lisa Spencer May 1, 2012 at 7:01pm

      It doesnt really matter if you do or dont. you know things now that you never would have educated yourself on before.You cant put a dollar value on that knowledge. The other thing is no matter who is the expert...never trust them. Its an elimination process that takes you to signing up for lab tests. But from there no person determines its a meteorite once and for all. In order to be registered in the world database a committee votes on it and there is a submission fee of 20 grams or 20% thats given up forever for study.

  • Robby Hoover May 1, 2012 at 5:54pm
    The sutters mill meteorite which is the newest observed california fall is an extremely rare CM carbonaceous chondrite which is very valuable. The CM class of chondrites do not stick to a magnet and do not sound off on a metal detector. They have been known to have amino acids and microscopic diamonds in them. Amino acids being the building blocks of life.  If you could file a window on the stone and get a pic of it that might help in IDing the rock. 
  • Robby Hoover May 1, 2012 at 4:09pm
    Also check out the nuggetshooters forum they have a meteorite section and lots of knowledgable people
    • Riverdigger > Robby Hoover May 1, 2012 at 5:33pm

      Not to get you frothing at the mouth, but word has it the latest meteorites that went down in the California motherlode on April 22 are fetching around $1000.00 per gram.  It looks like a different type, but you never know till you get it checked out.

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