I've found a (comparitively) large (+/-5 lb meteorite) in my back yard (western Nevada) and am wondering if it has value. It is 1. roughly 128mm wide x 137mm tall x 76mm thick; 2. has distinct, scalloped regmaglypts on the main face and other faces to some extent; 3. has a smooth, almost shiny metallic black patina/ crust all over it with some very slight rust (oxidation) showing; 4. is magnetic and affects a compass passed around it; 5. is quite heavy/dense for its size (not porous at all). I'm pretty sure it is not from this property as the previous owner was quite the rockhound. Do I get lab tests run and what kind? Thin slices? I have no idea what to do with this thing but, by all the stuff I've seen for sale, it is VERY unique indeed. http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179691#msg-179691 Sun, 26 May 2013 03:10:51 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,213339#msg-213339 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,213339#msg-213339 When i was younger i used to find lots of this weird shaped heavy metallic stuff and was convinced it was meteorites, the fact that where i live was built around the railway industry and i always used to find it near the railworks sort of slipped my attention, i was young and excited about my "meteorites" but soon discovered it was just slag!
I say i am not an expert but i do know a little bit more than the average person who doesnt collect meteorites, I was able to confidently id a meteor"wrong" for a freind of a freind, he was conviced he had a meteorite and i took one look at it and told him its a pyrite (or marcasite) nodule, they are found in chalk in my area, i didnt mention that at first and waited to see what he said, he was still convinced he had a meteorite so i said, i bet you found this in chalk didnt you and he said "uh yeah, how did you know?" I told him if he broke it open he would see rays of greenish brassy pyrite radiating out from the centre, i dont know if he did that but he certianly quit insisting it was a meteorite after i said that.
not that I took any enjoyment in telling him he doesnt have a meteorite, i know from my slag experience what ist liek to be disapointed when you find out you dont have what you think you have!, but he wanted to know, and I wasnt going to lie about it just to make him happy!]]> Jason Evans Meteorites Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:51:10 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188643#msg-188643 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188643#msg-188643
you wrote
is magnetic and affects a compass passed around it

That to me that indicates magnetite. So to find out for sure do a streak test. Just take a piece of white unglazed porcelain and scratch the piece on it. It should give you a very diagnostic colored streak. It will be steel gray if it is magnetite. If you don't have a piece of porcelain just use the back side of your toilet bowl lid. If yours is not white then go to your local hardware store and buy a cheap white bathroom/kitchen tile.

For best results you might try to streak a "fresh" interior piece. Because one of the mineralogical components of fusion crust is magnetite.


Let us know the results.]]> Mike Jensen Meteorites Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:47:58 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188630#msg-188630 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188630#msg-188630 Uwe Kolitsch Meteorites Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:18:42 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188536#msg-188536 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188536#msg-188536 Matteo Chinellato Meteorites Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:07:40 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188534#msg-188534 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,188534#msg-188534 teresa soler.(terita) Meteorites Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:05:05 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180389#msg-180389 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180389#msg-180389 Matteo Chinellato Meteorites Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:18:15 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180324#msg-180324 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180324#msg-180324 James Christopher Meteorites Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:52:12 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180294#msg-180294 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,180294#msg-180294 James Christenson Meteorites Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:21:07 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179719#msg-179719 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179719#msg-179719 Tex]]> Tex lang Meteorites Mon, 19 Apr 2010 01:49:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179695#msg-179695 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179695#msg-179695
Ok. 99.9% of things people think are meteorites end up being something very terrestrial. You really need to get it examined by someone to identify it properly. Absolutely no point discussing value until that's done.

No, it's not going to help much sending a photo. Take it to a museum.

Jolyon]]> Jolyon & Katya Ralph Meteorites Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:03:45 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179694#msg-179694 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179694#msg-179694 www.meteoritesusa.com]
who may be of more assistance]]> Donald Vaughn Meteorites Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:26:04 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179691#msg-179691 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,98,179691,179691#msg-179691 1. roughly 128mm wide x 137mm tall x 76mm thick;
2. has distinct, scalloped regmaglypts on the main face and other faces to some extent;
3. has a smooth, almost shiny metallic black patina/ crust all over it with some very slight rust (oxidation) showing;
4. is magnetic and affects a compass passed around it;
5. is quite heavy/dense for its size (not porous at all).

I'm pretty sure it is not from this property as the previous owner was quite the rockhound.

Do I get lab tests run and what kind? Thin slices? I have no idea what to do with this thing but, by all the stuff I've seen for sale, it is VERY unique indeed.]]> Tex lang Meteorites Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:17:55 +0000