12-11-12, 03:40 PM | #1 |
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Meteorite identification....
Anybody know of anyone who can identify a meteorite??? I do a little work with gemstones (sapphire/opal) and sell through a local jeweler. Other day he gives me a 5 gallon bucket of rocks. Small collection of semi-precious stones he was given from a goldsmith who had passed away. Jeweler doesn't know stones so he asks me to take a look and see if they have any value. I go through them and find an odd stone. It's very heavy, has a crust, and magnets stick to it.....a meteorite??? Possibly but every place I look I'm told to get it checked out at a University. So I contact the two Universities close to me and no one can help. Anyone have a contact???
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12-11-12, 04:49 PM | #2 |
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Does this help?
Capt Mike
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12-11-12, 05:18 PM | #3 |
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That looks more like a pod....Invasion of the Body Snatchers
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12-11-12, 09:16 PM | #4 |
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This is gonna sound really dumb, but have you googled it? I'll do a little reading, see if I find anything.
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12-11-12, 09:20 PM | #5 |
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Edit: This may help:
http://meteorite-identification.com/streak.html If you get all the way down to the density/ specific gravity, don't be worried by SG if you have never heard of it before. Its just a way to compare densities to water's density.
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12-12-12, 12:29 AM | #6 |
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12-12-12, 12:51 AM | #7 |
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3d, an old professor of mine...Jim Miller....at Missouri State may be able to help you. I will try to dig up contact info if you would like. It's been 7 or 8 yrs since I had his class but he is a geologist through and through and this would be right up his ally.
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12-12-12, 08:18 AM | #8 |
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A good buddy of mine is a UFOologist and says this is probably the head of an alien fetus as evidenced by the highlights he placed around facial features (you'll need to click on the smaller pic to see his evidence)
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12-12-12, 11:54 AM | #9 |
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I'm guessing someone has "made contact" and got probed......
Gun - Did a little research and pretty certain it is a meteorite but unsure as to the value. Type of meteorite, where it was found, and condition all determine value. Some common types sell for $.50-1.00 per gram and others are a lot more. This stone is 4"x3"x 3/4" and weighs 1 lb or more.....very heavy. At $1 per gram it would be worth over $500. Mo - Any help would be great. Trying to get in touch with Smithsonian and see if someone will look at it. So far I've struck out. I think I have a winner.....Here's one that matches what I have Last edited by 3dkicker; 12-12-12 at 03:44 PM. |
12-14-12, 03:07 PM | #10 |
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Could be one. Most sulfide/sulfate/oxides minerals can all have that characteristic. You have your very heavy Galena mineral, which are more shiny in luster. Then you have the magnetic hematite and magnetite. Both are comparable in weight, very dense and heavy. Magnetite is way more magnetic than hematite is. Hematite has very little magnetism, and when I say little I mean little, so youll know which one. Ususally meteorites have a mixture of silicon oxides usually quartz based, with the iron oxides which can be ferrous iron or ferric iron... The easiest way is to find a university with an XRD machine (xray diffraction). This takes a small sample and bounces a whole bunch of xrays off of it which gives the crystal structure blah blah blah, it will ultimately tell you how much and what minerals are in it. Then you can make the call. Of course for some of the minerals to crystallize they must be in the respected conditions, i.e. temp, pressure, etc. I know we have an XRD and I know the main person who runs it. If you want I can give him an email about it, and maybe they can run it. But I would check around first.
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12-14-12, 03:08 PM | #11 |
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Oh.. I will hopefully be adding a degree in Geology, Hate the stuff, but it was easy to obtain with my other science classes. Let me know if you have anymore questions. I'm no geologist or mineral guru by any means, just tellin ya what I know or how you could possibly find out. Good luck!
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12-15-12, 09:22 PM | #12 |
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Looking like Magnetite....did a streak test (yes there is such a thing) and failed so it's not a meteorite. So now what do I do with a hunk of Magnetite????
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12-16-12, 01:07 AM | #13 |
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make a jig head out of it? lol!
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12-16-12, 01:15 AM | #14 |
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I going to say it is from Uranus. Had to be said sooner or later.
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12-16-12, 10:31 PM | #15 |
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3d-could it be that it is just a rusted chunk of iron? I was an avid rock collector as a kid and had one similar that turned out to be just a chunk of iron.
Hope it is hematite-a chunk of iron ore, not refined iron. I can tell you it definitely not galena, which is lead ore. That has square crystals and is a shiny silver color.
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12-17-12, 12:55 PM | #16 |
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Magnetite is the most common one or mistake. Stony meteorites generally have a density around 3.5 grams per cm3 and normal earth crustal rock is around 2.7 grams per cm3. In other words stony meteorites are about 30% heavier for the same size rock.
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12-18-12, 11:32 AM | #17 |
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It's not. My dad grew up near some railroad tracks in NW Penn. and we'd walk the tracks and he'd show me what they used to pick up and sell for scrap metal for pennies.
This is definately mineral. Showed it to a geologist at a Gem/Jewelery show over the weekend. He figured it was either a meteorite or magnetite and was worried that it might be radioactive since some meteorites can be. Then I got the email from the Smithsonian telling me how to test it to determine if it was or wasn't. Hematite leaves a brown streak when tested, magnetite leaves a grey streak, and meteorites don't leave a streak. Mine left a grey streak. Case closed......but I appreciate all the help. Last edited by 3dkicker; 12-18-12 at 01:35 PM. |
12-18-12, 01:55 PM | #18 |
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Aw, crap. I was hoping it was a meteorite of either adamantium, vibranium, or unobtainium
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12-18-12, 05:15 PM | #19 |
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Me too. I had plans for that $500.....
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12-18-12, 06:31 PM | #20 |
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Well I think if it left a brown streak it would confirm it came from Uranus..
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12-18-12, 06:43 PM | #21 |
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Ok what all inquiring minds want to know is what color streak does a real meteorite leave.
Streaking rocks lol is dat what happened to me pet rock I had my money on it being real |
12-18-12, 06:55 PM | #22 |
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Meteorite doesn't leave one. Funny thing is that the streak test is done on a unglazed porcelain tile.....or the under side of the top of the toliet tank.....Uranus indeed!!!
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12-22-12, 09:43 AM | #23 |
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At least it is not a blue water comet from a toilet dump in the upper atmosphere. Joe Dirt style.. yep business in the front and party in the back..
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