The SkyRock Cafe Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
 

Welcome to the SkyRock Cafe!!!!!
  Home Illinois Meteorites SearchLoginRegisterPM to adminHelp  
 
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
(Read 364 times)
Easom
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SkyRock NewB
Posts: 2


Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
02/06/10 at 15:32:28
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
I found a meteorite while metal detecting in Oregon.  I took it to a geologist lady who went to school for this sort of thing,  She verified it was a meteorite as did another collector of meteorites. The lady said this kind is worth at least 6 dollars a gram whole and more if it got sliced up.   It is about an inch and a half tall and weighs 660 grams.   It isnt magnetic even to a hard drive magnet.  It is metallic on the inside and has a burnt black outside.  How do I get some certifiable id on this and how do I sell or trade it when I get its certification.  My final hope is to sell it or trade it for a minelab Etrac detector.  Thanks for your time and help,  CODY
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
GlassJAw667
SkyRock God
********
Offline

Amateur Collector - Professional
Hunter
Posts: 810
Fort Bragg, N.C.
Gender: male
Zodiac sign: Zodiac sign: Pisces
Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #1 - 02/06/10 at 15:55:43
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
First off, post pictures of it. Secondly, it would need to be tested, and most likel classified to have it sold at that price.
Back to top
 
WWW glassjaw667 glassjaw667 GodForbid667  
IP Logged
 
Easom
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SkyRock NewB
Posts: 2


Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #2 - 02/06/10 at 17:29:29
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
How do I get it certified was the big part of my post,  I guess I was rambling.  Where do I get it tested and how is that done,  I didnt want to post pics of it so the focus would be on the question of where to get it certified or tested.  I posted pics of it before on another forum and the whole focus of the comments were about what everyone thought it was and acting like I was an idiot.  Some proffesional said it was aluminum from the poor pic I posted.  It is just bigger than an egg and it is a pound and a half.  I will get some on here soon.  CODY
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Hveragerthi
SkyRock Ruler
**********
Offline

SkyRock Member
Posts: 2141
Las Vegas, Nevada
Gender: male
Zodiac sign: Zodiac sign: Libra
Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #3 - 02/07/10 at 05:49:42
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
Actually from your description it does not sound like a meteorite. An iron meteorite would be very magnetic.

There are labs you can send it off to. If it is not a meteorite then they will let you know right away. If by some chance it is one then it can take years to get a classification unless you pay to have it classified, which is expensive for an iron.

So before wasting a lot of time and money I would run a few other basic tests such as a nickel test, streak test and maybe even try to nitol etch the surface.

What color is the metal inside? If it is kind of golden colored it is probably pyrite, which can also form a black exterior.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
GlassJAw667
SkyRock God
********
Offline

Amateur Collector - Professional
Hunter
Posts: 810
Fort Bragg, N.C.
Gender: male
Zodiac sign: Zodiac sign: Pisces
Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #4 - 02/07/10 at 11:07:38
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
Listen to James on this one. A picture can only say so much, considering some rarer types can be photographed next to a regular old driveway  stone, and look identical. For our intents and purposes we need to see a few good focus photos to give you a rough estimated of what it COULD be. I'm still new to this myself, and I've probably looked at 90% of the photographed meteorites ever found and I still post pictures on the ID forum fairly regularly. There are labs out there as James pointed out who will do preliminary testing, but if you're fairly certain that what you have is a meteorite only send them a small slice, and polish the area where you took the slice and post pictures for us to see. Smiley
Back to top
 
WWW glassjaw667 glassjaw667 GodForbid667  
IP Logged
 
MittMet
Master Member
******
Offline

SkyRock Member
Posts: 386

Gender: male

Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #5 - 02/07/10 at 15:02:09
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
Hi CODY,

One way to get around your focus problem is to take a picture of it from a couple feet away. Depending on your camera set it at a medium pixel setting then you can crop it (size it down) only showing the meteorite and very little area around the meteorite. Take several shots and experiment with picture size and settings then crop it down. You should have a clear photo of the specimen without having to get close to it.

I hope this helps so members can help you

--AL
Back to top
« Last Edit: 02/07/10 at 15:07:14 by MittMet »  
WWW  
IP Logged
 
GlassJAw667
SkyRock God
********
Offline

Amateur Collector - Professional
Hunter
Posts: 810
Fort Bragg, N.C.
Gender: male
Zodiac sign: Zodiac sign: Pisces
Re: Multiple questions about a meteorite I found while gold detecting
Reply #6 - 02/07/10 at 15:55:23
Alert Board Moderator about this Post! 
Good point al. Also, if you have a macro setting (Looks like the flower from the old Mario Bros. Nintendo games) it works very well for photographing stones with amazing detail. My camera is cheap and I get good photos with the macro setting.
Back to top
 
WWW glassjaw667 glassjaw667 GodForbid667  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
The SkyRock Cafe was founded by Joe Kerchner and is run by Joe and his amazing Moderators, A BIG Thanks to Ralph, Johnno, and Thomas "a.k.a. YabbHelp" for all of their devotion and hard work to The SkyRock Cafe. The SkyRock Exists only because of the great member base we have, A BIG Thanks to all SkyRockers!!!!!!