Meteorite identification help please

In summary, the stone looks like an Ordinary Chondrite, it's been on Earth for a long time, and there is evidence of metal spread throughout the rock. However, a lab test would be the final confirmation.
  • #1
Patel het
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TL;DR Summary
Iam in the process of getting an authority to either confirm or decline it as a proper meteorite. When I looked up for photos on internet it looked exactly like a meteorite. Now talking about stone it appears to have fusion crust, it is magnetic and possible metal flakes. Really needs some experts help.
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While we get to Australian time, let's start with the bad news:

1. A photograph cannot prove a stone is or as not a meteorite. You need to send it to a lab. Labs expect to be paid, evem if the answer is "no".
2. Most rocks thought to be meteorites are not, so the odds start out against you..

Relevant features:
  • Magnetic - moves the odds up, but lots of earth rocks are magnetic too.
  • Fusion crust - I don't see one. Do you have a section? (Is that what the 2nd to last picture is supposed to show) All I see is that the outside is dark. Lots of rocks have a dark outside.
  • Regmaglypts - Don't see any. Moves the odds down.
  • White mineral - if this is quartz, it is not a meteorite.
 
  • #4
Patel het said:
TL;DR Summary: Iam in the process of getting an authority to either confirm or decline it as a proper meteorite. When I looked up for photos on internet it looked exactly like a meteorite. Now talking about stone it appears to have fusion crust, it is magnetic and possible metal flakes. Really needs some experts help.

looks like a very good Ordinary Chondrite to me
Has the remains of a very old and weathered fusion crust. It's been on Earth a very long time and the crust is no longer black
The shiny "white/silver" material looks like the Iron just shing cuz of the angle the photo was taken relative to the stone
The spread of that "metal" throughout the rock is indicitive of how metal is spread in a choncrite

Like this australian one from my collection .....
#152 Tenham L6 QLD Australia b.jpg
When a rock has been reasonably metamorphosed at it's source, it can destroy many/most of the chondrules

cheers
Dave

PS. After Berkeman's comment, I thought I better do an edit
Ordinady Chondrite is the most common type of meteorite
Chondrites make up 85.8% of stony meteorites. Stony meteorites make up 93.8% of all meteorites.
Stony-Irons another 1.2% and Irons 5%
 
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  • #7
davenn said:
looks like a very good Ordinary Chondrite to me
Has the remains of a very old and weathered fusion crust. It's been on Earth a very long time and the crust is no longer black
The shiny "white/silver" material looks like the Iron just shing cuz of the angle the photo was taken relative to the stone
The spread of that "metal" throughout the rock is iondicitive of how metal is spread in a choncrite

Like this australian one from my collection .....
View attachment 320647When a rock has been reasonably metamorphosed at it's source, it can destroy many/most of the chondrules

cheers
Dave

PS. After Berkeman's comment, I thought I better do an edit
Ordinady Chondrite is the most common type of meteorite
Chondrites make up 85.8% of stony meteorites. Stony meteorites make up 93.8% os all meteorites.
Stony-Irons another 1.2% and Irons 5%
So at the end this is a meteorite right? My first meteorite and literally a dream come true! It won't matter to mean if it is very comman or rare iam just going to keep it with me as my first meteorite ☄
 
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Patel het said:
So at the end this is a meteorite right? My first meteorite and literally a dream come true! It won't matter to mean if it is very comman or rare iam just going to keep it with me as my first meteorite ☄

I have no reason to believe that it isnt. A lab test would be the final confirmation.
I have been collecting meteorites ( and rocks and minerals - for that matter) for a long time.
I have over 300 meteorites in my personal collection and over 500 rock and mineral specimens.
Every day in various Facebook groups I see and tell many people that they have meteorwrongs
instead of meteorites. 99% of rocks that are shown (asked about) in the groups are meteorwrongs.
Slag from glass or iron foundaries is most common, volcanic rocks such as basalts also a very
common wrong

I would love to see a better/sharper photo of that cut surface

Also, where did you find this rock ... Home country ? which is where ?

As @Vanadium 50 said, magnetic attraction isnt a good proof. Many Earth rocks are also
attracted to a magnet and on the other hand, not all meteorite are attracted to a magnet.
For example, achondrites that include Martian, Lunar and the Vesta asteroid H.E.D. groups
are almost to completely devoid of metal and therefore wont stick to a magnet.

Iron in chondrite meteorites is sprinkled through the rock like in your and my samples.
Iron and other metals in Earth rocks tends to be more clusteres along seams as much of
it is hydrothermally deposited ... ythink veins of gold, copper, antimony etc etc
Iron in Earth deposits tends to be in bulk mass and often heavily oxidised in the forms of
limonite, magnetite, hematite etc. Physical, metallic, iron in the Earth's crust is extremely rare
In fact, probably, 98-99% of that which is found would be in meteorites.

Metallic iron is found in 3 type of meteorites
1) stones as in chondrites - this is crustal material of asteroids
2) Stony-Irons as in Pallasites and Mesosiderites they are from the mantle and the mantle-crust
boundary of an asteroid
3) Irons as in Nickel-Iron meteorites from the cores of broken up asteroids

cheers
Dave
 
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  • #9
davenn said:
I have no reason to believe that it isnt. A lab test would be the final confirmation.
I have been collecting meteorites ( and rocks and minerals - for that matter) for a long time.
I have over 300 meteorites in my personal collection and over 500 rock and mineral specimens.
Every day in various Facebook groups I see and tell many people that they have meteorwrongs
instead of meteorites. 99% of rocks that are shown in the groupds are meteorwrongs.
S;ag from glass or iron foundaries is most common, volcanic rocks such as basalts also a very
common wrong

I would love to see a better/sharper photo of that cut surface

Also, where did you find this rock ... Home country ? which is where ?

As @Vanadium 50 said, magnetic attraction isnt a good proof. Many Earth rocks are also
attracted to a magnet and on the other hand, not all meteorite are attracted to a magnet.
For example, achondrites that include Martian, Lunar and the Vesta asteroid H.E.D. groups
are almost to completely devoid of metal and therefore wont stick to a magnet.

Iron in chondrite meteorites is sprinkled through the rock like in your and my samples.
Iron and other metals in Earth rocks tends to be more clusteres along seams as much of
it is hydrothermally deposited ... ythink veins of gold, copper, antimony etc etc
Iron in Earth deposits tends to be in bulk mass and often heavily oxidised in the forms of
limonite, magnetite, hematite etc. Physical, metallic, iron in the Earth's crust is extremely rare
In fact, probably, 98-99% of that which is found would be in meteorites.

Metallic iron is found in 3 type of meteorites
1) stones as in chondrites - this is crustal material of asteroids
2) Stony-Irons as in Pallasites and Mesosiderites they are from the mantle and the mantle-crust
boundary of an asteroid
3) Irons as in Nickel-Iron meteorites from the cores of broken up asteroids

cheers
Dave
iam from india. And it was found in my backyard. Since a year I was watching videos, photos ,websites and threads related to meteorites. Since then I wanted a meteorite really bad. I could not go for meteorite hunting anywhere (since iam 15 years of age) so I decided to take a chance and test my luck. I tried to find a meteorite in my backyard as it was filled with rocks. It is still unbelievable that a space rock was resting in my backyard and didn't knew! Here are some photos of cut sections with some metallic flakes visible and sorry for poor quality of images.
Screenshot_20230119-165600_Video Player.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165715_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165713_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165619_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165601_Video Player.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165631_Video Player.jpg
Screenshot_20230119-165711_Gallery.jpg
 
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  • #10
davenn said:
I have no reason to believe that it isnt. A lab test would be the final confirmation.
I have been collecting meteorites ( and rocks and minerals - for that matter) for a long time.
I have over 300 meteorites in my personal collection and over 500 rock and mineral specimens.
Every day in various Facebook groups I see and tell many people that they have meteorwrongs
instead of meteorites. 99% of rocks that are shown (asked about) in the groups are meteorwrongs.
Slag from glass or iron foundaries is most common, volcanic rocks such as basalts also a very
common wrong

I would love to see a better/sharper photo of that cut surface

Also, where did you find this rock ... Home country ? which is where ?

As @Vanadium 50 said, magnetic attraction isnt a good proof. Many Earth rocks are also
attracted to a magnet and on the other hand, not all meteorite are attracted to a magnet.
For example, achondrites that include Martian, Lunar and the Vesta asteroid H.E.D. groups
are almost to completely devoid of metal and therefore wont stick to a magnet.

Iron in chondrite meteorites is sprinkled through the rock like in your and my samples.
Iron and other metals in Earth rocks tends to be more clusteres along seams as much of
it is hydrothermally deposited ... ythink veins of gold, copper, antimony etc etc
Iron in Earth deposits tends to be in bulk mass and often heavily oxidised in the forms of
limonite, magnetite, hematite etc. Physical, metallic, iron in the Earth's crust is extremely rare
In fact, probably, 98-99% of that which is found would be in meteorites.

Metallic iron is found in 3 type of meteorites
1) stones as in chondrites - this is crustal material of asteroids
2) Stony-Irons as in Pallasites and Mesosiderites they are from the mantle and the mantle-crust
boundary of an asteroid
3) Irons as in Nickel-Iron meteorites from the cores of broken up asteroids

cheers
Dave
Here are the contrasted images of the cut section
20230119_202350.jpg
20230119_202336.jpg
20230119_202447.jpg
20230119_202316.jpg
 

1. How can I tell if a rock is a meteorite?

There are several characteristics that can help identify a meteorite. These include a dark, often black, exterior with a smooth or pitted texture, a metallic appearance, and a high density. Meteorites may also have a fusion crust, which is a thin layer of melted rock that forms on the surface as it travels through Earth's atmosphere.

2. What tools do I need to identify a meteorite?

To properly identify a meteorite, you will need a strong magnet, a magnifying glass, and a streak plate. The magnet can help determine if the rock contains metallic minerals, while the magnifying glass can help you see the texture and features of the rock more clearly. The streak plate can be used to test the color of the rock's powder, which can also provide clues about its composition.

3. Where can I find meteorites?

Meteorites can be found in various locations, including deserts, beaches, and even in your own backyard. However, the best places to find meteorites are in areas with low vegetation and minimal human disturbance, such as Antarctica and certain deserts. It is important to obtain permission before searching on private land.

4. What should I do if I think I have found a meteorite?

If you believe you have found a meteorite, it is important to handle it carefully and avoid damaging it. Take clear photos of the rock from multiple angles and note its location. You can also use a magnet to test for metallic minerals. It is recommended to have the rock identified by a professional meteorite expert or a geological museum.

5. Are all rocks that fall from the sky meteorites?

No, not all rocks that fall from the sky are meteorites. Many objects, such as airplane debris, space junk, and even rocks from Earth's own moon, can also fall from the sky. It is important to properly identify a rock as a meteorite before assuming it is one.

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