From outer space or what?

[Goodyguy]

I found this while MD'ing near the Ohio River in southern Indiana It is about 3-1/2" X 2"
and weighs almost a pound!

A magnet will attract to it but not like it would to solid metal.
It is very hard I cant scratch it even with the point of a knife!

I have looked at the meteor wrongs and still can not identify it.

A geologist friend of mine said he thought it's some kind of slag.

It doesn't have any rust so must not be iron.

I'm stumped.

 

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[utah hunter]

Odds are against it being a meteorite, if you have a local university they may be able to help if they see it in person. Very cool find though, whatever it turns out to be...Ryan

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks Ryan,

As soon as I get a day off I'll take it to Indiana University Southeast to the Earth Sciences Department and get their opinion. I will then post the results.

 

[Trib]

Going by appearance it could very well be a meteorite. Could be a stoney type which usually have metallic content. Just not as much as a iron/nickel meteorite. You should get it checked out.

 

[pickaway]

Hematite?

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks Ryan,

As soon as I get a day off I'll take it to Indiana University Southeast to the Earth Sciences Department and get their opinion. I will then post the results.

I went last Wednesday and they could only say that they could not rule it out as being a Meteorite. That to be sure it would have to be sent off to be tested.
Cost would be around $980.00 Which is more than it could even be worth if genuine.

 

[Tuberale]

Thanks Ryan,

As soon as I get a day off I'll take it to Indiana University Southeast to the Earth Sciences Department and get their opinion. I will then post the results.

I went last Wednesday and they could only say that they could not rule it out as being a Meteorite. That to be sure it would have to be sent off to be tested.
Cost would be around $980.00 Which is more than it could even be worth if genuine.

To be confirmed a meteorite, it would need to have confirmed Widmanstatten diagrams. You may be able to see these yourself by using a stainless steel file to erode a small window into the rock at some out-of-the-way area. If you don't do that, someone else will have to do it.

It looks like no rock specimen I've seen before.

There is a MUCH cheaper method of having the stone positively identified. Send it to a meteorite laboratory, such as the PSU Meteorite Lab here in Portland, Oregon. Cost would be less than $20 to send it via Express Mail. (Where did that $980 figure come from!?!?!)

The lab will have to create a small window (grind down about 2 square centimeters, or so) for testing. PSU may ask for a portion of the stone for their collection, too. Keep in mind if the stone IS a meteorite, it may be worth $10,000/lb when making a decision about giving a portion of ANY meteorite away.

I have met Dick Pugh, who is associated with the laboratory. I think he is qualified to give a professional opinion on the stone, as well as either of the Ruzika's also staffing the lab. Please keep in mind that they may ask to keep the stone for several months to do scientific testing on the rock if it proves to be a meteorite. You may want to include return postage if you want to rock or meteorite back.

 

[extractor]

Looks like a good chance it is one . Looks similar to the campo ones Ive seen Here's a link
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGdLzqo...teoritelab.com/estore/?findid=217&c=Meteorite

 

[Tuberale]

Looks like a good chance it is one . Looks similar to the campo ones Ive seen

Campo Del Cielo?

Isn't that Spanish for Camp of Bats?

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks guy's

I threw it into my "what is it" box and forgot about it.
First one to PM me their address can have it for shipping cost. ($5)
Must pay by paypal. I will then post that it has been spoken for.

GG~

*offer good in U.S.A. only

 

[Tuberale]

Thanks guy's

I threw it into my "what is it" box and forgot about it.
First one to PM me their address can have it for shipping cost. ($5)
Must pay by paypal. I will then post that it has been spoken for.

GG~

*offer good in U.S.A. only

Sold!

Need your PayPal ID to complete transaction. If a meteorite, will be getting back to you in a few months.

 

[Goodyguy]

Thanks guy's

I threw it into my "what is it" box and forgot about it.
First one to PM me their address can have it for shipping cost. ($5)
Must pay by paypal. I will then post that it has been spoken for.

GG~

*offer good in U.S.A. only

Sold!

Need your PayPal ID to complete transaction. If a meteorite, will be getting back to you in a few months.

pmt. received, will ship first thing in morning!

GG~

 

[Tuberale]

Just received rock. Initial reaction positive.

Then the tests. First, a magnet. Not magnetic. Uh-oh.

Next, filed a window into a portion of the rock. Not metallic. Uh-oh.

Examined the rock closely. No indications of metal after I cleaned it. Final opinion: not meteoritic.

But hey, it _might_ have been, and darn reasonable for GoodyGuy was asking. Worth the chance.

 

[Goodyguy]

Just received rock. Initial reaction positive.

Then the tests. First, a magnet. Not magnetic. Uh-oh.

Next, filed a window into a portion of the rock. Not metallic. Uh-oh.

Examined the rock closely. No indications of metal after I cleaned it. Final opinion: not meteoritic.

But hey, it _might_ have been, and darn reasonable for GoodyGuy was asking. Worth the chance.

Not Magnetic?

I swear it pulled a magnet to it when I tried....(dangle a small powerful magnet from a string close to it and it pulls to the rock) check again using a stronger magnet.

The sheer weight of it for it's size indicates metal. Plus I found it in the first place because it set my metal detector off like crazy.

Try your metal detector over it.
Then send it back to me for a full refund if not metallic.

GG~

 

[Tuberale]

Did more tests again today. Stone is weakly magnetic. I also cleaned excess soil off it with a toothbrush and water. Got quite a bit of what I'm guessing is soil off it. Then took a carbon-steel file to create a "window" into the interior. Interior doesn't look like metal. Here's the interesting thing, though: it does look a little metallic! I'm taking more picures of the entire stone to post again.

I'm thinking maybe I need to do a chemical test to confirm nickel next. If nickel present, then stone likely a meterorite.

Plus points towards being a meteorite:

Dull metallic appearance.
Weight heavy for its size.
Weakly magnetic. A kitchen magnet will not stick to the surface, but is attracted to the stone. Some stony meteorites react like that. Not many, but some.
Exterior appears nearly obsidian-like: not the glassy surface I associate with a fusion crust, but something definately similar. Black to gray-black, with what appear to be flow-lines, possibly where material had melted and flowed across the surface.
Hard. A carbon-steel file takes 10 minutes of eroding on a small area to show any effect at all. Window shows dull gray surface streaked with some lines. Widmanstatten diagrams?
Possible regmaglympts

On the negative side:

No obvious bright metallic luster, even when filed.
Small white inclusions less than 2mm across.
In bright sunlight, multiple tiny reflections. Crystallization?


Taking more pictures now to post.

First photo: what appears to be a flow area on the surface. Had to tone down the lighting on this, since it is quite reflective.

Second photo: more flow lines/bubbles/rounded bump. Also largest white inclusion about 2mm across. Notice glossy black surface which might be remnants of a fusion crust. Stone in general rather angular, though.

Third photo: window showing interior. Again, filed surface pretty reflective: had to put the camera lens almost in contact with the stone to get this photo. There are 3 ground areas in the photo, the result of 15 minutes of filing with a carbon-steel file. Resulting particles from this site look black to reddish-black (rusty black?). Exact center of photo a depression with what appears to be some soil still on the surface. 2 ground areas to the left, one to the right.

 

[Goodyguy]

You know I never tried discrimination on the rock to narrow down the possible type metal, as I was running my MD in all metal mode with no discrimination when the target was discovered.

I feel better now knowing you found that it does have some kind of metal in it!

Now I am curious as to what kind of metal(s)
It is very very hard as the point of a stainless steel knife could not even scratch it!

Keep up the good work
GG~

 

[Tuberale]

Carbon steel is used as a hone for knifes, so the file should have gone through most rock pretty easily. This stone is denser and quite a bit harder than normal rock. And high-carbon steel is used to make higher-quality knife blades.

The original stainless steel was meteoritic in nature. Aztecs, Mayas and Incas made ceremonial objects from meteorites. Several meteorites have been found in tombs.