H5 Chondrite Detectable?

[Dr.Tones]

Hi guys,
I have an opportunity to hunt for an H5 Chondrite and I was wondering if they are easily detected with a metal detector? From everything I've read it seems that they would have no problems being detected however, when I was obtaining permission from the gentleman that has found one of them he stated that another gentleman scanned the meteorite with his detector and he was unable to produce a signal? Now… Yes it is an actual meteorite and it has been classified by a university. There has been two samples found. I don't know what type of detector was used on the initial test. The samples were spotted by eye. The gentleman stated that he has not tried a rare earth magnet test but that it has a slight attraction to household refrigerator magnets. I'm an experienced detectorist in all things except meteorites. CTX, Gold Bug Pro and Frame Detector PI with 6'x, 4'x, and 2'x coils. Either this thing isn't detectable or the guy that tried doesn't know what he's doing? Any help would be appreciated. I will have an opportunity to find out first hand when I meet with him but until then I'm left wondering if its even worth spending time and money looking into the possibilities of detecting it. Thanks!

 

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[Dr.Tones]

It is detectable BTW. Had a chance to swing over it.

 

[Notsuredomus]

Yes the stoney meteorites are detectable. Even the H5 Chondrite meteorites classified as stoney contain Iron and will cause a powerful magnet to stick and a metal detector to sing. However I suppose if the meteorite has been exposed to a wet environment for a long long time it is possible for the iron content to decompose to an iron oxide but I am not to sure about that. If it was classified at a university then a particle accelerator was used. They can then see the exact mineral composition of the object. If it was classified by the university as a meteorite it is because it contained iron and nickel. Nickel doesn't occur on the Earth surface naturally because it decomposes so fast when exposed to the elements. So any stone found that has nickel in it must have come from space. Without oxygen corrosion cannot occur.

 

[Notsuredomus]

I am not sure a fridge magnet would do the trick with a Chondrite. Go to ebay and type in N52 Gauss magnets. You can get a 2inX2in rare earth magnet for under 20 bucks and that sucker will pick up an anvil. Just be careful with it they chip easily and if you get your finger pinched between it and a hunk of metal it can deliver one hell of an boo boo.

 

[deodra]

I am not sure a fridge magnet would do the trick with a Chondrite. Go to ebay and type in N52 Gauss magnets. You can get a 2inX2in rare earth magnet for under 20 bucks and that sucker will pick up an anvil. Just be careful with it they chip easily and if you get your finger pinched between it and a hunk of metal it can deliver one hell of an boo boo.

I pinched my finger with a NdFeB magnet and it doesn't feel like a back massage, for sure.

 

[Tuberale]

Yes the stoney meteorites are detectable. Even the H5 Chondrite meteorites classified as stoney contain Iron and will cause a powerful magnet to stick and a metal detector to sing. However I suppose if the meteorite has been exposed to a wet environment for a long long time it is possible for the iron content to decompose to an iron oxide but I am not to sure about that. If it was classified at a university then a particle accelerator was used. They can then see the exact mineral composition of the object. If it was classified by the university as a meteorite it is because it contained iron and nickel. Nickel doesn't occur on the Earth surface naturally because it decomposes so fast when exposed to the elements. So any stone found that has nickel in it must have come from space. Without oxygen corrosion cannot occur.

While nickel is uncommon, it is found on Earth. In Oregon, the Riddle nickel mine is not associated with any meteoritic material that is known. That (was) the only Amerian source of nickel for many years. Closed now.

The Sudbury Basin nickel mines of Canada are not associated with meteoric material. Major source of nickel for US.