How to recognize a meteorite or stone. Pseudo-meteorites: a guide to identification. The internal structure of meteorites

Once you find what you think is a meteorite, you can use a series of tests to try identify a meteorite your find or a simple stone. To know how to identify a meteorite you must first know the types of meteorite. There are many characteristics that will help in identification.

Most meteorites containing iron tend to be magnetic. Even outwardly, the meteorite differs from an ordinary stone. They tend to be heavier and much denser than regular Earth rocks, due in part to their high iron content. Also, meteorites contain higher concentrations of nickel compared to ordinary rocks of the Earth. You can use nickel tests to check for the presence of nickel in a test sample.

When viewed under magnification, the inside of a stony meteorite will contain not only iron spots within the stone, but also small, spherical mineral inclusions, which are called chondrules. will be scattered throughout the matrix. The matrix is ​​the material surrounding the chondrules and inclusions of iron. Even by these indicators, a meteorite can be identified.

There are 3 main types of meteorites: stony meteorites, iron meteorites and stony iron meteorites. As the name suggests

stony iron meteorites usually consist of a 50/50 mixture of iron and silicate minerals. There are two types of stony-iron meteorite: pallasite and mesosiderite - they are a very rare type of meteorite and make up about 1-5% of all meteorites. It is very difficult to identify such meteorites.

Iron meteorites make up about 5% of all known meteorites, and although this figure varies from source to source, most would agree that this is accurate.

Stony meteorites (ordinary chondrites) make up the majority, 80% to 95% of all meteorites that fall to earth. They are called chondrites because of the small spherical inclusions called chondrules discussed above. These minerals are formed in a vacuum environment with zero gravity space, so they have such a shape. They are easy to identify in a meteorite.

You can identify a meteorite by the presence of a burnt and melted surface. fallen meteorite also exhibits what is called meteorite melting crust. It is a thin veneer of black material that forms on the surface of a rock, a meteoroid that enters our atmosphere. As a rule, this dark black melt crust is very similar on the outside to coal, but if the meteorite is a stone type, then it usually has a light interior that looks just like concrete.

Another very important indicator of determining a meteorite is regmaglipts or imprints. These grooves, ridges, dippers, and depressions on the surface of a meteorite are formed in a process called ablation. This happens the moment a meteoroid passes through our atmosphere. At very high temperatures, less dense layers from the surface of the stone begin to melt, and this creates rounded depressions, known as fingerprints. Fingerprints are so called because the human finger usually fits perfectly into these depressions.

There are many more methods for identifying meteorites than the methods mentioned here, but if you have a rock that matches these characteristics, then you can be more certain that it is a meteorite. If you find a meteorite, what to do next? Go to the Meteoritics Laboratory website page. Perhaps you will find the answer there.

Your best bet would be to get in touch with specialists or meteorite experts who can help you identify the meteorites. There are many professional meteorite hunters who know and meteorite shop dealers who will be happy to help you identify a meteorite or give you guidance in finding the right specialist. Where do meteorites come from you can read.

P.S. If you find what you think is a meteorite, send a description and photos of your find, and our readers will see it, and they will help determine the value of the stone. Read more in the Rubric

How to understand that in your hands was a stone not from this planet?

A meteorite is a body of cosmic origin that has crashed onto the surface of a large celestial object.

Mechanism

When an object enters the atmosphere, friction, pressure, and chemical interactions heat it up. Thus, the meteor begins to radiate energy and forms a fireball. We used to call it a shooting star, but astronomers call them fireballs. Meteors that survive re-entry and impact vary greatly in size. For geologists, a fireball is a meteorite large enough to create a crater.

Most meteoroids evaporate as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. But 5-10 pieces per year reach the surface and are detected by scientists. And some of them are big enough to create an impact crater.

Diagnostics

1. Metal

Most meteorites contain metals. Do you see how the metal sparkles on a fresh chip? If yes, it could be a meteorite.

2. Density

Those meteorites in which there is a lot of metal are very dense, compared to ordinary stones. Your find is small, but very weighty? Maybe it's a meteorite.

But remember that not all meteorites are dense.

3. Magnetic properties

Many meteorites contain shiny iron-nickel metal grains or are composed entirely of an iron-nickel alloy. Is the magnet attracted to the surface of your sample? I hope it attracts.

But remember that many rocks on Earth are also magnetic.

4. Chondrules

Some primitive meteorites contain small round pieces of rocky material. They are called chondrules. Does your sample contain chondrules? If so, congratulations.

But we remember that some sedimentary and volcanic rocks can also have spherical particles that look like chondrules.

Chondra under the microscope

5. Bark melting

When an object pierces the atmosphere, it heats up due to the extreme resistance of its gases. The meteor becomes so hot that the outer surface melts. This is how a black / brown coating appears on the surface of the stone - melting crust. As a rule, such a crust is present on freshly fallen meteorites. And from old samples, the fragile crust falls off, but melting spots can still remain in the recesses.

Does your sample have melt crust? What? It has? My regards.

6. Regmaglypt prints

When the surface of a meteorite melts on entry into the atmosphere, some parts of the meteorites melt faster than others. It looks like someone has scraped them off with small spoons. The surface of most meteorites has these imprints - regmaglipts.

7. Trait and its color

Most meteorites do not leave marks on pottery. But the surface of some specimens is hidden under a layer of rust, which can leave a reddish streak. Hematite and some other ferruginous minerals will give the same strip. And if the sample is magnetized and leaves a black or gray line, then it can be an ordinary earth-earth mineral - magnetite.

Is the stone hard enough to leave no marks? Luck has smiled on you.

PS

If all seven points of the meteor bingo match, you can be sure that you have become the owner of the item extraterrestrial origin. And now you're at a fork in the road:

Will your discovery become the property of the scientific community? Or will you keep your charms away from the public?

To be honest, I would have wondered too.

During the year, more than a thousand meteorites fall on the surface of our planet, but only a few of them fall on the research table of scientists. The discovery of almost all meteorites is a matter of luck and chance. Currently, there are three classes of meteorites - iron, iron-stone and stone. Iron meteorites are a monolithic piece of an alloy of iron and nickel. Iron-stony meteorites resemble a metal sponge, in the pores of which there is a silicate substance. There are no rocks on Earth similar in structure to stony-iron meteorites. Stone meteorites are the most difficult to recognize. Only a highly qualified specialist will be able to recognize a stone meteorite for sure. However, even a simple person can understand that he has an alien from space in front of him by the simplest signs of a meteorite:
1. Meteorites are heavier than terrestrial stones. This is due to the greater density that meteorites have compared to terrestrial rocks.
2. The presence of smoothed depressions, similar to finger dents in plasticine or clay - the so-called regmaglipts.
3. Sometimes the meteorite has an oriented shape and resembles a projectile head.
4. If the meteorite fell not too long ago, then there will most likely be a melting crust on its surface - a dark thin shell about 1 mm thick.
5. The fracture of the meteorite is often gray, sometimes small balls are visible on it, about 1 mm in size - chondrules.
6. In almost all celestial wanderers, inclusions of metallic iron can be seen on the polished section.
7. Meteorites are magnetized, and the compass needle near them deviates.
8. Over time, the meteorite changes its color, which becomes brown, rusty. This is caused by an oxidation reaction.
9. In meteorites that belong to the iron class, on a polished and acid-etched section, one can often see large metal crystals - Widmanstätten figures.
Along with the signs of a meteorite, it would also be useful to know what properties space aliens cannot have:
1. Meteorites in no case have through holes from melting, like slag, in addition, there are no cavities, voids and bubbles in their bodies.
2. Meteorites are homogeneous, that is, they do not have a layered structure (which, in particular, can be observed in jasper-like rocks or sandstone shale).
3. The absence of limestone, dolomite, chalk and other carbonate rocks in the structure.
4. Of course, there can be no fossils in a meteorite.
5. Also, there is no large metal structure in meteorites.
6. Meteorites fall already cool enough, so you can’t seriously burn yourself on them.
7. Meteorites come to us from space and fall to Earth almost vertically. If a stone flew into your window, it is definitely not a meteorite.
8. If you notice a fireball, then you should know that a meteorite fell many kilometers away from you, so it is pointless to look for it in your yard.
Meteorites, being extraterrestrial matter, are of great importance for science. That is why, if a meteorite is found, it is imperative to save it and hand it over to specialists. Russian Academy Sciences rewards citizens who donate meteorites to it, but such finds are very rare.

Morphology of meteorites

Before reaching the earth's surface, all meteorites at high speeds (from 5 km / s to 20 km / s) pass through the layers earth's atmosphere. As a result of the monstrous aerodynamic load, meteorite bodies acquire characteristic external features such as:

• oriented-cone-shaped or melted-clastic shape,
• melting bark,
• as a result of ablation (high-temperature, atmospheric erosion), a unique regmaglypt relief.

What to do if you find a meteorite?

You may have a question, what to do if you find a stone in which you suspect a meteorite?

First. Send the following information by email:

• your last name, first name;
• your contact details;
• a description of the circumstances of the find (for example: "I saw a fall", or "I found a heavy stone while processing the field");
• date of discovery;
• indication of the place of discovery;
• sample weight;
• its properties (color of the surface and cleavage, structure, magnetism, presence of metallic inclusions, etc.);
• quality photographs of the sample.

Second. Break off a small piece of the sample (10-15 g) and send it to our address. Coordinate the dispatch of the parcel in advance by phone 0672316316 or by e-mail This address Email protected from spambots. You must have JavaScript enabled to view.. A completed sample application for examination must be attached to the parcel.

Upon receipt of your parcel, we undertake to perform a qualified analysis of the sent sample. And at the very a short time inform you of its results, even if it does not turn out to be a meteorite.

Surface and appearance of meteorites

If a melted surface is observed, this is a good sign. But if the meteorite lay in the ground or on the surface, the surface may lose its appearance.

The most striking feature of every meteorite is the melting crust. If the meteorite did not break during its fall to the Earth, or if it was not broken by someone later, then it is covered on all sides with a melting crust. The color and structure of the melting crust depends on the type of meteorite. Often the melting crust of iron and stony-iron meteorites is black, sometimes with a brownish tinge. The melting crust on stony meteorites is especially clearly visible; it is black and dull, which is characteristic mainly of chondrites. However, sometimes the bark is very shiny, as if covered with black varnish; this is characteristic of achondrites. Finally, a light, translucent crust is very rarely observed, through which the material of the meteorite is translucent.

The melting crust is observed, of course, only on those meteorites that were found immediately or shortly after their fall.

Meteorites that have lain in the Earth for a long time are destroyed from the surface under the influence of atmospheric and soil agents. As a result, the melting crust is oxidized, weathered and turns into an oxidation or weathering crust, taking on a completely different look and properties.

The second main, external sign of meteorites is the presence on their surface of characteristic recesses - pits, resembling, as it were, fingerprints in soft clay and called regmaglipts or piezoglypts. They have a rounded, elliptical, polygonal, or, finally, a strongly elongated shape in the form of a groove. Sometimes there are meteorites with completely smooth surfaces that do not have regmaglipts at all. They are very similar in appearance to ordinary cobblestones. The regmaglypt relief completely depends on the conditions of meteorite motion in the earth's atmosphere.

Meteorites in 99% do not have inclusions of quartz and there are no "bubbles" in them. But often there is a grain structure. Meteorites most often contain iron, which, once on the ground, begins to oxidize, it looks like a rusty stone.

Shape of meteorites

A meteorite can have any shape, even square. But if it's a regular ball or sphere, it's most likely not a meteorite.

The internal structure of meteorites

Iron meteorites are heterogeneous in their mass. They are composed of individual plates - beams, with a width of fractions of a millimeter to 2 or more millimeters. These beams consist of iron with a small admixture of nickel, not more than 7%. Due to this, the polished surfaces of such beams are amenable to the action of acid and, after etching, become rough and dull. On the other hand, the narrow shiny strips bordering these beams consist of iron with a large admixture of nickel, about 24-25%. As a result, they are very resistant to acid solution and after etching remain as shiny as they were before etching. The pattern obtained on etched plates is called Widmanstetten figures (Widmanstetten structure), after the name of the scientist who first discovered these figures.

Iron meteorites showing Widmanstätten figures after etching are called octahedrites, since the beams forming these figures are located along the planes geometric figure- octahedron.

If on the etched surfaces of some iron meteorites, instead of Widmanstätten figures, thin parallel lines appear, called Neumann lines (“Neumann lines”). Meteorites showing Neumann lines contain the smallest amount of nickel, about 5-6%. Each of them is a single crystal in its entire mass, that is, it is a single crystal of the cubic system, which has six faces and is called a hexahedron. Therefore, iron meteorites showing Neumann lines are called hexahedrites.

There is another type of iron meteorites called ataxites, which means "devoid of order." Such meteorites contain the largest amount of nickel (over 13%) and, when polished surfaces are etched, do not show any definite pattern.

Specific gravity of meteorites

Meteorites of different classes differ sharply in their specific gravity. Using measurements of the specific gravity of individual meteorites produced by various researchers, the following average values ​​were obtained for each class:

• Iron meteorites - limits from 7.29 to 7.88; mean value - 7.72;
• Pallasites (average value) - 4.74;
• Mesosiderites - 5.06;
• Stone meteorites - limits from 3.1 to 3.84; mean value - 3.54;

As can be seen from the data presented, even stony meteorites in most cases turn out to be noticeably heavier than terrestrial rocks (due to the high content of nickel iron inclusions).

Magnetic properties of meteorites

Another hallmark meteorites are their magnetic properties. Not only iron and stony-iron meteorites, but also stony (chondrites) have magnetic properties, that is, they react to a constant magnetic field. This is due to the presence of enough a large number free metal - nickel iron. True, some rather rare types of meteorites from the class of achondrites are completely devoid of metallic inclusions, or contain them in insignificant quantities. Therefore, such meteorites do not have magnetic properties.

There are also many natural stones on Earth that have the same properties. If you see that it is metal, and it does not stick to a magnet, this find is most likely of terrestrial origin.

Optical properties of meteorites

The optical properties of meteorites generally include the color and reflectivity of their fresh fracture surfaces. Such characteristics are great importance to compare meteorites with other bodies solar system, for example, with asteroids, planets and their satellites. Domestic and foreign scientists studying this problem, comparing the average values ​​for the entire spectrum of the brightness coefficients of meteorites with the albedo of some celestial bodies, came to the conclusion that asteroids, some planets such as Mars, Jupiter and their satellites are very similar in their optical parameters with various meteorites .

The chemical composition of meteorites

The most common chemical elements in meteorites are: iron, nickel, sulfur, magnesium, silicon, aluminum, calcium, and oxygen. Oxygen is present in the form of compounds with other elements. These eight chemical elements and make up the bulk of meteorites. Iron meteorites are almost entirely composed of nickel iron, stony meteorites are mainly oxygen, silicon, iron, nickel, and magnesium, and stony iron meteorites are approximately equal amounts nickel iron and oxygen, magnesium, silicon. Other chemical elements are present in meteorites in small quantities.

Let us note the role and state of the main chemical elements in the composition of meteorites.

• Iron Fe. Is the most important integral part all meteorites in general. Even in stony meteorites, the average iron content is 15.5%. It occurs both in the form of nickel iron, which is a solid solution of nickel and iron, and in the form of compounds with other elements, forming a number of minerals: troilite, schreibersite, silicates, etc.
• Nickel Ni. It always accompanies iron and is found in the form of nickel iron, and is also part of phosphides, carbides, sulfides and chlorides. The obligatory presence of nickel in the iron of meteorites is their characteristic feature. The average Ni:Fe ratio is 1:10, however, individual meteorites can show significant deviations.
• Cobalt Co. An element, along with nickel, which is a constant component of nickel iron; does not occur in its pure form. The average Co:Ni ratio is 1:10, but just as in the case of the ratio of iron and nickel, significant deviations can be observed in individual meteorites. Cobalt is a constituent of carbides, phosphides, and sulfides.
• Sera S. Contained in meteorites of all classes. It is always present as an integral part of the mineral troilite.
• Silicon Si. It is the most important component of stone and iron-stone meteorites. Being present in them in the form of compounds with oxygen and some other metals, silicon is part of the silicates that form the bulk of stony meteorites.
• Aluminum Al. Unlike terrestrial rocks, aluminum is found in meteorites in much smaller quantities. It is found in them in combination with silicon as an integral part of feldspars, pyroxenes and chromite.
• Magnesium Mg. It is the most important component of stone and iron-stone meteorites. It is part of the main silicates and ranks fourth among other chemical elements contained in stony meteorites.
• O oxygen. It makes up a significant proportion of the substance of stony meteorites, being part of the silicates that make up these meteorites. In iron meteorites, oxygen is present as a component of chromite and magnetite. Oxygen was not found in the form of a gas in meteorites.
• Phosphorus P. An element that is always present in meteorites (in iron - in more, in stone - in a smaller one). It is part of the phosphide of iron, nickel and cobalt - schreibersite, a mineral characteristic of meteorites.
• Chlorine Cl. It occurs only in compounds with iron, forming a mineral characteristic of meteorites - lavrensite.
• Manganese Mn. It is found in appreciable quantities in stone meteorites and in the form of traces in iron ones.

The mineral composition of meteorites

Basic minerals

• Native iron: kamacite (93.1%Fe; 6.7Ni; 0.2Co) and taenite (75.3%Fe; 24.4Ni; 0.3Co)
• The native iron of meteorites is mainly represented by two mineral species, which are solid solutions of nickel in iron: kamacite and taenite. They are well distinguished in iron meteorites when the polished surface is etched with a 5% solution of nitric acid in alcohol. Kamacite is etched incomparably easier than taenite, forming a pattern characteristic only of meteorites.
• Olivine (Mg,Fe / 2SiO 4). Olivine is the most common silicate in meteorites. Olivine is found in the form of large melted round drop-shaped crystals, sometimes retaining the remains of faces of pallasite included in iron; in some iron-stony meteorites (for example, "Bragin") it is present in the form of angular fragments of the same large crystals. In chondrites, olivine is found in the form of skeletal crystals, participating in the addition of grate chondrules. More rarely, it forms full-crystalline chondrules, and also occurs in individual small and larger grains, sometimes in well-formed crystals or in fragments. In crystalline chondrites, olivine is the main component in the mosaic of crystalline grains that composes such meteorites. It is remarkable that, in contrast to terrestrial olivine, which almost always contains a small admixture of nickel (up to 0.2-0.3% NiO) in solid solution, meteorite olivine almost or completely does not contain it.
• Rhombic pyroxene. Rhombic pyroxene is the second most abundant meteorite silicate. There are some, though very few, meteorites in which orthorhombic pyroxene is the decisively predominant or main constituent. Rhombic pyroxene is sometimes represented by iron-free enstatite (MgSiO 3), in other cases its composition corresponds to bronzite (Mg,Fe)SiO 3 or hypersthene (Fe,Mg)SiO 3 with (12-25% FeO).
• monoclinic pyroxene. Monoclinic pyroxene in meteorites is significantly inferior in abundance to orthorhombic pyroxene. It constitutes a significant part of a rare class of meteorites (achondrites), such as: crystal-grained eucrites and shergotites, ureilites, as well as small-clastic brecciated howardites, i.e. full-crystalline or brecciated meteorites, in terms of mineralogical composition closely corresponding to very common terrestrial gabbro-diabases and basalts.
• Plagioclase (mCaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 xnNa 2 Al 2 Si 6 O 16). Plagioclase occurs in meteorites in two significantly different forms. It is, together with monoclinic pyroxene, an essential mineral in eucrites. Here it is represented by acortite. In howardites, plagioclase occurs in separate fragments or is part of the fragments of eucrites, which come across in this type of meteorites.
• Glass. Glass is an important part of stony meteorites, especially chondrites. They are almost always found in chondrules, and some are made entirely of glass. Glass is also found as inclusions in minerals. In some rare meteorites, glass is abundant and forms, as it were, a cement that binds other minerals. Glass is usually brown to opaque.

secondary minerals

• Maskelinite is a transparent, colorless, isotropic mineral with a composition and refractive index similar to that of plagioclase. Some consider maskelite to be plagioclase glass, others to be an isotropic crystalline mineral. It occurs in meteorites in the same forms as plagioplas and is characteristic only of meteorites.
• Graphite and "amorphous carbon". Carbonaceous chondrites are permeated with a black, matte, carbonaceous substance that stains hands, which, after decomposition of the meteorite by acids, remains in an insoluble residue. It was described as "amorphous carbon". The study of this substance taken from the Staroe Boriskino meteorite showed that this residue is mainly graphite.

Accessory minerals

• Troilite (FeS). Iron sulfide - troilite - is an extremely common accessory mineral in meteorites. In iron meteorites, troilite occurs predominantly in two forms. The most common type of its presence are large (from 1-10 mm) drop-like inclusions in diameter. The second form is thin plates ingrown into the meteorite in a regular position: along the plane of the cube of the original iron crystal. In stony meteorites, troilite is scattered in the form of small xenomorphic grains, the same as grains of nickel iron found in these meteorites.
• Schreibersite ((Fe, Ni, Co) 3 P). Iron and nickel phosphide - schreibersite - is unknown among the minerals of terrestrial rocks. In iron meteorites, it is an almost always present accessory mineral. Schreibersite is a white (or slightly grayish-yellowish) mineral with a metallic luster, hard (6.5) and brittle. Schreibersite occurs in three main forms: in the form of plates, in the form of hieroglyphic inclusions in kamacite, and in the form of acicular crystals - this is the so-called rhabdite.
• Chromite (FeCr 2 O 4) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4). Chromite and magnetite are common accessory minerals in stony and iron meteorites. In stony meteorites, chromite and magnetite occur in grains, just as they occur in terrestrial rocks. Chromite is more common; its average amount calculated from the average composition of meteorites is about 0.25%. Irregular chromite grains are present in some iron meteorites, and magnetite, in addition, is part of the melting (oxidation) crust of iron meteorites.
• Lavrensite (FeCl 2). Lavrensite, which has the composition of ferric chloride, is a mineral quite common in meteorites. The lavrensite of meteorites also contains nickel, which is absent in those products of terrestrial volcanic exhalations, where there is ferric chloride, which is present, for example, in an isomorphic mixture with magnesium chloride. Lavrensite is an unstable mineral, it is very hygroscopic and spreads when in the air. It has been found in meteorites in the form of small green droplets occurring as lunges in cracks. In the future, it turns brown, takes on a brown-red color, and then turns into rusty aqueous iron oxides.
• Apatite (3CaOxP 2 O 5 xCaCl 2) and merrylite (Na 2 Ox3CaOxP 2 O 5). Calcium phosphate - apatite, or calcium and sodium - merrilite, apparently, are those minerals in which the phosphorus of stone meteorites is enclosed. Merrilite is unknown among terrestrial minerals. It is very similar to apatite in appearance, but is usually found in xenomorphic irregular grains.

random minerals

Random minerals rarely found in meteorites include the following: Diamond (C), moissanite (SiC), cohenite (Fe 3 C), osbornite (TiN), oldhamite (CaS), dobreelite (FeCr 2 S 4), quartz and tridymite (SiO 2), weinbergerite (NaAlSiO 4 x3FeSiO 3), carbonates.

What are not meteorites

A meteorite practically never has an internal horizontal structure (layers). The meteorite does not look like a river stone (pebble).

Gemological expertise

Meteorites, super category of finds with a metal detector. Expensive and replenished regularly. The only problem is how to distinguish a meteorite... Finds that look like a stone and give a response from a metal detector are not uncommon on detecting. At first he tried to rub on the blade of a shovel, and over time he collected characteristic differences in his head celestial meteorites from earthly scum.

How to distinguish a meteorite from an artifact of terrestrial origin. Plus photos from the search engine forum, finds of meteorites and similar ones.

The good news is that 5000-6000 kilograms of meteorites fall on the earth in 24 hours. It is a pity that most of them go under water, but there are enough of them in the ground.

How to distinguish a meteorite

Two important properties . A meteorite never has an internal horizontal structure (layers). The meteorite does not look like a river stone.

Melted surface. If there is, that's a good sign. But if the meteorite lay in the ground or on the surface, the surface may lose its glaze (by the way, it is most often thin 1-2 mm).

Form. A meteorite can have any shape, even square. But if it's a regular ball or sphere, it's most likely not a meteorite.

magnetize. Almost all meteorites (about 90%) stick to any magnet. But the earth is full of natural stones with the same properties. If you see that it is metal, and it does not stick to a magnet, this find is most likely of terrestrial origin.

Appearance. Meteorites in 99% do not have inclusions of quartz and there are no “bubbles” in them. But often there is a grain structure. A good sign is “plastic dents”, something like fingerprints in plasticine (the scientific name for such a surface is Regmaglipty). Meteorites most often contain iron, which, once on the ground, begins to oxidize, it looks like a rusty stone))

Photos of finds

There are a lot of photos of meteorites on the Internet ... I'm only interested in those that were found with a metal detector ordinary people. Found and doubt whether it is a meteorite or not. Forum thread (bourgeois).

The usual expert advice is something like this ... Pay attention to the surface of this stone - the surface will definitely have dents. A real meteorite flies through the atmosphere, while it heats up very much and its surface “boils”. The upper layers of meteorites always retain traces of high temperature. Characteristic dents, similar to bursting bubbles - the first salient feature meteorite.

You can try the stone for magnetic properties. Simply put, bring a magnet to it and move it over it. Find out if the magnet sticks to your stone. If the magnet sticks, then there is a suspicion that you really became the owner of a piece of the real celestial body. This type of meteorites is called iron. It happens that the meteorite does not magnetize too strongly, only in some fragments. Then it's probably a stony-iron meteorite.

There is also a type of meteorites - stone. It is possible to detect them, but it is difficult to determine that this is a meteorite. Here you can not do without chemical analysis. A feature of meteorites is the presence of rare earth metals. And it also has melting bark on it. Therefore, the meteorite is usually very dark in color. But there are also white ones.

Debris lying on the surface is not considered subsurface. You are not breaking any laws. The only thing that may sometimes be required is to obtain the opinion of the Committee on Meteorites of the Academy of Sciences, they must conduct research, assign a class to the meteorite. But this is if the find is very impressive, and it is difficult to sell it without a conclusion.

At the same time, it is impossible to argue that the search and sale of meteorites is an insanely profitable business. Meteorites are not bread, queues do not line up behind them. You can sell a piece of the "heavenly wanderer" more profitably abroad.

There are certain rules for the export of meteorite material. First you need to write an application to the Protection of Culture. There you will be sent to an expert who will write a conclusion whether the stone is subject to export. Usually, if it is a registered meteorite, there are no problems. You pay a state duty - 5-10% of the cost of the meteorite. And forward to foreign collectors.