My meteorite findings N Ca.

[XH29N0G]

So how do you figure out something is a meteorite?  There are some web sites that describe this and people at museums and universities will generally be happy to help with identification.

This particular meteorite is an unusual case and because the meteorite fragments are of a kind that looks different from many rocks that one might find.  They also might have a fusion crust, a layer of material that melted on during the transport through the atmosphere.  In other cases it can be extremely difficult to identify meteorites, and many things that are thought to be meteorites are not.  The way around this is to go to areas where rocks are not likely to be found.  Collecting expeditions by various countries are done on ice caps and have found very important meteorites that have taught us a lot.  Recently, it has been recognized that some deserts are good places to search for meteorites. Every so often one falls from the sky.  There was this one.  There was another fall of a meteorite from Mars relatively recently, and there was another fireball that was captured on a camera network in australia and triangulation was used to eventually find what they think was the meteorite responsible for it.  These things are really neat and have taught us a lot about the solar system and its materials.  The collectors usually share or sell meteorites to researchers and the interest in them, adds interest and contributes to finding more.  We actually have a number of meteorites that are from the moon.  These meteorites and the martian meteorites were knocked off these smaller bodies by other meteorites and then happened to be captured by the graviational potential well of Earth.

If you decide to search, there are basic rules in many countries and meteorites found on public lands have rules associated with them.

The market is driven by the novelty of these things.  Some have also become valuable because of the number of scientific studies that have been done with them.  I think the cost is nuts sometimes, and have paused a little when handling a1/2 inch piece that is worth the same amount as my car or house.  I work with them, but don't collect them.

 

[skip68]

I had no idea there was such a collector's market for meteorites.  Crazy.  I'm still curious how you can tell one from a rock when walking through fields hunting. 

These are very dark/flat black.  They will also have a thin dark crust around them.  They look real close to charcoal.  We had a thunderstorm last night so everything is wet today ........looks like I'll be postponing my search til later.   I'm looking at buying a camping trailer so that's what I'll be doing today I guess.   

[BananaDan]

Very cool.  Again, good for you.  It's not everyday that it rains money.

[bull]

I wish I had money falling out of the sky onto my property. What usually happens to me is a recurring vortex that sucks it all away.

[tan top]

 good stuff chuckie   

[General_01]

http://news.yahoo.com/meteorites-found-northern-california-likely-giant-fireball-over-210023256.html

Sounds like your are having some great luck Chuck. Hope the rain doesn't end it for you.

[skip68]

Nope, the rain has little or no effect on them.  They've already been rained on 3 times.   I went to check on my claim a little while ago and found another one.  This is just crazy luck.   

[Chad L. Magee]

Metal detectors don't work.   WE have lots of no trespassing signs already. 

The reason why I mentioned a metal detector is that some certain types of meteorites contain high amounts of late transition metals (ie. precious metals) that could be detected that way.  Some even contain very small natural diamonds among the other stuff.  Of course, the diamond ones typically will not register to a metal detector, unless the other stuff is metals.  The diamond meteorites are special to scientists as they were potentially formed differently than earth diamonds and may have different properties than earth materials due to the way the crystal lattice was grown.  That makes them worth much more than an average gemstone.  As advanced as humans are, we are far from knowing all of the secrets of the universe....

As for the signs, greed blinds alot of people......

[stripedelete]

Yes Dan it's true.   Here's a sample for you. 

Bet the IRS would love to see this post.

[BananaDan]

BTW, love the pic of Joe Dirt TT.   

[68X426]

Easy there Dan.

[CB]

 
I wish you and your family finally get some luck and prosperity in your life

[The70RT]

Good deal Chuck. If you had a metal detector and scanned one to see what it does and then if it worked you eould be really in the $$$

[mrsskip68]

Ok guys and Gals. Chuck came and picked my daughter and I up, and brought us out here to N. Cali. Broke two nails, mosquito bites on every limb of my body, sand in my shoes, fleas and ticks, oh and the best part...............flatlanders that moved out here that think they own the american river! They have been harrassing, stalking, and taking pictures of us AND MY KIDS!!!! But dont worry, Wyatt Earp A.K.A. Chuck, is rallying the neighbors and filing restraining orders as I type! Never a dull moment with Chuckie, and camping! Lol! It is such a beautiful area, and we're enjoying gold panning, swimming, meteorite hunting, and just doing what we want! Cheers! Lisa

[Fred]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

Okay, I'm an American, and who the hell knows? That might as well have been in Martian.

[Fred]

Found this explanation/definition on wikipedia..................

A term used in the mountains to describe people from lower elevations.


Flatliner, person whose brain or cardiac activity is measured as a flatline

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

Okay, I'm an American, and who the hell knows? That might as well have been in Martian.

A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes

[68X426]

A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes

Very specifically, it's people who are urbanites (California's cities are all at low elevations) and as urbanites they are utterly clueless about weather, snow, trees, trucks, wild animals, rivers, lakes, wilderness, hunting, fishing, logging, mining, clean air, open space, small towns, property rights, dogs, life without shopping malls, and generally lack all elements of self-reliance.

Most commonly the term is used for the city people who move to the Mother Lode of California, between Oakhurst and Quincy (south to north), elevation above 2000 feet to 9000 feet (west to east). They come from San Francisco, La La Land (Los Angeles), and all those flatland places.

The term may be in use in central Oregon and central Washington. Not sure though.

The flatlanders typically just get in the way of productive people, don't want anyone to have fun, and have no manners. Thus the reason for mrsskip mentioning them in her post.

[EDIT: the sole exceptions are Mopar owners in SF and LA. You get it: self-reliance.   ]

[Fred]

Thankyou for that interesting info.   And I'm happy to say there is no way I can be labled one.

[tan top]

BTW, love the pic of Joe Dirt TT.  

 think that film is soo funny  

[mrsskip68]

68X426: You nailed it perfectly!