![]() ![]() Buying specimens from GMA members offers a higher degree of confidence in the authenticity of specimen, but the GMA itself does not and cannot offer any absolute guarantee of authenticity. In summary, the GMA cannot control the behavior of any individual member. However, the original classifying scientist may confirm a pairing based on lab results (see Rules Regarding Pairings).įor collectors of micros, the due diligence required to vet a seller is significantly higher as specimens are often too small to place in the context of a larger specimen and thus even more difficult to guarantee their authenticity. Severin or Ensisheim.Įven in the case of a meteorite that may be uniquely identified, most researchers and scientist will refuse to confirm authenticity due to legal restrictions placed on them by their institutions, based on their workload, or any number of other reasons. As with the case above, they are likely to say that the meteorite is an LL6, but not be able to say whether it is St. A meteoriticist, even with the best analysis, may not be able to distinguish between two meteorites of the same type. Though both meteorites are desirable, the selling price per gram of an authentic specimen of Ensisheim is significantly higher than that of St. For example, dishonest sellers have in the past sold the LL6 ordinary chondrite Saint-Severin as the similarly classified Ensisheim because they are visually indistinguishable. Since many meteorites originate from the same parent body, it is often impossible to differentiate between two fresh falls with the same classifications even when their fall dates are separated by decades or even centuries. Though certain meteorites can be singularly identified based on unique features and composition, that is not the case with most meteorites. Misconceptions About AuthenticityĪ common misconception especially among new collectors is that scientific analysis can be used to determine the authenticity of any meteorite. Maintaining proper documentation such as, but not limited to, a specimen’s certificate of authenticity and chain of custody is crucial, because without it, a meteorite can be indistinguishable from another similar meteorite and thus lose significant value. Traceable authenticity and provenance lowers the risks inherent to the market and collecting. Locate Samples by Classification or Region. Lunar Meteorite Samples: Basalts, Feldspathic Regolith Breccias, Mingled. The GMA can and does provide a structure, rules and guidelines that encourages fair, transparent, and ethical practices to maximize a buyer’s confidence in the transaction and in the authenticity of the specimen.Īuthenticity is a critical part of collecting meteorites and of ensuring that their value is maintained over time. Kevin Righter and John Gruener, February 2013. This group is dedicated to helping people identifying whether they have a meteorite or terrestrial stone often called a meteorwrong by the meteorite community.No organization, including the GMA, can ever guarantee the authenticity of a specimen. Check the Facebook page of Mendy Ouzillou: Meteorite or Meteorwrong.Slag usually refers to a glassy by-product of smelting ore to retrieve the metal. Most people in Nevada find slag, which can be easily mistaken for a meteorite.Check the self-test check-list that Randy Korotev from WashU has created here and follow this chart (from adaptation of flowchart devised by Deborah Guedes and colleagues in Brazil) to determine if you are in possession of a meteorite or not:.No lunar meteorite has yet to be found in the temperate environment of North America or Europe all were found in deserts of drier continents.” Please check the statistics described by Randy Korotev here. Less than 1 in 1000 of all known meteorites are from the Moon, and the number is about the same for Mars. The chances that you found a meteorite from Mars or the Moon are even smaller “Less that 1800 meteorites have been found in the United States in the past 200 years. Check the statistics about meteorite finds:The chances that you found a meteorite are extremely low. ![]() Thus do not contact UNLV faculty or students but feel free to contact other universities.ĭo you think you found a meteorite? Here are the different steps to take: What to Do If You Think That You’ve Found a Meteorite Note that the UNLV Department of Geoscience does not conduct rock or meteorites ID anymore. ![]()
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