[meteorite-list] Rusty Iron Meteorwrong?

From: Popocatept_at_aol.com <Popocatept_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:57 2004
Message-ID: <38.3d088a52.2c9a9791_at_aol.com>

Fellow listees:

While looking in the woods for Park Forest Meteorites I found a rusty
somewhat angular chunk of Iron. I know the odds of it being meteorite are about a
million to one, but I took it home since it was the only thing I found, and
because its shape was not like any obvious tool.

I purchased one of those $20 nickel tests on ebay to play around with. I
tested a coathanger-negative, some filings from a Gibeon-positive and the rusty
iron, which also tested positive.

What else can I do to test this thing? I looked at several of the meteor
wrong sites, but they were in no help in this case, since we are not talking
about hematite, basalt or other common meteorwrongs. If this is a meteorite it
would be an iron from a long ago fall, so no fusion crust. Since it is iron,
the magnetic test would be pointless.

Can I saw the end off with a hacksaw, grind and polish it smooth, etch it
with acid for
the widmanstatten pattern? Is this practical for someone with no special
tools or experience?

Hoping to learn something. I don't really believe it is a meteorite, but the
positive nickel test leaves me little choice but to dig a little deeper.

Thanks,
Mike Fowler
Chicago

PS I'm feeling a little foolish posting this, but surely all you cold
hunters out there have encountered something like this at least once.
Received on Thu 18 Sep 2003 01:07:29 AM PDT