Actually it’s more like 3.5 times their weight in gold, according to today’s market value… and meteorite experts from SETI and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
During the daylight hours of April 22, 2012, reports came in from all over the north central California area of an extremely bright fireball — described as a “glittering sparkler” — and accompanying loud explosion. It was soon determined that this was the result of a meteoroid about the size of a minivan entering the atmosphere and disintegrating. It was later estimated that the object weighed about 70 metric tons and detonated with a 5-kiloton force.
Over a thousand meteorite hunters scrambled to the area, searching for any traces of the cosmic visitor’s remains. After a few days, several pieces of the meteorite were found and reported by five individuals, adding up to 46 grams in total.
Those pieces could be worth over $9,000 USD, according to Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at Marshall Space Flight Center.
Based on today’s market, that’s about 3.6 times the value of gold (about $1,660 per troy ounce — 31.1 grams).
The high value is due to the extreme rarity of the meteorite fragments. The California fireball is now known to have been created by a CM chondrite, a type of carbonaceous meteorite with material characteristics similar to comets.
According to Franck Marchis,Planetary Astronomer at the Carl Sagan Center of the SETI Instituteand one of the coordinators of the meteorite reporting teams, CM chondrites appear to have been altered by water, and have deuterium-to-hydrogen ratios in line with what’s been measured in the tails of comets Halley and Hyakutake.
They also have been found to contain organic compounds and amino acids, lending to the hypothesis that such meteorites may have helped supply early Earth with the building blocks for life.
But due to their fragile composition, they are also incredibly rare. Only 1% of known meteorites are CM chondrites, making even the small handful of fragments found in California very valuable.
“This will be only the third observed CM fall in the US, after Crescent, OK, in 1936, (78 g) and Murray, KY, in 1950 (13 kg),” Marchis told Universe Today.
As far as what the finders will do with the fragments, that’s entirely up to them.
“They can sell them on eBay or they can lend them to the scientists… or make a donation.” Marchis said.
Just goes to show that all that glitters really isn’t gold — it could be even better.
Citation:Fragments of meteorite worth their weight in gold (2012, May 2)retrieved 1 April 2024from https://phys.org/news/2012-05-fragments-meteorite-worth-weight-gold.html
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FAQs
Some unclassified meteorites will sell for around 50 cents per gram. More beautiful stones such as pallasites contain crystals and can look extremely dazzling when they're polished. Those can range all the way up to $40 dollars a gram. Rarer stones can fetch up to $1000 per gram if they're in good condition.
How much is a 1 lb meteorite worth? ›
Stone meteorites are worth between $2.00 and $20 per gram but could exceed $1,000 per gram. That means a one pound iron meteorite could be worth more than $2,000 while a one pound stone meteorite could get you $9,000. So how do you know if it's a meteorite? The Washington University in St.
How much gold is in a meteorite? ›
The reported gold contents of meteorites range from 0.0003 to 8.74 parts per million. Gold is siderophilic, and the greatest amounts in meteorites are in the iron phases. Estimates of the gold content of the earth's crust are in the range ~f 0.001 to 0.006 parts per million.
Why are meteorite fragments so valuable? ›
The high value is due to the extreme rarity of the meteorite fragments. The California fireball is now known to have been created by a CM chondrite, a type of carbonaceous meteorite with material characteristics similar to comets.
How do I value my meteorite? ›
Value is determined by many different factors including rarity of type, size, condition, aesthetic appeal, and so on. Meteorites have significant financial value to collectors and scientific value to researchers. Meteorite values can range from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
How much is a meteorite stone worth per gram? ›
Common iron meteorites can be worth anywhere from $1 to $5 per gram, while more rare stony meteorites can be worth $10 to $50 per gram or more. However, the value of a meteorite can vary greatly depending on the specific circ*mstances, and some meteorites have sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars per gram.
Can I sell a meteorite I found? ›
We purchase individual meteorite specimens, entire collections, and also offer appraisal services. If you think you have found a meteorite, please start by reading our Guide to Meteorite Identification HERE. We also offer consignment services for important specimens, for a modest fee.
What is the value of a small meteorite? ›
Common iron meteorite prices are generally in the range of US$0.50 to US$5.00 per gram. Stone meteorites are much scarcer and priced in the US$2.00 to US$20.00 per gram range for the more common material.
Can you make money if you find a meteorite? ›
There are many meteorite dealers on the internet. Most, however, will not respond to you because your rock does not look like a meteorite or it looks like an ordinary chondrite and ordinary chondrites, especially those from hot deserts, are not worth much money.
What does a piece of meteorite look like? ›
The longer a meteorite has been on Earth, however, the more the fusion crust wears away, leaving the meteorite a rusty brown color (see Canyon Diablo, below). While most meteorites have a smooth surface with no holes, some meteorites exhibit thin flow lines or thumbprint-like features called regmaglypts.
Although diamonds on Earth are rare, extraterrestrial diamonds (diamonds formed outside of Earth) are very common. Diamonds small enough that they contain only about 2000 carbon atoms are abundant in meteorites and some of them formed in stars before the Solar System existed.
Are meteorites worth more than diamonds? ›
Meteorites are quite valuable, worth as much as $1,000 per gram, according to the LiveScience website. Kellyco Metal Detectors posted on eBay that it can sell for $300 per gram or more — meaning 1 pound could be worth $1 million. "Meteorites are rarer than gold, platinum, diamonds or emeralds.
How much is a meteor fragment worth? ›
At the high end of the pricing scale are unusual types such as the diogenite Tatahouine (fell June 27, 1931, Foum Tatahouine, Tunisia). A prime specimen will easily fetch $50/gram while rare examples of lunar and Martian meteorites may sell for $1,000/gram or more — almost forty times the current price of gold!
Why shouldn't you pick up a meteorite? ›
Try not to handle any freshly fallen meteorites with your bare hands! Oils and microbes from your skin will slowly degrade the surface of a meteorite, dulling the fusion crust, contaminating the meteorite, and promoting rust.
How do you identify meteorite fragments? ›
Nickel Test: Run a chemical test for nickel. If the proportion of nickel is inside the range for meteorites, you may have a meteorite. Weight Test: Meteorites are much more dense than normal earth rocks. Fusion Crust Test: Fusion crust is a thin, dark rind formed on a meteorite as it streaks through our atmosphere.
Can you keep a meteorite if you find it? ›
Meteorites can be collected for scientific and educational purposes, and can also be commercially collected. What are the authorities that govern collecting meteorites from public lands? The courts have long established that meteorites belong to the owner of the surface estate on which meteorites are found.
