[meteorite-list] Meteorites NOT attracted to a magnet

From: meteorites_at_space.com <meteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:06 2004
Message-ID: <20020217214948.11916.c000-h004.c000.wm_at_mail.space.com.criticalpath.net>

On Sun, 17 February 2002, Ron Baalke wrote

>
> >
> > Which meteorites would NOT be attracted to a magnet.
> > Lunar and Mars meteorites to my knowledge anymore
out their??
> >
>
> I don't know of any. Lunar and Mars meteorites are
in fact attracted
> to a strong magnet. Even the carbonaceous chondrites
are attracted
> to strong magnets.
>
> Ron Baalke


With regards to this, the so called "super magnets"
will pick up just about any rock that has any
appreciable iron, or iron mineral in them. So, to
those that don't know what meteorite is or is not, they
often get the impression that the rock they have is a
meteorite because it is attracted to a magnet.

For this reason I stress on my meteorite identification
site that rare earth magnets are not good choices for
meteorite identification.

Instead, I suggest a standard iron magnet-- not a
ceramic rare earth magnet. "General" makes a good
standard horseshoe magnet with "keeper" that works very
well. (Nininger used these)

(Unfortunately-- though they are still being made they
are getting hard to find. Check "ACE hardware")

Steve Schoner,
http://www.geocities.com/meteorite_identification

___________________________________________________________________
Join the Space Program: Get FREE E-mail at http://www.space.com.
Received on Mon 18 Feb 2002 12:49:47 AM PST