[meteorite-list] Officials Warn Of Fake Meteorites Being Sold

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:22:42 2004
Message-ID: <200306251554.IAA12460_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=68415

Officials Warn Of Fake Meteorites Being Sold
Seth Muller
Arizona Daily Sun
June 25, 2003

Staff members of the Arizona State University Center for Meteorite Studies
are warning people about sales of rocks reported as meteorites, which are
originating from northern Arizona.

Blane Comeaux with the ASU meteorite program said that he received rock
samples from Patti Harwood of Eureka, Calif., and she asked for the staff
to verify the rocks as meteorites. Comeaux said that the samples were not
from space, but instead a terrestrial, non-valuable rock known as magnetite.

Comeaux reported that a man from New Mexico also purchased $400 in rocks
he thought to be meteorites, when in fact they were magnetite rocks. He
said that both people purchased the rocks from a dealer in the Holbrook area.

In a phone interview, Harwood said she visited a shop in Holbrook in
September 2001, and she traded $1,200 worth of fossils she had for two
supposed meteorites. Recently, she purchased a meteorite with certificate
of authenticity from a man in California for $300, and noticed a difference
in appearance.

She decided to send the suspicious rocks to ASU for authentication, and
received a letter from ASU with the findings.

Authorities in the Holbrook area reported that they did not have any
investigations going on concerning the sales of fake meteorites.

Comeaux said that meteorites are identified by polishing down a sample and
looking for reflective nickel-iron specs. He said that magnetite rocks are
commonly mistaken for meteorites.

The space rocks have become big business. It's not unusual for a person to
pay upwards of $15,000 for a meteorite. Comeaux recommends potential buyers
ask to see a letter or certificate of verification before purchasing one.
Received on Wed 25 Jun 2003 11:54:15 AM PDT