[meteorite-list] Wierd Meteorite Wrong Question?

From: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 10:14:20 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <54333.25629.qm_at_web30706.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Dear List Members,

We went on a Mojave Desert hunt this weekend where I found this weird stone. My questions is, does anybody have a clue to what type of rock this may be?

The reason I am asking the list is that several hunters have thousands of hours in the Mojave whereas I only have a couple of hundred and they may have seen something like it before. It is very dense, has surface contraction cracks and is not attracted to a powerful magnet at all. It does look like a crust but not like anything I have ever seen before. I have never observed a gray crust on a meteorite is what is convincing me that it is terrestrial. I have never seen surface contraction cracks on a terrestrial rock that did not penetrate the whole stone. We must have hiked 20 miles and I did not come across anything similar.

We thought it was a meteorite when we first saw it in situ but now are not convinced. I do not want to cut it if it is not a meteorite because it would be one of the best wrongs I have ever seen. On the other hand, if there is any chance whatsoever that it could be the first North American Lunar, I would cut it in a heartbeat. Maybe, I am just dreaming but I am convinced that within the next 10 years, some lucky hunter will find one.

Images of the stone:

Image 1
http://themeteoritesite.com/Achondrite-1.jpg

Image 2
http://themeteoritesite.com/Achondrite-2.jpg

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Adam
Received on Mon 06 Apr 2009 01:14:20 PM PDT