[meteorite-list] Non magnetic meteorites

From: cdtucson at cox.net <cdtucson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 0:45:29 -0500
Message-ID: <20100220004529.HL6FB.789907.imail_at_fed1rmwml45>

James,
I think we were with you on this.
The truth is that saying meteorites stick to a magnet is generally correct but, there are exceptions to every rule.
If you read Tony Irving's web site on Mars he is very clear that there are meteorites that we have yet to recognize.
Included in the list are types that most classifiers would not even give a second look at. see web site linked here;

http://www.imca.cc/mars/martian-meteorites.htm


Tony mentions a number of rover discovered types of rocks on Mars including; Sedimentary rocks with hematite blueberries and lots of jarosite.
Other igneous rocks like Adirondack which I think are andesites.
Highly altered rocks like Mer sites on Mars
and shergottites with hydrothermal alteration.
None of these would be expected to stick to any magnet and the same thing goes for most if not all lunar meteorites. So, I never throw away anything without taking a very close look at it at home.
And if you get serious about it you would not use a magnet at all. According to Tony the use of a magnet on any meteorite ruins the ability to even preform certain tests they like to do. Instead he recommends removal of a small piece of the meteorite for testing with a magnet so as not to contaminate the specimen. Obviously playing the numbers you will find more with a magnet but some can be found without a magnet. Fusion crust and morphology are important indicators of a space rock.
I would highly recommend reading Tony's web site . Another must read is Randy Korotev's Lunar site. both are amazing.
Carl

--
Carl or Debbie Esparza
Meteoritemax
---- James Balister <balisterjames at att.net> wrote: 
> What I am trying to say is that you can not be sure if a rock is or is not a meteorite simply because a magnet will not stick to it!? Not to forget that a rare earth magnet has a stronger pull then a simple magnet.? I am not talking about having it checked out as to content.? I am talking about finding one with a magnet.? I use a metal detecter, and sight when hunting.? Then cut them open to look for nickel.? But the magnet test now seems up in the air as far as a quick ID.?? I wonder how many rocks I just passed over simply because the magnet did not stick!
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Ken Newton <magellon.ken at gmail.com>
> > To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> > Sent: Fri, February 19, 2010 8:55:43 PM
> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Non magnetic meteorites
> > 
> > >Perhaps many meteorwrongs actually were meteorites!
> 
> I seem to 
> > encounter misguided individuals who tenuously believe such
> dribble on regular 
> > basis. Russell T Wing is the exemplar of
> meteorwrong 'wingnuts' just as 
> > Harvey Nininger is to meteorite
> enthusiasts. Here is an example from Wing's 
> > book:"This entire
> experience seemed incredible and unbelievable. How could a 
> > small
> collection of stones - not over 100 - and over half of them picked 
> > up
> out of my rock garden in 1969, produce 25 earth-type quartz 
> > meteorites
> when never before had a quartz meteorite been known!? ... But 
> > in this
> investigation, the unthinkable thing seems to be the common thing. 
> > And
> again, after thinking things over, my unbelievable collection 
> > of
> quartz meteorites needed to balance it off; they simply could not 
> > be
> alone. There must also be many other kinds of meteorites here if 
> > my
> quartz ones were authentic."
> 
> And Wing goes on to 'discover' 
> > 'authentic' meteoritic petrified wood
> and meteoritic fossils, etc. The 
> > wingstars were everywhere! All you
> have to do is look!? 
> > Yikes!
> 
> Can anyone explain this dogged type thinking? That the owner's 
> > rock
> HAS TO BE a meteorite despite the fact that every expert contacted 
> > has
> told them differently. I just don't understand the thinking but I 
> > want
> to.
> 
> kn
> 
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 10:12 PM, James Balister 
> > <> href="mailto:balisterjames at att.net">balisterjames at att.net> wrote:
> > 
> > On the meteorite men Jeff and Steve showed a meteorite that was non magnetic and 
> > seemed to have no iron at all.? Anyone know if it had nickel in it?? How did 
> > they determin it was a meteorite?? Has anyone ever heard of wingstars?? Could 
> > that stone be a wingstar?? Wingstars have always interested me because they are 
> > oriented and look just like a meteorite but lack ni/fe.? Perhaps many 
> > meteorwrongs actually were meteorites!
> > 
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Received on Sat 20 Feb 2010 12:45:29 AM PST