METEORITE

Characteristics of the mineral.

Stone and iron bodies that fell to Earth from interplanetary space are called meteorites, and science, which studies them, is meteoric. In the near-Earth space, various meteoroids move (cosmic fragments of large asteroids and comets). Their speed lies in the range from 11 to 72 km / s. It often happens that the paths of their movement intersect with the orbit of the Earth and they fly into its atmosphere. In some cases, a large meteoroid body, when moving in the atmosphere, does not have time to evaporate and reaches the surface of the Earth. When striking the ground, a meteorite can scatter into dust, or it may leave fragments. This remnant of a meteoric (heavenly) body is called a meteorite. During the year, for example, about 2000 meteorites fall on the territory of Russia.

All meteorites are considered scientific property and exclusive property of the state, to the territory of which they fell (regardless of who exactly found the meteorite) - such are international norms. None of the citizens has the right to own meteorites, buy or sell them.

Meteorite "Seimchan" (asleep). Photo: © А.А. Evseev.

Rutile by hematite. Saint Gotthard, Switzerland (possible
Pseudomorph from a meteorite). 3х3 cm. Photo: © А.А. Evseev.

Meteorite "Seimchan" (asleep). Photo: © А.А. Evseev.

Rutile on hematite. Mwinilunga, Zambia (possible
Pseudomorph from a meteorite). 3х3 cm. Photo: © А.А. Evseev.

Rutile on hematite by ilmenite. Mwinilunga, Zambia
(Possible pseudomorph for a meteorite). Photo: © А.А. Evseev.

Depending on the chemical composition of meteorites are divided into stone, iron and iron-stone meteorites. Iron and iron-stone meteorites almost entirely consist of nickel iron. They account for about 20% of the total. A recently fallen stone meteorite is very easy to find, since a noticeable crater forms around the place of fall, and iron can not be distinguished from ordinary stones, since often their surface is completely melted and acquires a grayish or brownish color. Therefore, iron and iron-stone meteorites are very rare (due to the lack of metal detectors in the population). Everyone knows the so-called "hot stones from the sky," then in 25% of cases they turn out to be iron-stone meteorites, for example, the metal detector reacts to them as if with a little delay, after passing over them. Iron meteorites are distinguished by a very clear response from the metal detector.

The best place to look for meteorites is the smooth steppe - 45% of all finds are done here. If you live in another climatic zone, then you can go in search of the field (37% of all finds). Forest glades and river banks are not very suitable for these purposes. A good place to look for are the riverbeds of mountain rivers lined with rounded stones.

Meteorites are found much less frequently than tektites. To check if you have found an iron meteorite, this can be done in a simple way: iron meteorites on the cleavage usually shine like iron or nickel. If you find a ferro-metal meteorite, then scattered small shiny particles of a silvery-white color are seen on the fracture. These are inclusions of nickel iron. Among such particles there are golden sparkles - inclusions of a mineral consisting of iron in combination with sulfur (pyrite). There are meteorites, which are like an iron sponge, in the voids of which are enclosed grains of yellowish-green color of the olivine mineral (garnet formed in the place of fall and impact on the meteorite ground, a frequent satellite of diamonds in diamond tubes). In the photo above there is a crater from the fall of a meteorite in Uzbekistan. The photo below shows various iron and stone meteorites, stored as artifacts in mineralogical museums or even in the open air.

If the celestial body does not reach the earth and completely burns in the atmosphere, it is called a bolide or a meteor. The meteor traces a bright trace, the car seems to burn with fire in flight. No traces on the surface of the earth, respectively, they do not leave, in the Earth's atmosphere, an enormous number of celestial bodies annually burn. Finding their footprints on the ground in the place of the supposed fall is completely useless, even if the car or meteor traced a very bright and noticeable trace in the sky. In the afternoon, the fireballs and meteors burning in the atmosphere are not visible in the sunlight. Cosmic bodies, consisting mainly of dry ice, also evaporate in the atmosphere, although they fly, leaving a very visible and bright trace in the dark.

Here it makes sense to recall the existence in Ukraine and Russia of criminal liability for illegal (black, underground) geology, archeology and illegal geological prospecting and illegal mining of minerals, as well as for the illegal appropriation and trade of valuable minerals found and meteorites that fell to Earth. On the black market meteorites are valued quite expensive, but for their illegal trade can be brought to justice. Scientific organizations and institutions are officially engaged in the exchange and transfer of meteorites to each other and exchange at the interstate level on a cash-strapped basis strictly within the framework of international scientific activity and cooperation. At the same time, for the delivery of true meteorites (not tektites) by citizens to the state, to which the meteorite fell, a tangible monetary reward is officially envisaged.