How do you tell if a rock is a meteorite?
Verdict summary
Most meteorites are heavier than ordinary rocks, attract a magnet, and have a thin black or brown fusion crust with no bubbles or holes. Most rocks people think are meteorites are not. A university or museum meteorite lab can confirm one.
Slag and iron ore are the most common look-alikes; slag is often full of bubbles. Meteorite hunters search known strewn fields and dry lake beds, where dark stones stand out.
Sources: Meteoritical Society; University meteorite identification guides.
Where can I find gemstones myself? Public dig-your-own sites include Crater of Diamonds (diamonds, Arkansas), sapphire digs in Montana, emerald and gem mines around Hiddenite and Franklin in North Carolina, Oregon's sunstone area, and Australia's fossicking fields such as Lightning Ridge (opal) and the Gemfields of Queensland (sapphire). Many charge a small fee.
Primary sources cited
- Meteoritical Society
- University meteorite identification guides