Meteorite Identification, in Australia

Bathurst Observatory Research Facility Meteorite Verification and Valuation  & Meteorite Cutting and Preparation Services

Bathurst Observatory Research Facility, Australia, has one of the only public displays of meteorites in NSW west of Sydney in our Meteorite Museum. We have over 200 specimens on display, ranging from witnessed falls to historical pieces. You can come and see our display of space models, minerals, fossils and meteorites via prior booking.

We also study meteorites as part of our research goals, and have published a number of papers about meteorites.

We can also offer some services to meteorite collectors and researches wishing to display their specimens. These are detailed below. We can offer a free verification service, so if you think you may have found a meteorite, we can help. At present we have been working on classifying a number of new Australian and North West African meteorites. 

We do not normally sell many meteorites at the observatory, however, we can recommend a number of meteorite dealers both in Australia and overseas that will be able to help you if we don't have what you want. Or we can track something down for you if you desire. However, we do from time to time have meteorites for sale that are from our collection when we update it. At present we do have a few pieces from our collection for sale. Also, if I have classified one of the observatory's pieces, I will have a few off-cuts as well.  Email the observatory for more information or view the "Meteorites for Sale" page. Our prices are wholesale for our meteorites, and further discounts or trades  are offered for bona fide museums or researchers.

Prices for services include GST in U.S dollars for Preparation of meteorites. All prices may vary, subject to the quantity you require. Prices valid for 2012  Issued 1/1/12

Please note to use the info@Xbathurstobservatory.com.au email address for meteorite enquiries. Be sure to remove the red X in the address for it to work. Or phone 02 6337 3988. (Overseas, replace the 02 with 61)

Meteorite Identification and Verification Services. (FREE)

This service is used to examine specimens that you think may be meteorites. There is no charge for this service. However we do ask the following.

1. If the sample is to be returned, please include a pre-payed return postage package or cheque to cover postage.

2. In order to undertake analysis of the specimen provided, a small sample may need to be removed for testing.

3. We will identify the most likely type of meteorite if tested positive, or identify what the sample is if not a meteorite.

4. If the sample does turn out to be a meteorite, we ask that a sample (approximately 1/4 mass or 50grams) can be retained by us for research or display. We will then also give you a valuation estimate on the remaining mass.

5. In some states (eg Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory) meteorites may be the property of the state.

We can also put you in contact with people that wish to purchase any specimen off you.

Meteorite Recovery

If you witnessed a meteorite fall, or think you know where one has landed, we have a small team of meteorite experts than can locate falls, or offer advice on how to recover and preserve the specimens properly for later research.

Meteorite Petrology

We can give full mineral descriptions of meteorites after making a microscope slide and examining the specimen under our petrological microscope. Petrology is basically the study of the minerals and their characteristics. We take pride in our extensive knowledge in meteorite petrology and are internationally highly respected in this field. (Petrology is undertaken for a small fee of $40, it is free for new Australian finds dependent on the conditions above).

Official Classifications (Urgent Samples only at present)

If you already own a meteorite, but need it classified, we can offer this service at our Research Facility. We can write a full report for submission to the Meteoritical Society, (the governing international body), to have an official name given to your piece. At present we classify a large number of NWA (North West Africa) specimens as well as others found around the world. Please note that I have lately received a large amount of meteorites to work on, so classifications submitted now would likely take 36 months to complete. Also, there have been some unexpected breakdowns with the EMP unit that has also delayed much of the current work. As such I currently prefer not to take on anymore new samples, until I can clear the backlog of waiting material. If however the sample is urgent or somehow special, I will see what I can do.

The main hold up is the analysis, so if you have another laboratory that can undertake the analysis for you, I am happy to undertake the rest of the process including the petrology. I am also happy to hear from any institution that may be interested in joint research work.

Alternatively, if you just want your meteorite identified, we can do this as well. Email me for requirements. 

Valuations

If you have a meteorite that has already be verified, we can give you an approximate valuation based off its type and size upon examination. This can be done by emailing the information together with an image of the specimen with a ruler for scale and the weight. Or the specimen can be sent to us with return postage for a more accurate valuation. We can be paid via pay pal if you want to!

Email Valuations (Valuation sent upon receipt of cheque) =$5

Valuation after physical examination of specimen = $10

Though not an endorsed valuation company, our valuations are fair and recognised amongst leading mineral dealers within Australia.

 

Meteorite Cutting and Preparation Services (Pay Pal is accepted)

· Cleaning and Rust treatments (Rust treatments will dramatically slow down rusting by iron chloride, however, it is a not a cure and in time the specimen may show signs of rusting again.) The method is suitable for Ordinary Chondrites and Iron types. Prices do not include re-etching of rusted iron slices. Add $0.50 per cm for any etching.

Up to 1kg = $2

                    1kg to 5 kg =$5

                    Over 5kg to max 60 kg =$15

· Cutting Stony Types

Cutting includes a rough grind at 100 grit if desired. Prices are per centimetre and are measured on longest dimension. If slices are required, they are counted as being only one cut. A discount applies if a specimen is cut and then prepared to 1000 grit polish or etching by us, we deduct $0.25 per centimetre off the cutting costs. We no longer cut iron types, but will cut mesosiderites, pallasites, and all stony types.

$1.00 per cm for stony types.

· Grinding and Polishing

Prices are again per centimetre.

Grinding a cut face to 400 grit = $1.00 per cm (Note slices may require two sides to be ground.)

Further grinding to 1000 grit polish. = $0.50 per cm (Must have been ground to at least 400 grit first.)

· Etching of irons

Specimen must first have been ground to at least 1000 grit polish. Prices are again per centimetre.

Etching = $0.25 per cm

· Thin Sections

To prepare a thin section, you must provide us with the sample to be prepared. We require a sample approximately 15 mm X 15mm and 2mm thick. We can slice a small piece off a sample you may have. Thin sections are only suitable to stony types. Specimens are mounted on 76 by 25 mm glass slides with no cover slip or lacquer, and thus suitable for further analysis eg EMP

Thin section preparation = $25 per slide. (Note that our slides are hand made and thus may vary in thickness from the standard 30 microns. However they are examined at each stage until we feel the correct thickness to enable the sample to be viewed at its best has been obtained.)

 

See also our meteorite sale page.