Collecting, the law and caring for meteorites
Meteorites are both scientific specimens and collectable objects. This final lesson covers ownership, export rules, ethics and how to store specimens so they last.
- Outline how ownership and export of meteorites are governed in different places.
- Describe ethical collecting and the role of provenance.
- Store and handle specimens to prevent weathering.
Links to: Practice: law, ethics and curation.
Who owns a meteorite?
Rules differ widely between countries, and sometimes between regions. In many places a meteorite is treated as belonging to the landowner where it lands, so permission to search is essential. In the UK, no law settles it; in England and Wales the landowner is usually thought to have the strongest claim; Scotland's treasure trove does not cover natural specimens. Some countries treat meteorites as national heritage owned by the state, and many require permits to export them. On public land, collecting may be restricted or banned. Under the Antarctic Treaty system, meteorites found in Antarctica are collected for scientific research. Laws change, so check the current rules for any place before searching, buying or exporting.
Ethics and provenance
Responsible collectors buy only specimens with a documented history, or provenance: where and when the meteorite was found, by whom and how it was exported. Classified meteorites have an official name and a type specimen held in a recognised collection. Be wary of unclassified material sold with only a vague location, and of 'certificates' not linked to an official name. Fakes and misidentified Earth rocks are common.
Meteorites found by the public have contributed many important discoveries, and the best practice is to make sure significant specimens reach scientists, through classification and by depositing material in collections.
Caring for specimens
Iron and stony meteorites containing metal rust in damp air; chlorine absorbed on Earth accelerates the process. Store specimens in low humidity, in sealed containers with a desiccant such as silica gel, and avoid touching cut surfaces, since skin oils and salt promote corrosion. Carbonaceous chondrites are fragile and can react with moisture; keep them dry and handle them gently. Label every specimen with its name, classification, mass and source, and keep paperwork with it.
Imagine you are offered a meteorite for sale. Write a checklist of questions to ask the seller about provenance, classification, export and condition. Then design a storage label for one specimen from the famous meteorites pages, including name, classification, mass, find or fall details and source.
Quiz
5 questions. Choose an answer to see whether you are right and why. Finish the quiz to complete the lesson.
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Question 1Before searching for meteorites on private land, what must you do?
You need permission to be on the land and search it, and in many places, including England and Wales, the landowner is usually thought to have the strongest claim to what you find.
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Question 2What is provenance?
Provenance establishes that a specimen is genuine and was obtained legally.
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Question 3Why must iron meteorites be kept dry?
Moisture and chloride drive corrosion that can destroy specimens.
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Question 4What is the purpose of a type specimen?
Type specimens ensure the classification can be checked by future researchers.
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Question 5Who collects meteorites found in Antarctica?
Antarctic meteorites are collected for scientific research under the Antarctic Treaty system.