Metal Detecting for Meteorites: 5 Proven Tests to Authenticate Your Finds

What Are Meteorites, Anyway?

I’ve been hunting meteorites for nearly a decade now, and people always ask me the same question at gem shows: what exactly makes a meteorite special? Simply put, they’re visitors from space—rocks that survived the fiery plunge through our atmosphere. But unlike the boring granite in your driveway, most meteorites are older than anything on Earth and bring us rare glimpses of other worlds.

Some of my favorite finds contain tiny particles that formed around stars older than our sun. Talk about holding ancient history in your palm! Scientists love these cosmic travelers because they help piece together our solar system’s story without the billion-dollar price tag of a space mission.

The Three Meteorite Families

Most hunters categorize meteorites into three main groups:

• Stony meteorites – The common ones, mostly silicate minerals. They’re harder to spot but make up about 95% of falls.
• Iron meteorites – My personal favorites. Heavy as sin, packed with iron-nickel. Your detector goes crazy for these beauties.
• Stony-iron meteorites – The rare middle-ground specimens with gorgeous crystal structures. Find one of these and you’re buying drinks for everyone at the next rock club meeting.

Gold Basin: Arizona’s Meteorite Jackpot

I first came to Gold Basin after reading about Jim CG’s discovery. He wasn’t even looking for meteorites—just running his detector for gold when he stumbled on something better. That’s often how it goes in this hobby.

The site’s famous because it’s a strewn field—basically the cosmic debris pattern from one spectacular explosion. About 14,300 years ago, an asteroid roughly the size of a coffee table hit our atmosphere with enough energy to rival thousands of tons of TNT, and the pieces scattered across this valley.

Most are classified as L4-6 chondrite breccia (that’s science-speak for “stony meteorites with a complicated history”). They’re only semi-magnetic, which makes them tricky to find without good equipment. I’ve pulled specimens from as deep as 18 inches, but my luckiest finds were just sitting on the surface, baking in the sun for thousands of years.

My Hunting Setup

I’ve tried every detector on the market for meteorite hunting. If you want to know the best metal detector for meteorites, I’d recommend a trusty Minelab GPX 6000—not cheap, but worth every penny in this terrain. I’ve tweaked the sensitivity settings specifically for the Gold Basin meteorites, which give a subtler signal than iron meteorites would.

My backpack carries the essentials:

Serious hunters bring more gear, but I’ve learned to travel light. The less I carry, the longer I can stay out.

I have a guide on how to detect for meteorites. Check it out here: A Treasure Hunter’s Guide to Finding Space Rocks.

The Hunt Begins

The wind’s picking up as I start sweeping the detector back and forth. My technique’s gotten sloppy over the years—I used to maintain perfect 2-inch elevation above ground, but now I just drag the coil when my back starts hurting. Still works.

Three hours in, I get that sweet, subtle tone. I’ve dug up seventeen “hot rocks” already today—worthless iron-rich Earth rocks that sound promising but break your heart. But this signal has that distinctive pitch. I dig carefully, revealing a dark, palm-sized rock that makes my pulse quicken.

It’s got that tell-tale fusion crust on one side—that black, glassy surface created when it burned through the atmosphere. I almost drop it rushing to get my magnet out. The weak attraction confirms my suspicion. Not a spectacular specimen, but definitely a meteorite.

By midafternoon, I’ve bagged two confirmed meteorites and have four “maybe” rocks for further testing at camp. Not my best day (found seven last month in just two hours), but still worth the drive. Any meteorite detector will tell you the same.

How I Identify Meteorites (When I’m Not Sure)

After years of hunting, I’ve developed my own identification routine. It’s not as rigorous as laboratory testing, but it’s served me well:

The Weight Test

First thing I notice is heft. Meteorites typically feel heavier than they should. I’ve picked up thousands of Earth rocks, so my hand knows when something feels off. Iron meteorites feel almost impossibly dense, like picking up a small dumbbell. The Gold Basin stones aren’t as dramatic but still have surprising weight.

Sometimes magnetite fools me here—that stuff’s heavy too. That’s why this is just the first check, never the only one.

The Eye Test

My experienced eyes spot fusion crust immediately—that blackened, sometimes glossy exterior that formed during atmospheric entry. The Gold Basin meteorites have lost some of this over millennia of desert weathering, but traces remain.

I look for thumbprint-like depressions called regmaglypts and flow lines that show how the surface melted. Most tellingly, I check for contrast between the weathered exterior and a freshly broken edge.

I’ve been fooled by slag, magnetite, and even dark limestone. Your eyes get better with practice, though.

Magnet Check

I don’t leave home without my meteorite magnet. Most space rocks contain enough iron-nickel to attract a strong magnet, though the pull varies dramatically:

• Iron meteorites practically jump to attach themselves
• The Gold Basin stones show just enough attraction to detect

This test trips up beginners because Earth has plenty of magnetic minerals. Magnetite will stick strongly to your magnet, while hematite shows weaker attraction. That’s why I use this as just one piece of the puzzle.

The Streak Test

This might be my favorite field test. I drag the rock across a piece of unglazed ceramic tile (literally took a piece from my bathroom renovation years ago). The color of the powder streak tells a story:

• Meteorites usually leave a rusty reddish-brown streak
• Magnetite leaves a black streak that’s unmistakable
• Hematite creates a dark red streak

I’ve found this test especially helpful with Gold Basin specimens, which have a distinctive streak that’s hard to mistake once you’ve seen it a few times.

The Filing Test

When I’m really stumped, I’ll break out my small file. I hate marring a potential find, so I only do this when necessary. Filing a tiny spot on a suspected meteorite often reveals metal flecks embedded in the stone—little glinting inclusions that catch the light.

Earth rocks generally don’t have this characteristic. After testing, I usually rub the spot with dirt to restore its natural look. Some collectors would scream at this practice, but I hunt for the thrill of discovery, not just resale value.

What They’re Worth (If You’re Into That)

I collect for the love of it, but meteorites do have value. Price depends entirely on type, rarity, and condition:

The Gold Basin meteorites aren’t retirement-fund material—they generally fetch $0.50-$2 per gram from dealers. But I’ve seen exceptional specimens with perfect fusion crust go for much more to the right collector.

Iron meteorites command higher prices, especially those with beautiful crystalline patterns when etched with acid. The real money comes with witnessed falls (meteorites seen coming down) and rare types like lunar or Martian meteorites—those can sell for hundreds per gram.

If you’re hunting for profit, you’re in the wrong hobby. But finding a piece of another world that paid for your gas money? That’s a great day.

Heading Back Before the Storm

Dark clouds are building over the mountains as I pack up. My knees crack as I stand—meteorite hunting isn’t kind to the back or joints, but it beats a day at the office. Today’s haul: two confirmed Gold Basin meteorites and four promising suspects.

Back at camp, I’ll run more thorough tests, update my field maps, and add the finds to my collection log. Each one joins specimens from different strewn fields: some from Vicksburg-Salome, others from around Meteor Crater up north.

What keeps me coming back isn’t just the meteorites—it’s the connection to something vaster than myself. These unassuming rocks traveled millions of miles and billions of years to reach this spot. And somehow, out of the entire planet, they ended up in my collection bags. That feeling never gets old.

If you want to try meteorite hunting yourself, start with research and the right equipment. Join one of the online forums where veteran hunters share locations and techniques. Or find me at the Tucson Gem Show in February—I’m usually at the back tables with the other sunburned hunters, swapping stories about our cosmic treasures.

Just remember to get permission before hunting on any land, public or private. Nothing ruins the thrill of discovery like a trespassing ticket.