Does the rock have a fusion crust?
A fusion crust forms on the rock surface as it descends through the Earth’s atmosphere. The crust is paper-thin, dark brown to fresh black, and glassy. Don’t remove the crust; if your rock really is a meteorite it is more valuable if it has a fusion crust. Visit The Meteorite Market to see examples of fusion crust. • Is the rock magnetic? Iron meteorites strongly attract a magnet, stony meteorites have a slight attraction. • Does the rock have native iron? Native iron is shiny metal bright and looks like untarnished silver when it is exposed. Native iron is extremely rare in natural earth rocks. • Does the rock have a streak? Test for streak by rubbing the rock on unglazed porcelain such as the back of a tile. If it leaves a streak, it probably isn’t a meteorite unless it has been lying exposed on the Earth’s surface a very long time. Meteoritic iron doesn’t have much of a streak because it isn’t exposed to oxygen until reaching the Earth. In contrast, Earth minerals composed of iron o
