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New Beeper The only witnessed fall I ever had the chance to see of a meteorite of any size was in my back yard one night, some friends and I were sitting in my back yard about 2:00 am and the sky lit up like day time. we looked up to see a fireball coming in and we could hear and see it tumbleing. it didn't whistle it made more of a whooshing sound, whoosh,whoosh,whoosh. as it tumbled it brightened and then disappeared over a mountain. we looked for it the next few days, but never found it. even though they appear to land close they can actually land many miles away. I've heard other people describe it as a whistling sound? AzNuggetBob

AznuggetBob,

It was a definite whistle sound like in cartoons when a bomb is coming down just before exploding. When it hit there was a "thunk" noise that seemed about 30ft away. May have been a little farther away. May have been space junk or a bullet, who knows. It was certainly a once in a lifetime experience!

New Beeper

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AznuggetBob,

It was a definite whistle sound like in cartoons when a bomb is coming down just before exploding. When it hit there was a "thunk" noise that seemed about 30ft away. May have been a little farther away. May have been space junk or a bullet, who knows. It was certainly a once in a lifetime experience!

New Beeper

New Beeper Im not sure what is was that came by you, but if it were me I may have been diving next to a tree. :lol: The earth is getting dusted all the time with cosmic debree. Jim brings it up in his book. A new type of hunting I've never heard of. He gives details on how some hunters are using a unique way to take dust samples trying to track down meteorite falls. most burn up, but some survive the fiery entry and slam into the ground. there are stories of livestock being hit but I've never seen this confirmed.. but there is a confirmed hit on a car a few years back over on the east coast, USA. and many on houses. Daytime falls happen a lot too but not noticed because the upper atmosphere burn isn't as brite as it is at night. AzNuggetBob

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Here is a photo of that car strike I mentioned. the stone that hit the car is laying on the ground. it went all the way through the trunk and was found in a shallow hole under the car. Its been on display for several years. the photo was taken through glass. Try and explain that to your insurance agent.:lol: AzNuggetBob

http://blogidaho.biz/meteorite.jpg

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  • Admin

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you all know I now have the new "Advanced Prospecting & Detecting for Hardrock Gold" available for sale. This new edition has a bunch of colored pictures, more maps and charts along with more information (especially on meteorites).

The book is available for sale for $19.95 + SH.

Talk with you later,

Rob Allison

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Thank You Rob... The latest edition is known as the Revised September 2010 edition.

It has been expanded and edited to include new material.

It was first published in 1996. I only expected to sell a few

hundred copies to those who were more serious as it was and

still is considered to be too technical for the casual nugget

shooter...

As a geologist... old school; Mackay (1954), when gold was still

$35 oz/troy and under govenment control Hardrock mining was

still going strong... Sliderule and log. tables, and a our

silver coins were not clad.

The September 2010 edition has an expanded 30 page appendix on

meteorites. It is currently available through Rob. It is

printed on a full color laser printer. Spiral bound and quality

paper... About 140 pages... Full of charts, tables, glossary

and black and white and full color photos. Jim Straight

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  • 1 month later...

Dutch John again... Now that I have added an appendix on meteorites to my book, there is now a rumor floating around that the Dept of Interior may be considering making meteorite hunting illegal on all government comtrolled land ? Please tell me this is not so...

Hey Jim, you went and got me interested again. Your writing tends to do that!

For anyone out there that hasn't read Jim's books I suggest you skip whatever you are doing and go get them now. This guy knows what he is writing about. If you are like me you will get a whole new perspective on minerals, mining and gold every time you re-read one of his books.

I'm not a meteorite hunter but I've always had a fascination with space rocks. I've got an open invitation to detect from friends that own and operate a ranch that straddles the Glorieta strewn field. Ruby and I will be taking them up on that offer next summer. Wish us luck, this is our first time and we may get skunked but I can't think of a more beautiful place to enjoy a bit of time with old friends.

I've read several times on this and other forums that you will be arrested and fined and have your gear seized if you even look sideways at a meteorite. Anyway all that must have been eating at what is left of my brain when I read what you posted above Jim. I guess I've just learned through the years that when Jim Straight bothers to write something down I should probably be paying attention. So I went looking for that law everyone has been worrying about... and here is what I found:

The law is the Antiquities Act. I read the whole thing several times. There is not a word in there about any kind of space rocks. Nothing. There is no case law either. The one case everyone quotes was not even about some guys right to keep the meteorite he found. That case was a squabble between two museums. There is not a single other case... none. Nor are there any laws written about meteorites. Without a law I can't imagine what a ranger could write you a ticket for.

I found some interesting stuff while I was researching though. I had to go look up what an antiquity is. There is no definition but a man made object from prehistory. So I went looking for the definition of antique- kinda sounds the same as antiquity so maybe that would narrow down the time frame they were talking about. Well antique is commonly considered to be over 100 years old. But I just know the government has different ideas than the rest of us. What I found surprised me. There is only one federal law that ever defined what an antique is. Here it is:

"The Smoot Hawley Tariff Act defines antiques as "works of art (except rugs and carpets made after the year 1700), collections in illustration of the progress of the arts, works in bronze, marble, terra cotta, parian, pottery or porcelain, artistic antiquities and objects of ornamental character or educational value which shall have been produced prior to the year 1830."

So according to the only law ever written about antiques if it was made after 1830 it's just trash or your Grandma's old stuff or whatever you want to call it BUT antique. So much for the 100 year "rule".

As far as the notion that you can be ticketed, jailed or have your gear impounded for digging up old stuff or antiques while in the act of mining. All of that has been specifically allowed for in that very same Antiquities Act.

-CITE-

16 USC Sec. 470kk 02/01/2010

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION

CHAPTER 1B - ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES PROTECTION

-HEAD-

Sec. 470kk. Savings provisions

-STATUTE-

(a) Mining, mineral leasing, reclamation, and other multiple uses

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to repeal, modify, or

impose additional restrictions on the activities permitted under

existing laws and authorities relating to mining, mineral leasing,

reclamation, and other multiple uses of the public lands.

(B) Private collections

Nothing in this chapter applies to, or requires a permit for, the

collection for private purposes of any rock, coin, bullet, or

mineral which is not an archaeological resource, as determined

under uniform regulations promulgated under section 470bb(1) of

this title.

(c.) Lands within chapter

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect any land

other than public land or Indian land or to affect the lawful

recovery, collection, or sale of archaeological resources from land

other than public land or Indian land.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 96-95, Sec. 12, Oct. 31, 1979, 93 Stat. 728.)

For those of you who might find an arrowhead and start watching your back for the man with a badge here is the penalty:

Title 43: Public Lands: Interior

PART 7—PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Subpart A—Uniform Regulations

§ 7.16 Civil penalty amounts.

(a) Maximum amount of penalty. (1) Where the person being assessed a civil penalty has not committed any previous violation of any prohibition in §7.4 or of any term or condition included in a permit issued pursuant to this part, the maximum amount of the penalty shall be the full cost of restoration and repair of archaeological resources damaged plus the archaeological or commercial value of archaeological resources destroyed or not recovered.

(3) Violations limited to the removal of arrowheads located on the surface of the ground shall not be subject to the penalties prescribed in this section.

So there is your free pass in black and white right from the source.

OK it's really in dark blue and white but you get my meaning.

clay

MinerDiggins

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Hi Dutch John/All

Pieter, will be in my home tomorrow sinds he is in Holland every year.

Together we do some detecting for roman and celtic coins and artefacs in Holland and France iff there is

some spare time.

On one occation we found one gold and one silver celtic coin from the eburonen tribe.

I will send him regards from you all.

Kind regards from Holland

Gerrit

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krokdundee... Gerrit... to cut to the center, please give Pieter my best. Jim Straight.

Clay... I agree. I believe the rumor stated with a an incident that may have happened in Greaterville AZ... Hopefully someone can add more details.

As far as meteorites, especially the common stony Chondrires, it would be dfficult for the government to control them by making them illegal.

I do not believe it would be in their best interest as it could be counterproductive as if a fall happens to cause damage it would be their responsibility as the "owner."

Also stony chondrites have been reported to contain arsenic

lead, mercury, selenium and zinc... just to mention a few of the elements... to cut to the quick it is believed the annual rate of the Earth's accretion of cosmic dust to be about 5-million tons (Per Year?)

Hurridly... so I'm not timed out.... Thanks everyone for being positive in the forums... too much negativity... Jim Straight

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jim I really like your new book, I have found info that answered several questions and gave some great tips on geology. I'd like to say more but I don't want to give up some of the best secrets in the book. One of the things I like most is it does not drag on, it gets to the point on what you need to look for when hunting gold and I found some great new leads on meteorites that I've been trying to track down for some time. Learned a few new hunting techniques for them too. :) AzNuggetBob

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Hi Jim...I've enjoyed your new book and have cruised through it a couple times...It looks like the govt. is attempting to impose itself on finds, but those in charge of such things are so far down on the list of power that they just might get their PeePee whacked for spending govt. funds on harassing us....I hope! Enjoying your books...Cheers, Unc

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AzNuggetBob and Uncle Ron... Thanks... However it is folks such as you who are far more successful nuggetshooters then I ever could or will be...

Everyone who is reading this tread, I'm absolutely amaized and truly humbled over the amount of readers and the replys. What I have learned over the years I pass on freely... I'm not trying to be rich or famous. I make many mistakes and usually wear out the eraser on my pencil before the lead.

Just to share my knowledge with the thought of being helpful is all I wish... With this said, please always feel free to give out any "tips" or "thoughts" I have given in my books; and please keep in mind that I could be wrong. Actually I have been learning from all of the posters...

What is most important... especially today... is being positive and getting along. No sour notes needed. But you know this, so I'm preaching to the choir... Think of this... Robs Forum as one big family... and as a family we are compassionate and forgiving of others who may be having a bad day... But, we all know this... Thanks... Jim Straight

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Guest sandtrap

Mr. Jim,

I sent the joke to you again. It probably got "lost" in the mail ! :angry:

Gloria should get a good laugh out of it. Till we meet again,in the Store. :excl:

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