The Murchison Meteorite.

[Ramjet]

The Murchison Meteorite, one of the oldest rocks in existence.

It is approximately 4,600,000,000 years old and likely existed before the Earth itself had completely formed...!

The Murchison meteorite is one of 16 meteorites known from Victoria, and is rare in that it was actually observed falling, rather than just being found on the ground, so it came to scientists fresh.

It exploded in the atmosphere over Murchison, Victoria, about 160km north of Melbourne, on 28 September, 1969 and fell over an area around 35km2. So, when we talk about 'it', were really talking about lots of broken pieces of a single object.

 

[Guessologist]

I've had the pleasure of getting a nice close look at some of this material and many of the other Victorian meteorites in a past job - space yonnies are great. Held a bunch, not sure if I did the Murchison one, it's that fresh that grotty fingers can contaminate it if you want to do science on them later on. Check out the Moama one (ok not strictly VIC but close enough), it's my favourite with an absolutely fantastic greenish melt crust on it.

Shame about the cut right in the bloody middle - apparently the task of taking a sample was delegated to a student who didn't quite appreciate the asthetics and got stopped half way through....

 

[Goldchaser1]

That murchison is something else,apparently the scientists scramble for bits of it to study,carbonaceous chondrite,seems to be a bit of an icon that piece.
I'd love to find a nice pallasite i think they are absolutely gorgeous

 

[Jaros]

Looks great-out of this world. It's a Mrs. Moneybox rock. :goldnugget:

 

[Ramjet]

That murchison is something else,apparently the scientists scramble for bits of it to study,carbonaceous chondrite,seems to be a bit of an icon that piece.
I'd love to find a nice pallasite i think they are absolutely gorgeous https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...6313_bc87b9b3-a86d-458a-8498-b6cea9249aae.jpg

These are so beautiful.

 

[Goldtarget]

You gave me a good reminder Ramjet. The Old fella that had this was offering to let me wave a detector over it to see if it gave a signal. Had hoped armed with the strewn map I posted up overlayed on Google Earth and a beep stick to spend a day or two having a bit of a search for some.

Still be a few around to point a bloke in a likely direction with a bit of luck.

 

[grubstake]

You gave me a good reminder Ramjet. The Old fella that had this was offering to let me wave a detector over it to see if it gave a signal. Had hoped armed with the strewn map I posted up overlayed on Google Earth and a beep stick to spend a day or two having a bit of a search for some.
Still be a few around to point a bloke in a likely direction with a bit of luck.

If that's part of the Murchison meteorite, it's a carbonaceous chondrite type, so I don't think you'll get much of a detectable signal from it. For that, I believe you need an iron meteorite, like (for example) the Mundrabilla meteorite out on the Nullarbor.