Meteorites have no physical or spiritual exchange value. It only makes sense in scientific research. Rumors of buying and selling this stone will face many risks.
The nature of the meteorite
The fraudulent sale and purchase of meteorites costing tens of millions to tens of billions of dong has always taken place, despite warnings from authorities. But the floating information on meteorites such as spiritual values, extremely rare stones, more expensive than diamonds … make many people believe.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong, an expert in space astronomy at Hanoi National University, said meteorites are natural objects in outer space.
A meteorite announced.
Meteors vary in size from a few millimeters to thousands of kilometers. Meteors that vary in size from a few hundred meters to a thousand kilometers around the Sun are called asteroids (asteroids). Objects that are larger than dust but smaller than asteroids are called meteoroids.
In terms of composition, meteors are classified, such as rock meteorites, iron meteorites, iron meteorites … Stone meteorites are mainly composed of silicate, iron meteorites are mainly composed of iron (here- above 70%), nickel less than 30%.
The iron meteorite has a similar distribution composition of both silicate and iron … In addition to the above elements, there are other elements such as carbon, oxygen … The meteorite is not a metal. precious things like gold or diamonds, even meteorites can contain radioactive elements that are potentially harmful to human health.
Professor Phan Truong Thi, director of the Vietnam Institute of Gems, Gold and Jewelry, claimed that the current meteoric trading game is mainly about cheating, inflating value or being invented to make a profit. . Meteors are of two types: the iron meteorite and the rocky meteorite. In the world, the most valuable meteorites are nickel iron meteorites, they are part of the nucleus of planets (stars) in the universe, when they explode, debris falls to the Earth.
The world sells a lot of these fragments, just a few keywords on the Internet to see, and their prices are not expensive. Surely there aren’t millions of dollars / kg that scammers sell. Planetary crustal meteorite fragments cost a few dollars, and the more expensive and rare ones cost only around $ 3,000 per lump. However, it should be added that this type of cosmic nuclear asteroid is also very rare.
Still according to Professor Phan Truong Thi, in Vietnam, only about 10 kg of meteorites are currently on display in the museum. They have no value but are used for research purposes, so they cannot be compared to gems or jewelry. Perhaps because it is very rare for us to collect asteroids, this rarity is considered valuable by humans and opportunistic people, it can be worth thousands or hundreds of thousands of times.
For scientists, meteorites are important evidence, providing data for studying the origin of the solar system, or looking for signs of water or the physical and chemical conditions of a planet. if the meteorite comes from this planet.
For example, scientists analyze meteorite samples from Mars to find information about water and life, if any, in the planet’s past.
The tektite rock closely resembles the asteroid
According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong, if an ordinary person will have a hard time distinguishing what is a meteorite, which is a normal stone, but it is easy for experts. However, meteorites have their own characteristics that can be distinguished with the naked eye. In terms of mass, meteorites are generally heavier and more rigid than normal rocks of the same size.
In color, meteorites are usually black or yellowish-black due to oxidation. In terms of characteristics, the surface of meteorites is usually smooth and shiny black. There are also surface meteorites with smooth circular indentations or fissure lines that measure airborne erosion and combustion. When you have a meteorite in hand, it is best to have an expert assess it.
Meteorite falls are not observed in Vietnam. But thanks to the tectic rock samples found in some highlands like the central highlands, it can be confirmed that this phenomenon has occurred. In the regions of Lam Dong, Cao Bang, Yen Bai, tektite is sold for several hundred thousand VND / kg.
In fact, the Tektite rock is not a meteorite. Tektite is made up of pieces of matter on Earth that were thrown out when extraterrestrial objects collided. Moreover, depending on the method of age determination of radioactivity, most tektites are between a few hundred thousand and several tens of millions of years old – too small compared to around 4.6 billion years of meteorites.
Currently in Vietnam, there is no unit equipped with a large telescope to observe falling meteorites. In Vietnam, there is no official agency responsible for monitoring the meteorite and its impact.
Russian and American aerospace agencies constantly communicate with other countries when they have information. Suppose if they calculate the relatively precise trajectory of a meteor object falling in Vietnam, they will inform the scientists of our country. Preventing this catastrophe in the world is still not possible.
According to Nguyen Duc Phuong, the world already has a network of telescopes, but the number is not enough for people to observe the whole sky.
In addition, people must also focus on making telescopes large enough to be able to observe small objects (less than 10m) such as meteorites recently falling in central Russia.
