October 21, 2009 - Meteorite hunters have dug up three more space rocks from the fireball that put Grimsby on the astronomical map last month. That brings the tally to four since scientists revealed last Thursday a rock that broke the windshield of a family’s SUV in the town’s west end was actually a fragment of 4.6-billion-year-old meteorite.
In addition to capturing headlines across the country, the find has sparked a mini space race between university researchers who want the other-worldly rocks for the sake of science and professional collectors drawn by the potential for profit.
“It’s a friendly competition,” said Phil McCausland, who’s leading the University of Western Ontario’s meteorite search.
“We’re actually happy that they’re here because the more people looking, the more likely fragments will turn up.”
Nearly two dozen hard-core hunters have been scouring Grimsby fields and yards for much of the past couple weeks — split pretty evenly between researchers and collectors.
Several of the private collectors and dealers are Americans who make their livings buying and selling the rare rocks.
So far the score is an even 2-2 tie for researchers and collectors when it comes to meteorite finds in Grimsby.
McCausland said there is co-operation among the two groups.
“When they’ve found their fragments they have contacted us so we can get information on locations and massing,” he said.
Under Canadian laws, meteorites found in Canada must remain in the country, unless the owner gets a special export permit from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
“(The collectors) understand that. They’re not going to threaten their own reputations by whisking something out of the country,” he said.
Canadian collector Roman Jirasek spent three days searching the ground with his eyes and a custom-made meteorite finder — a powerful magnet attached to a hockey stick — without success.
“I was hoping to get lucky,” the 44-year-old Milton resident said Wednesday. “Finding another one in Canada with this few pieces found, that just drives the value up even further.”
Jirasek runs a full-time sign-painting business, but collects, sells and hunts space rocks in his spare time.
“There’s thousands of dollars involved in these little rocks,” he said.
Collectors involved in the Grimsby hunt have hundreds of meteorite fragments on their website, ranging in price anywhere from under $100 to several thousand dollars.
Jirasek speculated Grimsby meteorites will fetch “hundreds of dollars per gram” because so few have been recovered to date.
McCausland said the four pieces found so far range from 15 to 70 grams — the largest ones are about the size of a golf ball.
The fireball was first picked up Sept. 25 by cameras operated by the University of Western Ontario's physics and astronomy department.
Astronomers at the university traced the meteor's path and believe pieces of it landed within a 10- to 12-kilometre area on the west side of Grimsby.
McCausland said researchers are still interested in hearing from anyone who believes they may have found fragments. He can be reached at 519-661-2111, ext. 87985, or on his cellphone at 519-694- 3323.
