WHAT SHOULD YOU DO
IF YOU FIND A STONE
WHICH YOU THINK MAY BE A METEORITE?

	your name, address, telephone, and e-mail address.
	A description of the circumstances of your find. ( For example, "I saw a fiery light in the sky, heard a loud noise, and found an unusual stone." Or "I found a heavy magnetic rock in a field while plowing and thought it might be a meteorite.")
	The date of the find;
	The location of the find and the nearest town;
	The weight of the sample;
	Any peculiarities of the sample - color of the surface and inside, magnetism, presence of metal, etc.;
	A photo of the sample if possible.

     When we receive your sample, we will perform a professional evaluation free of charge and inform you of the results as soon as possible, whether it is a meteorite or not.

     If your sample turns out to be a meteorite, we will follow the rules published by the International Meteorite Nomenclature Committee and any agreements we have with you.

     According to the Meteorite Nomenclature Committee, in order for a meteorite to be officially registered in the International Meteorite Catalog, 20% by weight of the main mass of the identification sample must be contributed to a qualified scientific organization. Our Laboratory is such a qualified scientific organization.

     The remaining 80% of the main mass of the identification sample remains the property of the finder.

     The 20% sample is the finder's contribution in order that the necessary accurate analyses needed for classification of a meteorite and its registration in the International Meteorite Catalog can be performed.

     Depending on the meteorite, the Laboratory is often interested in obtaining as much material as possible because every meteorite is unique and contains extensive scientific information about solar system processes. The Laboratory would like to make this information available for scientific research.

     During the Soviet period, rewards were paid for submitted meteorites, but today there are no funds for rewards.

     Meteorites themselves have various prices, from very low for ordinary chondrites to very high for exotic samples such as Lunar and Martian meteorites.

     Meteorites in general are difficult to sell, often being collected only by a limited set of private collectors.

     The Laboratory tries to propose straightforward, mutually satisfactory agreements.