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For decades, a stone was used as a doorstop, until it was assessed as a rare and extremely valuable mineral, transforming the life of its owner.
A man kept a mysterious stone as a simple doorstop in his home, without suspecting that he was dealing with an extraordinary mineral, for decades.
The object, which went unnoticed in everyday life, turned out to be a rare and valuable meteorite, attracting the attention of scientists and collectors around the world. All.
One of the largest meteorites recorded in Michigan remains ignored by science. The rock, which weighed 10 kilos, lived a humble existence as a doorstop on a farm, until, 80 years after its discovery, it revealed itself to be a scientific and financial gem.
Everything changed in 2018, when David Mazurek, from Grand Rapids, decided to investigate the origin of a stone that he had kept for more than 30 years.
He took the rock to geologist Mona Sirbescu of Central Michigan University (CMU), for analysis.”I knew right away it was something special.”, explained Sirbescu, confirming that it was a rare meteorite. “It is the most important specimen I have ever had in my life, financially and scientifically."
The unusual origin of the mineral
The meteorite, nicknamed Edmore, is an iron-nickel composition with about 12% nickel, a relatively rare element in these celestial bodies. Its history, however, is as fascinating as its origin.
Mazurek acquired a rock in 1988, when buying a farm in Edmore. During the negotiation, the former owner sent for the stone that held open the door of a shed and revealed that it was a meteorite.
According to him, in the 1930s, he and his father witnessed the object fall on their property during a night, leaving a luminous trail and a deafening noise.
The next morning, the pair found the crater left by the impact and dug up the still-hot rock.
The meteorite appeared on the farm, used as a doorstop, until Mazurek inherited the property. He kept the object for three decades, involving his children or taking it to school as a curiosity.
The revelation and the valorization
Over the next few years, Mazurek began to notice meteorites selling for significant amounts of money. He decided to see if his rock could be worth anything. This decision ultimately revealed Edmore’s true potential.
"For 18 years, I categorically said 'no' to analyses that did not identify meteorites”, Sirbescu confessed, describing the frustration of many fruitless analyses throughout her career. But this time, she was faced with something remarkable. “It wasn’t just a space rock, but a spectacular rock."
After confirming his modifications, Mazurek sold the meteorite to Michigan State University's Abrams Planetarium for US$ 75.000. He also donated 10% of the profits to CMU's Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, where the analysis was performed.
The Paraiba tourmaline was missing… An extremely rare stone, the most beautiful in my opinion, and it’s from Brazil!!
The most precious things to me are rice and beans! Gold and precious stones don't fill my stomach! Good morning, good afternoon and good night.