[meteorite-list] FW: meteorite hunting laws

[Jeff Pringle]

I should mention that the word 'meteorite' only shows up in the federal register in regards to Antartic collecting, where they are all consigned to science - I am making a presumption that they fall under 'mineral specimen' or 'non-renewable resource' for the public lands.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Pringle 
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 4:14 PM
To: 'meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com'
Subject: meteorite hunting laws


List -
Did anyone notice in the provisional Met Bull 89 that someone found a 13.5 KILO lunar in the Kalahari back in '99? Is that old news?

National Parks are off limits, but if I ran across a meteorite in the Nat'l Parks of the desert I'd feel obligated to at least point it out to a University or the Smithsonian, why should those parkland meteorites not get their chance at doing some scientific good?

Hey, guess what - the code of federal regulations ('laws' to you and me) is on line and searchable here:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html
Some poking around under the BLM section reveals you are fine unless you mean to barter or sell to commercial dealers (now who would do that?), in which case you need a permit - but I'm sure this is a general rule of thumb manipulate-able by lawyers or superceded by other specific regulations. And if you found that 13.5 kilo lunar in the Mojave, the gov't could declare it a special exception, but you'd prob'ly be able to get them to cough up some compensation if they did something like that.
Here is the unedited section of main interest:

[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR8365.1-5]

[Page 917]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
    CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 8360_VISITOR SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart 8365_Rules of Conduct
 
Sec. 8365.1-5  Property and resources.

    (a) On all public lands, unless otherwise authorized, no person 
shall;
    (1) Willfully deface, disturb, remove or destroy any personal 
property, or structures, or any scientific, cultural, archaeological or 
historic resource, natural object or area;
    (2) Willfully deface, remove or destroy plants or their parts, soil, rocks or minerals, or cave resources, except as permitted under 
paragraph (b) or (c) of this paragraph; or
    (3) Use on the public lands explosive, motorized or mechanical 
devices, except metal detectors, to aid in the collection of specimens 
permitted under paragraph (b) or (c) of this paragraph.
    (b) Except on developed recreation sites and areas, or where 
otherwise prohibited and posted, it is permissible to collect from the 
public lands reasonable amounts of the following for noncommercial 
purposes:
    (1) Commonly available renewable resources such as flowers, berries, nuts, seeds, cones and leaves;
    (2) Nonrenewable resources such as rocks, mineral specimens, common 
invertebrate fossils and semiprecious gemstones;
    (3) Petrified wood as provided under subpart 3622 of this title;
    (4) Mineral materials as provided under subpart 3604; and
    (5) Forest products for use in campfires on the public lands. Other 
collection of forest products shall be in accordance with the provisions of Group 5500 of this title.
    (c) The collection of renewable or nonrenewable resources from the 
public lands for sale or barter to commercial dealers may be done only 
after obtaining a contract or permit from an authorized officer in 
accordance with part 3600 or 5400 of this chapter.











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