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In New Zealand, if a meteorite crashes on private land, the owner of the property is allowed to keep the space rock.
Every country follows a specific rule to determine the ownership of meteorites. (Representative Image)
Meteorite collection has become a popular hobby across the world. But acquiring ownership of these space rocks may not be as simple as it seems. Every day, nearly 48.5 tonnes of meteorites rush to the Earth. The majority of it disintegrates in the planet’s atmosphere.
The ones that land on the Earth’s surface may sometimes ignite debates about their legal ownership. Meteorite hunting and trading have become a booming business in recent times. Researchers, however, believe these alien rocks help uncover fascinating details about the universe.
Every country follows a specific rule to determine the ownership of meteorites. Some allow private collectors to keep them, while others have only mandated state ownership without any compensation. As in New Zealand, Canada, France, the US and the UK, if a meteorite crashes on private land, the owner of the property is allowed to keep the rock.
Last year, an apple-sized space rock weighing 810g was recorded in New Zealand. It was found inside the Department of Conservation in the central South Island near Takapo. Jack Weterings, a member of Fireballs Aotearoa (a citizen science group tracking meteorites) was the first to spot the meteorite.
As per the regulations, Waterings’ team could keep the cosmic object for research purposes. The organisation also mentioned they had “no commercial interest” in meteorites and would donate them all to museums for public display.
In 2004, a family saw a 1.3kg Ellerslie meteorite crash land through the roof of their house in Auckland, New Zealand. Many collectors wanted to purchase the space rock. Ignoring those offers, the family finally chose to sell the meteorite to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Meteorite hunting for commercial purposes has seen a rise across several countries, including China. Some of them have managed to stop exports with strict laws. In New Zealand, meteorites have been brought under the Protected Objects Act 1975, which restricts the transfer of ownership of cultural property.
Before exporting such objects, citizens must obtain permission from the chief executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The penalties for illegally exporting or attempting to export meteorites without a license are severe.
They include automatic custody of the object by the Crown, a prison term of five years, and a fine of up to NZ$100,000 for an individual and $200,000 for an organisation.
