WELCOME to the newly revised website for the -

Meteorite-Recovery Lab

c/o Robert Verish
Principal Field Investigator
P.O. Box 463084
Escondido, CA 92046

Specializing in California/Nevada Meteorite-recovery, sample cutting, classification, formal nomenclature approval and brokering of cataloged meteorites.

MIssion Statement:
The Meteorite Recovery Laboratory (MRL) consist of an all-volunteer force of researchers that are committed to searching, recovering and cataloging meteorites, as well as, preserving these meteorites. Samples of these meteorites are made to other researchers and institutions. The research conducted on the meteorites recovered by the MRL is used to provide a better understanding of the universe. Meteorites are rocks that hold clues as to how our solar system was formed. They also hold clues how we can best protect our Earth from a catastrophic impact with asteroids. In addition to telling us about their distant parent bodies, meteorites also tell us about the history of geological processes over the time period since they landed on the Earth. But once exposed to the Earth’s atmosphere, meteorites start to decompose, and all of their potential will be lost over time. It is for these reasons that the volunteer researchers of the Meteorite Recovery Laboratory devote their spare time to the recovery and preservation of meteorites and meteoritic specimens before their eventual decomposition.
In order for any meteorite to be properly classified and officially cataloged in the Meteoritical Bulletin, a type specimen of 20% or 20 grams (whichever is less) must be submitted to any institution recognized by the Meteoritical Society. The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is one such institution. Since the headquarters for MRL is based in Southern California, all samples of the finds collected by our team members are sent to UCLA. These samples are analyzed and classified by Dr. Alan Rubin and Dr. John Wasson.
Some of the institutions that have benefitted from our research (either through displays, distribution of samples, specimen loans, or information) are the Los Angeles County Museum, Griffith Observatory, Barstow Desert Discovery Center, UCLA Geology Department, and the Smithsonian Institute - National Museum of Natural History.

Here is a link to a list of past accomplishments, such as, educational outreach, field research, published papers and articles by the Meteorite Recovery Lab.

For for more information, please contact me by email:
Bolide*Chaser at Yahoo.com

In the meanwhile, here is a link with additional information about a rare California meteorite that was found by the Meteorite Recovery Lab - the Los Angeles Mars Rock - a Martian basalt (shergottite) which makes it the first achondrite stony found in California, and only the second planetary meteorite found in North America.