Treasure hunters seek to make a fortune after meteorites hit China

Treasure hunters seek to make a fortune after meteorites hit China

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Chinese treasure hunters are raking in a fortune selling meteorites after a ball of fire lit up the sky on the China-Burma border.

Villagers living in the southwestern Yunnan province which was showered with fragments last Friday have been asking for up to 50,000 yuan (£5,800) per gram – about 50 times the normal price.

Chinese television showed images taken from dashboard cameras of a huge fireball streaking across the sky, while reports have described how villagers watched pieces of the meteor tear through the roofs of their rural dwellings.

Some villagers held ceremonies where they offered cash in thanks for the meteorites, while others sought out enthusiasts willing to pay to own one.

More than 200 fragments had been discovered by Monday and one 20 gram piece was sold for about 24,000 yuan (£2,800), Chinese media said.

Jiang Wei, a meteorite expert, told the Beijing Youth Daily that prices being asked for the fragments was "far beyond reasonable".

The selling frenzy has led to local officials issuing warnings to local people that the meteorites should be valued for their scientific value rather than potential to create wealth.

“Please be rational about the incident and don’t blindly believe that by finding meteorites you will become rich overnight," the local government said in a statement.

“Good life is created by your own efforts.”

Additional reporting by Christine Wei

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