A Michigan man curious about a rock he’d used for decades as a doorstop now knows its secret: it’s a meteorite worth $100,000.

美国密歇根一名男子对他数十年来用来支撑大门的一块石头充满好奇，现在，真相终于大白：它居然是一块价格10万美元的陨石。

In fact, the nearly 23-pound hunk of iron and nickel is the sixth largest meteorite found in Michigan, according to the Smithsonian Museum and Central Michigan University.

事实上，据史密森尼博物馆(Smithsonian Museum)和中密歇根大学(Central Michigan University)的数据，这颗重近23磅的铁镍陨石是在密歇根被发现的第六大陨石。

David Mazurek said he took his doorstop to the university for examination after seeing reports in January of meteorite pieces selling for thousands of dollars.

大卫.马祖雷克说，今年1月，看到有关陨石碎片卖了几千美元的报道后，他带着这块石头去中密歇根大学鉴定。

“I said, ‘Wait a minute. I wonder how much mine is worth,’” Mazurek said.

马祖雷克说：“我说来看看我的能值多少钱。”

University Geology Professor Mona Sirbescu first identified the piece as more than just a rock. She then sent two small slices of the rock to the Smithsonian for confirmation.

该校地质学教授莫娜·西贝斯库第一次鉴别这么大的石头，然后她把其中两小块送到史密森尼博物馆去鉴定。

“I could tell right away that this was something special,” she said. “It’s the most valuable specimen I have ever held in my life, monetarily and scientifically.”

她说，“我立马就发现这是很特别的石头。无论是在科学上还是从其价值而言，我手里拿的都是一块无价之宝。”

Mazurek said the meteorite came with a barn he bought in 1988 in Edmore. He said the farmer who sold him the property told him it landed in his backyard in the 1930s.

这名美国男子说，他是在1988年在埃德莫尔购买农场时得到这块陨石的。原屋主告诉他，这块石头是在20世纪30年代落到这个农场的。

“The story goes that it was collected immediately after they witnessed the big boom and the actual meteorite was dug out from a crater,” Sirbescu said.

西贝斯库说，“他们目睹了巨大的爆炸，这块巨石从一个火山口里出现，他们马上就收集回去了。”

More tests are being conducted to see if the meteorite contains rare elements.

研究人员还作了许多测试以确认陨石里是否含有稀有元素。

“What typically happens with these at this point is that meteorites can either be sold and shown in a museum or sold to collectors and sellers looking to make a profit,” Sirbescu said.

西贝斯库说，“这种陨石通常都是卖给博物馆展出，或者是卖给期望从中获利的收藏家。”

The Smithsonian and a mineral museum in Maine are considering purchasing the specimen.

史密森尼博物馆和缅因州的一家矿物博物馆正在考虑购买它。

Mazurek said that when he sells the meteorite, he’ll donate some of the money to the university.

马祖雷克说，陨石卖出的钱，他会拿出一部分捐给中密歇根大学。