 Impact physics was poorly understood at the time and Barringer was unaware that most of the meteorite vaporized on impact.He spent 27 years trying to locate a large deposit of meteoric iron, and drilled to a depth of but no significant deposit was ever found.Barringer, who in 1894 was one of the investors who made US$15 million in the Commonwealth silver mine in Pearce, Cochise County, Arizona, had ambitious plans for the iron ore.