Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: warrenfamily95 on 22/09/2010 22:41:57

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 22/09/2010 22:41:57

We found this rock with my grandmother's things.  It's a two toned rock with a hole through the center.  We are wondering what type of rock it is, and what would cause the weird shape?    [ Invalid Attachment ]

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 22/09/2010 22:45:59

One more view... [ Invalid Attachment ]

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: JimBob on 23/09/2010 03:05:29

Probably a rather soft rock(sandstone or carbonated) as there is an obvious anthropomorphic hole in it.

But no one on this forum is a anthropologist. We are all geologist.

My first thought was that it might have something to do with spinning thread but ..... what do I know?

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 23/09/2010 11:08:16

Thank you for your input!  I was told by someone that since the edges are all uneven that it is not man-made?  I was just wondering how something in nature would result in such an odd shape!  My husband said maybe water had ran over it?  Please ignore my ignorance, we are very amateur rock collectors, but curious none the less!!!

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: RD on 23/09/2010 12:20:38

Reminds me of scale which has accumulated in a water pipe ...

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewatertreatments.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fcalcium-carbonate-scale-piece-of-pipe.jpg&hash=7f1d6fee77c0d1184f0a6fafe2aebb6a)

Speleothem ? (http://www.showcaves.com/english/explain/Speleothem/Straw.html)

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 23/09/2010 13:44:41

It's funny that you mentioned that, there was a cave on my grandparent's farm in Kentucky.  Maybe this could be a cave formation?

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: JimBob on 24/09/2010 02:15:19

Now we are getting somewhere.

A part of a large sized super cave straw.

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 28/09/2010 20:53:42

Hmmm, is there a way to tell if it is a cave formation?  Also, someone suggested it might be a piece of ironstone?

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: RD on 29/09/2010 06:37:08

Quote from: warrenfamily95 on 28/09/2010 20:53:42

is there a way to tell if it is a cave formation? 

Can you scratch it with a knife ?, Got any acid ? ... http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=27121.msg287584#msg287584


BTW the tube form could also be a concretion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concretion) formed around a plant root ...

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

http://geology.about.com/od/more_sedrocks/ig/concretionpics/conctube.htm

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: JimBob on 01/10/2010 12:38:04

Or a shrimp or crab or worm burrow. Anything that digs in mud. This possibly includes now extinct spiders of whose  habits we know nothing. But spiders will line their holes with debris. Some worms do as well - big worms.

Title: Can you help me identify this rock?
Post by: warrenfamily95 on 01/10/2010 19:35:05

Thanks for the information, I'm so glad we found this site!  My son and I are going to try the acid/scratch test this weekend.  The hole does tunnel back (it doesn't go straight through)so the concretion suggestion is very interesting!  I will share that info with my son also, he will get a kick out of the very large worm theory.