Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: ghoust_ny on 10/01/2012 19:02:33

Title: What might it be ?
Post by: ghoust_ny on 10/01/2012 19:02:33

found this a while ago iam 99% sure its metal / not magnetic what might it be any ideas ?
the piece sticking out is tiny and very thin but impossible to brake off with hand
weights at 28 grams

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg824.imageshack.us%2Fimg824%2F4994%2Fp1030727d.jpg&hash=81283bca3b4caaa6c4101bd4cdb15918)
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg543.imageshack.us%2Fimg543%2F7005%2Fp1030735q.jpg&hash=6fa81563b29dca366938012ac13e07c7)
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg542.imageshack.us%2Fimg542%2F5895%2Fp1030736.jpg&hash=b207f78b7b53dc3af94cfe26de903561)

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: Bass on 11/01/2012 19:05:23

My first guess would be some sort of slag.  Any historic or present-day metal industries close to where this was found?

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: ghoust_ny on 12/01/2012 00:15:01

no not really what kind of metal might it be ? its none magnetic and its really though

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: CliffordK on 12/01/2012 01:03:52

Where did you find it?  Was it "unique" at the site where you found it?
Does it conduct Electricity?
Have you run a metal detector over it?
Have you tried to stick a NdFeB magnet to it?
If you have a highly sensitive hanging balance, you could calculate the specific gravity fairly quickly.
Does it look more green or black?

You can choose if you wish to try to polish it (with metal polish), or a part of it.

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: damocles on 15/01/2012 23:32:50

Several years ago I found a "nugget" that looked just like this in some coastal heathland with no obvious nearby rock outcroppings. I tried to break it with a geological hammer to look at a fresh surface, but instead of fracturing it dinted! Eventually it turned out that it was a lump of aluminium that was probably originally a saucepan. It had apparently been caught in a local bushfire, and melted, but failed to ignite.

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: Sprool on 16/01/2012 12:36:30

Nodule of iron or another metal or mix of metals:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manganese_nodule

Title: Re: What might it be ?
Post by: OokieWonderslug on 16/01/2012 19:16:08

In West Virginia you can find those rocks once in a while. There were steel plants upriver back at the turn of the century (1900's) and sometimes metallic slag made it to the river. I have a couple "rocks" identical to the one you showed. I suspect that is what you have there. Slag from a foundry.