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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → rock hounds
I was just curious if anyone on here is into geology or meteorites? I have an odd rock that is much too heavy for its size and has metallic properties as a magnet will stick to it. A sample was sent to the meteorite men and they say ir is not a meteorite but that does not explain what it is. If anyone can help I can send pictures.
Sure, drop me a photo and perhaps I can assist. A question though, is it magnetic on it's own right, or just ferrous? There are many ways that you might find iron out there, but you were correct in thinking that it might be a meteorite as they are very heavy for their size.... like galena (lead). One sure test of whether something is extraterrestrial, is the presence of Irridium. There are ways of testing for it that does not require grinding off a sample, but there is no naturally occurring Irridium on this planet... except for that which has fallen from the skies.
Take Care;
Doug
You could have some sort of naturally occurring Iron ore. Basalt is heavier then it looks and also contains iron. Where did you find it??? That could give clues as to what it could be.
I'm a geology hobbyist/rock hound with my true fascination being Volcanoes.
Lode stone maybe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodestone
Lode stone maybe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodestone
That's what crossed my mind as well. I do have one in my collection.
It maybe slag from a smelter
It is not a lode stone as those appear to be magnetic and this is metallic not magnetic. It looks like a rock so it is not slag from a smelter. It was found in North Carolina. Here are some pictures if I have done this correctly. One of the pictures shows where a section was cut off with a band saw at a steel shop. Notice the green colors, rust and what looks like iron that has been melted. As I said before the meteorite men said it is not a meteorite but we have not found anyone who can ID it. It was found in close proximity to a known meteorite find called Mayo Dan.
I do not know what it is but from the pictures you post it sure looks like something I would like to have in my yard.
Yeah I would have thought it was a rock too until I picked it up, it is heavy. If I can't find out exactly what it is I'm gonna call it a rock and chuck it out in my yard.
To help narrow your search, you might want to check it's "hardness" with a glass plate and also do a "streak" with a streak plate. I think these plates can be purchased probably at a hobby store and there really cheap.
Here's a few choices:
METALLIC:
HARDER THAN GLASS:
STREAK NAME
----------------- ------------------------
black Magnetite
greenish-black Pyrite (fools gold)
red-brown Hematite
SOFTER THAN GLASS:
gray-black (silvery black) Galena
These are not all but just a few that I remember. Also, I believe Galena had a greenish tint if I remember correctly.
Hope this helps 
Fatstrings
It certainly looks meteoric, but, that would need real scientists to make that determination. Still, that is heck of a find. I wouldn't mind having that in my outdoor rock collection/display.
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