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Unusual Metallic Rock, Identification Input Would Be Great


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This piece was found in a load of locally quarried limestone. It weighs 195 grams. A basic water displacement test gives approximately 11.5 g per cubic centimeter. It exhibits clear magnetic and strong paramagnetic qualities. It also has stony material in/on it. Any input would be appreciated.

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Could you give more information?  Where did you find it (nothing as specific as lat&long, but if in US, what state, and what part of the state)?  What kind of cleanup did you perform?  The lower two photos make me think it isn't in its natural state.

 

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I really appreciate the questions, my location is east central Iowa within a couple of miles of the Mississippi River. This has been sitting untouched in a box for 20 years, it was only rinsed with water prior to being squirreled away.As far as a clean surface, it is clean unless you mean using a cleaner , i have not cleaned it. i have not done a streak test. As far as it not being in its natural state, it does have an appearance as such, but under a glass, it is one strange rock especially considering the circumstances under which it was found, despite not witnessing its unearthing personally, to where it was eventually found .

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1 hour ago, uknowhooiyam said:

...strong paramagnetic qualities...

Another question:  did you mean ferromagnetic?

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(From the Wikipedia article I linked above:)  Ferromagnetism is the basic mechanism by which certain materials (such as iron) form permanent magnets, or are attracted to magnets. In physics, several different types of magnetism are distinguished. Ferromagnetism (along with the similar effect ferrimagnetism) is the strongest type and is responsible for the common phenomenon of magnetism in magnets encountered in everyday life.[1]Substances respond weakly to magnetic fields with three other types of magnetismparamagnetism, diamagnetism, and antiferromagnetismbut the forces are usually so weak that they can be detected only by sensitive instruments in a laboratory.  (emphasis mine)

The easiest way (although not foolproof) to determine if an object is ferromagnetic is to see if it is attracted to a magnet.

My first guess (and that's all it is) is that what you have found is a piece of tooling that broke off or separated from the mining equipment being used in the quarry.  Those of us who metal detect near mines (looking for gold) are constantly hassled by pieces of broken tools, from such items as sledge hammers, picks, chisels, and even dozer blades.  That's what led to my guess.  Obviously there are other possibilities.

 

 

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55 minutes ago, uknowhooiyam said:

As far as a clean surface, it is clean unless you mean using a cleaner , i have not cleaned it. i have not done a streak test. As far as it not being in its natural state

In rock land a clean surface means a fresh broken surface which for me usually mean breaking it in half. I'm not suggesting that, but old worn discolored surfaces are misleading, and that is half the issue here. Do you think this something that would break, or is it a metal that would flatten and bend?

As for not natural I mean man made, not a naturally occurring object.

Again, not suggesting you do it but as a person who has been prospecting for 50 years if I found that I'd be smacking it hard with a hammer. I'd want to see if it is a malleable metal and if not, what it looks like inside. I see nothing to indicate is has value as a specimen in an untouched state. But that's just my opinion and I have been known to be wrong. :smile:

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8 hours ago, uknowhooiyam said:

my location is east central Iowa within a couple of miles of the Mississippi River.

I think you are talking about the Davenport area and the quarry has been known for fossil finds and some gold deposits from the glaciers.

It has been a while since I have heard about any finds since the mid 1970's but I think a closer look in in store for that item.

Does Continental ring a bell with you?

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Thank you for the input from all.....as far as this being a part of a broken tool, just looking at it and its form, it is hard to imagine that as the source, but not knowing what it is, its possible.

 

i laughed after the mention of the hammer treatment, it has been considered as well as considering prying it apart . it does appear to be soft enough to be easily scratched at least in certain areas.for me , if it is quite malleable, im limited still as to its makeup . It does appear to be in a molten state to form as it has. of the handful of people  the handled it and took time to look, have mentioned it looks like a natural phenomenon. perhaps its the lack of experience of myself and those having handled it. 

Im not too far from Davenport, the only thing about Centennial that rings a bell is the park.

i do appreciate the input. if i want to know just what its content, i suppose a mass  spectrometer test would do that.

 

 

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