nubierocker
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2010
Posts: 14
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Post by nubierocker on Jan 5, 2010 20:07:13 GMT -5
My hubby is nearly as bad as me at picking up rocks. Yesterday he came in with this lumpy bumpy grey and brown rock. Ugly thing. Seemed very heavy. I soaked it since I thought it was covered with mud bud after several hours nothing could be scrubbed off. I had him take a few wacks with a hammer but first he sat it on his work table and found it stuck to a magnet. It broke in lots of little pieces and the pieces have tiny holes inside all of them and all of them are magnetic. What on earth is this thing. We live very near the Ohio river but this doesn't look like any of the stuff we ever find by the river. Any help would sure be appreciated before I dump part of it in the tumbler. Vicci
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raider30
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2009
Posts: 18
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Post by raider30 on Jan 5, 2010 20:17:57 GMT -5
Being extremely new to rocks and rock hounding the description sounds like meteorite. Magnetic, lumpy, full of holes/pits. Though I don't know what would happen to a meteorite if you smacked it with a hammer.... Then again it is almost 100% sure that I am totally off base! (no seriously, I really don't have any idea what I'm talking about)  - Raider30 |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 5, 2010 21:35:14 GMT -5
Not a meteor expert but I'd think a metal one would be fairly tough and hammer resistant. I'm thinking maybe you hubby found some old foundry slag or maybe botryoidal hematite if it's a natural stone....Mel
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jan 5, 2010 23:07:23 GMT -5
I'm not a meteorite guru either, but here are some facts gleaned from a bit of research: If there is quartz (a clear or milky white crystal) it is not a meteorite. Quartz has never been found in any meteorite. If there is an easily visible crystal structure it might not be a meteorite. This is not conclusive because some of the rarer meteorites do have some crystal structure. However, most ordinary meteorites do not unless viewed under a microscope. If the rock has many small holes in its interior it is probably not a meteorite. Small holes are almost never found in the interior of meteorites. The one or two that do have them are extremely rare. If the rock feels light it is not a meteorite. Stony meteorites generally have a density around 3.5 grams per cm3 and normal earth crustal rock is around 2.7 grams per cm3. In other words stony meteorites are about 30% heavier for the same size rock. The opposite is not true however. A rock that is denser than normal does not have to be a meteorite. There are many examples of dense terrestrial rocks. If the exterior has sharp pointed features (except on obviously broken surfaces) it is not a meteorite. As meteorites come through the atmosphere any sharp points are melted away. As a result meteorites have smooth surfaces, although they may have depressions, called regmaglypts, that look like thumbprints pushed into clay.  Rusted magnetite. Magnetite is one of the most common meteorWRONGS. Notice the rough surface texture.  Coal fired locomotive clinker. Notice the numerous small holes. (Above info copied from www.star-bits.com/ID.htm ) Hope this might help id your rock as one or the other - meteorite or earthling-rock. Tom |
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Post by Toad on Jan 6, 2010 8:13:49 GMT -5
Do you have pics?
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nubierocker
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2010
Posts: 14
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Post by nubierocker on Jan 7, 2010 20:04:12 GMT -5
Tom, It looks pretty much like the top pic. About the same size too(before the hammer thing) I took pictures. I'm reading the how to post pics post but am quite the computer dummy. I'll get my kids to help me get them posted. Thanks everyone for your help. I so love this board. Vicci
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Gem'n I
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2008
Posts: 980
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Post by Gem'n I on Jan 9, 2010 10:19:32 GMT -5
Vicci,
Looks like slag and judging from your description/location it fits. Much of it is used as dumping material for the steel/iron foundries and who know where else it can be found...Larry
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carloscinco
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2008
Posts: 1,639
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Post by carloscinco on Jan 9, 2010 19:00:15 GMT -5
Looks very much like slag to me too.
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