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I just noticed in the light some VERY small copper colored flecks in a couple spots on the inside. It mainly has the silver color, and I guess the most relevant word id use is flaky, but it is still very hard and does not flake easily. And the "flakes" are very compact and close together. I tried scraping some of the silver part off with a screwdriver but nothing comes off, its too hard for that.
If you have any uncoated ceramic, scratch it on the rock and see what color it is.
The outer part that looks like oxidation streaks dark grey/ black, but the inside silver part streaks silver, but is easily brushed off the ceramic to where theres no mark at all it looks like, whereas the outer part that streaks blackish grey it doesnt easily come off the uncoated ceramic.
Heres a pic that kinda shows the inside a little better- and i outlined the areas where i see the copper color
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76021178@N03/6829195720/
Well then, I have no idea. Hematite should streak red. Everything fits except THAT! I don't like being stumped..... :)
And heres the streak test pic for the silvery inside
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76021178@N03/6829248070/
Ya when you said hematite I looked it up and it pretty much fit the description except it said that it always streaks reddish brown, and this barely leaves a streak at all. I had to scrape it against the unprotected ceramic about 7 or 8 times to get it to leave as much as in the pic in the link above. like i said before the outside streaks dark grey/ black, but it is like a coating and the whole silvery inside streaks silver if at all. plus the weird little copper colored flecks i didnt notice before. its weird...
I put the one that I had broke in half under a UV Light (black light). The silvery metallic part glows purple and then there are some tiny specs in it that glow green. The outer coating does not glow
I have nothing to contribute other than to say some interesting stuff pops up on this forum!
I'm with erewen, I hope that when you find out you will come back and let us know.
Also get a hold of a rare earth magnet and check it again. Those magnets make a real difference with some material. Mike.
Very interesting definitely let us know.
streak silver part on ceramic, add 1 drop of Nitric Acid to portion of streak. If nitric acid dissolves the streak, then possibly silver...correct me if I am wrong guys and gals!
Yeah the only mineral that streaks silver...... is silver! I am completely boggled here.
If that is silver... those are some hugs chunks!
Ok, I have a new guess and I am willing to bet the world on this..... FERROCHROMANGANESE! Were there ever or are there now any steel mills near you? It is a by-product of steel mills! That is EXACTLY what it looks like...EXACTLY!
Edit: I WIN!
I was going to guess "it fell off a UFO". jk. Interesting find.
This reminds me of Joe Dirt when he found the giant "space rock". :)
Ya looking around the net it looks like it could be ferromagnanese. I wonder if an XRF gun would be able to tell me for sure? I wonder if the scrap yard would buy it lol
I cant find anywhere that says how heavy manganese/ ferromanganese is