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Unidentified Metal- please help

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    Unidentified Metal- please help

    Hello, I have been looking this up and cant figure out if its Magnesium, Silver, Aluminum, or something else (I know the chance that its silver is highly unlikely). I found these "rocks" in my orchard. The first thing I noticed when I went to move them was that they are extremely dense and about 5-6 times heavier than a regular rock of the same size. One piece is about 10"x12"x12" and weighs 52 lb. There is a small pile of these and they add up to about 200 lb, and there's only about 7 to 8 pieces.
    But they look the same shape and color as typical grey/ black Oregon rocks, only slightly darker. A couple of them have formations on them that slightly resembles a meteorite type appearance or like volcano rock but without the holes on the side.
    One of them had some shiny metallic like surface showing where a piece had chipped off. I knocked a couple together and saw that it was basically some sort of oxidation over the metal. It does not come off easily at all- You have to use something like a grinder to be really effective. When they knock together it sounds like iron hitting iron, but they're not magnetic at all.
    They have the shiny pure metallic silver color through them entirely, not bits and pieces. And on the outside they are coated with oxidation and look like rocks. So they are chunks of something.
    THEY ARE NOT MAGNETIC, so hey cant be iron. They spark when you repeatedly strike with a hammer. But I broke some small crumb like pieces off to try to light as magnesium would and it wouldn't. I also tried the Magnesium "Vinegar" test using white vinegar on a couple of the pieces where the metal was exposed and nothing happened.
    So I don't know what this is. If anyone has any idea that could help it would be greatly appreciated, thank you!



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    i think you're likely going to hear, "photos, plz"

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    Non magnetic or a magnet will not stick to it? Mike.
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    Ive uploaded some pics, links below. The camera didnt really pic up how shiny the insides are, and how dark the outer part is. But its basically as I stated above- they look like rocks on the outside and are shiny on the inside.

    Here are links to pics I uploaded:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/76021178@N03/6974982745/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/76021178@N03/6974982079/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/76021178@N03/6974981613/

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    In the pics, the middle smaller rock has that different looking surface that looks like youd see in a volcano rock type thing

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    The magnet will not stick to it. I have a strong magnet here and it had no reaction at all. I havent tried a rare earth magnet though.

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    wow man, that is pretty wild, haven't seen anything like that either

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    Does anyone know a type of place where I could take a piece to get it tested for what it is?

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    you might should try a rock hound site, or maybe a university geology dept

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    You might be able to bring it to the yard and have them shoot it with the XRF gun. If they have one. That's pretty insane. Going to see if i can do some research on it right now.

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    ... looks kind of like specular hematite, but that usually sticks to a magnet...

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    Theirs a show on TV about those space rocks. Dudes go around and find them space rocks with a magnet. That's what i thought you had, but then ya said they dont stick. So hmm.

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    Thats what I thought it was at first too, but it doesnt stick to a magnet and when i hit 2 pieces together i sounds like how cast iron sounds when you hit it, but the magnet sticks to iron.

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    Ya I'll probably do that.

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    To me they look very suspect of Argentiferous galena. Galena is a lead sulfide which makes it a very dense and heavy rock. This may also show why there is no magnet attraction as well. Here is a picture for reference. I am from Illinois and have seen quite a bit of this material. The edges of the Illinois Basin hold vast quantities of this type of material. This rock is the core mineral in lead mining, but also tends to have quantities of silver and zinc as well.

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    Hematite is only very weakly magnetic. Scientifically speaking it "is" magnetic, but to the rest of us, we would not consider it to be. We do get most of our iron ore from hematite, but in the process of making it into steel and other forms it then becomes very strongly magnetic. That is most probably hematite and if there is a chance that there is more, see if you own the mineral rights to your property and see if you could lease them.... you'd make good money that way.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Escrap View Post
    To me they look very suspect of Argentiferous galena. Galena is a lead sulfide which makes it a very dense and heavy rock. This may also show why there is no magnet attraction as well. Here is a picture for reference. I am from Illinois and have seen quite a bit of this material. The edges of the Illinois Basin hold vast quantities of this type of material. This rock is the core mineral in lead mining, but also tends to have quantities of silver and zinc as well.

    The pictures provided lack the "flaky" look of that mineral. I still say it's hematite.

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    writer2783 started this thread.
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    That looks similiar, but Galena is 2.5 to 2.75 on the Mohs Hardness scale and this is atleast a 4.5 to 5. I cant scratch it with a knife blade unless I use alot of force or hit it with it, then it will leave a scratch. And there are no crystal structures on any of the "rocks" Ive found. I now all specimens of Galena probly wont have the crystal structure, but I have 7 to 8 good size pieces and they all look pretty much the same.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hypoman View Post
    The pictures provided lack the "flaky" look of that mineral. I still say it's hematite.
    This mineral does not always look like this. Sometimes it does have a less flaky look with that being said I agree that it could also be hematite. Hematite is not often magnetic, but this gets easily confused with Magnetite which is always magnetic. Hypo after further review I agree with you and am 95% positive that it is hematite as well.

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