Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 I have this rock that I found when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Found it in the street. It is about an inch in diameter. It is black but is full of geometric shapes of something that is gold or brass colored. Any ideas ? Thanks in advance ! Horace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 (edited) Is it magnetic, or will attract a magnet? Feel heavy for it's size? Edited February 4 by Doc Shapiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Guess - look up Magnetite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perro Del Diablo Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 That looks like my brain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Iron pyrite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Maybe a meterorite? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 44 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said: Maybe a meterorite? Quite possible. Thousands of them hit earth every day. Most are tiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Fingers, SASS#56813 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Coprolite happens 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Per my oldest daughter, who has a degree in Geology and has been fascinated by rocks her entire life: "[She] would need to have it in person, but an Iron rich meteorite is absolutely possible. The brassy flecks are likely iron pyrite--they'll be kind of cubic. A decent jeweler's loupe will help see the flecks better." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 14 minutes ago, Long Fingers, SASS#56813 said: Coprolite happens I have one of those around somewhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 As for meteorites, analysis of Antarctic ice indicates that 5200 metric tons of meteorites fall on Earth annually. Another estimate is 40,000 metric tons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 It's not magnetic. I don't need a jewelers loupe to see the cubic or faceted gold colored whatever in it. The whole rock has these geometric shapes in it. Horace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheatin Charlie Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Petrified dog turd? 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 1 hour ago, Cheatin Charlie said: Petrified dog turd? If it is, that dog had some problems. I'm thinking it may be some type of pyrite. Horace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Gray, #36839 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 What is it's "heft"? That is, how does it's weight compare to a similar sized known stone and also compared to a piece of iron? Can you make a scratch mark on it with a knife blade? Can you make a scratch mark on it with a penny? Rub it on a piece of unglazed porcelain (medium sandpaper is a poor substitute). What color is the residue scraped off? Does it have an odor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Average weight of a rock that size. Knife blade doesn't seem to scratch it. Horace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Gray, #36839 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 (edited) Will your stone scratch steel? Will it scratch window glass? It is difficult to see the colored geometric shapes included in the stone. Can you pick at one with a needle or dental pick to determine if it has a metallic look? Use a magnifying glass. Do they look like embedded crystals? I think I see small clear to milky grains on the surface. If so, are they blob shaped or angular like crystals? There also seems to be white, flakey areas in places on the surface. Do those look to be small surface fracture flaking similar to what might be seen on edges of broken glass? Any results from the porcelain smear? I reread your answers. Yes, you describe the metallic inclusions as angular like crystals. Edited February 5 by Zeb Gray, #36839 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 2 hours ago, Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 said: If it is, that dog had some problems. I'm thinking it may be some type of pyrite. Horace Will it attract a magnet? I think I asked that earlier. Wondering about the iron content. Still thinking it might be a meteorite. Sounds like it's not magnetite, but if it has a high iron content, it could be that it came from space. But really can't tell without having it in hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Definitely not magnetic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 17 hours ago, Perro Del Diablo said: That looks like my brain. 'Bout the same size, is it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Probably not this, but I've seen burnt coal along train tracks that look similar. However, without the pyrite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perro Del Diablo Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 1 hour ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: 'Bout the same size, is it? Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Devil Dale Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 (edited) Do you have a nearby university or local rock collecting club? Either will have folks who can do needed density and other testing. Also, what general geological area was it found in? Volcanic? Granitic? etc. And don't rule out Krypton. (DO your shooting scores improve or diminish with the rock in your pocket?) Edited February 5 by Dusty Devil Dale 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 it be leaverite leave it right there CB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 2 hours ago, Dusty Devil Dale said: Do you have a nearby university or local rock collecting club? Either will have folks who can do needed density and other testing. Also, what general geological area was it found in? Volcanic? Granitic? etc. And don't rule out Krypton. (DO your shooting scores improve or diminish with the rock in your pocket?) Shooting scores don't improve but it does tingle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Hmmmm Maybe Joe Dirt has your answer.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.