Could it possibly be???

[Dougie Webb]

OK, I know it's really unlikely that this is a meteorite, as only 23 have ever been confirmed in Georgia, and none in Dekalb County where I live, but I've been poking around doing a ton of research, and am stumped. I have a similar post going in "What is it?" but when I wrote that one I was thinking it was between magnetite and hematite.

ANYWAY...found this about three inches deep. The detector hits it mostly as iron, but occasionally, it pings a few numbers around 40, which on my Garrett is near nickel. It's very dense, and is strongly attracted to a magnet. And, here's the thing, I know it looks like hematite, but this rock leaves a GRAY streak. Also, as you can see from the picture below, when I filed the end of it off, it revealed a shiny inside.

Any help's much appreciated!



Side view of the shiny "interior" as best I could with the iPhone.

 

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[Red-Coat]

Magnetite streaks black or grey.

A meteorite will at most give you a weak, dirty streak or nothing at all.

 

[Dougie Webb]

Magnetite streaks black or grey.

A meteorite will at most give you a weak, dirty streak or nothing at all.

So you're thinking more likely to be magnetite? I actually did find a few pics of some magnetite that resembled this stone. I assumed it was always dark gray/black.....

 

[Red-Coat]

So you're thinking more likely to be magnetite? I actually did find a few pics of some magnetite that resembled this stone. I assumed it was always dark gray/black.....

That would be my view. Magnetite is black through to various shades of grey with a metallic lustre. The exact appearance is going to be dependent on its purity with respect to secondary minerals. crystal habit (granular through to massive), plus (externally at least) the degree of weathering and tarnishing. This is massive (non-granular) magnetite out of a tumbler to remove tarnish (apart from the remaining rust in the crevices where the tumbling didn't reach).

 

[Dougie Webb]

Wow, Red Coat, thanks! Makes sense - can't assume that it's "pure" and devoid of other minerals. For instance, the one above appears to have flecks of mica on it.

I put another that I found along with this in the tumbler for a couple of days and this was the result...

 

[Dougie Webb]

Gonna mark this solved - thanks!