Found by the river today !

Tarponhuntr

Jr. Member
Feb 24, 2013
80
29
Western , NC
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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Found today in loose river sand about a foot down. The smaller one was found on the surface about 30 ft from the larger.

I have no idea what either of them are , but I do know they are non-ferrous as they have no magnetic properties.

Please feel free to give me ideas or let me know if you have something similar.


Thanks


T
 

Upvote 0
Its a melted Lead-Alloy mix.
 

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Its a melted Lead-Alloy mix.

Do these occur frequently in nature? I have seen other formations similar to this near volcanic areas , but I have never seen "volcanic looking" lead. My wife and I were just mentioning that this item has a "ring" to it when tapped with another metal object , as opposed to the "thud" that you typically hear when tapping commercial lead together.

UPDATED: Added outline to define the layer of sandstone.
 

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Do these occur frequently in nature? I have seen other formations similar to this near volcanic areas , but I have never seen "volcanic looking" lead. My wife and I were just mentioning that this item has a "ring" to it when tapped with another metal object , as opposed to the "thud" that you typically hear when tapping commercial lead together.

Its not natural.
 

Its not natural.

Sorry to disagree , but this piece is definitely naturally occuring. The imbedded sandstone , and iron along with the imbedded calcifications all point to natural.
 

Did you try to do a Specific Gravity test on one of them? That may give you more of an idea. When I first saw the pictures I was thinking some sort of aluminum or lead slag (I see LOTS of it in one of the spots I've been hunting) that is sometimes bound with rock and sandy encrustations, but after looking closer, they do seem natural from what I can see in the pictures. What did they sound like or what was the number reading on the detector you were using?
 

Did you try to do a Specific Gravity test on one of them? That may give you more of an idea. When I first saw the pictures I was thinking some sort of aluminum or lead slag (I see LOTS of it in one of the spots I've been hunting) that is sometimes bound with rock and sandy encrustations, but after looking closer, they do seem natural from what I can see in the pictures. What did they sound like or what was the number reading on the detector you were using?

My Fisher F2 screamed out high like silver , and was showing "00+" on the screen. When struck with other metals , the object has a definite ring to it , and opposed to the dull sound that lead gives.
 

Cool post, I would like to know what it turns out to be. Congrats!
 

Its not natural.
I totally agree Looks like foundry slag which has been dumped on natural ground while still very hot. Its was not uncommon to dump waste off this nature into waterways before eco laws.

tinpan
 

I have alot of melted aluminium and it looks very simular to what you have. it can be fused with rocks or other metals fairly easy. Just my opinion.
 

Nice try Tarponhuntr, but, sorry, your burned up hunk of melted aluminum crap is, after all, just a horrible burned up glob of crappy melted aluminum crap. And stuff. Keep trying, treasure will soon be found, but probably not along any river, which are notorious for being littered with such dreadful things.
 

Was there a lead foundry anywhere near the river?

Looks a lot like water cooled slag to me.
 

I have alot of melted aluminium and it looks very simular to what you have. it can be fused with rocks or other metals fairly easy. Just my opinion.

Now I took a longer look at it, Aluminium seems more likely.
 

Not really thinking treasure here. I tend to favor Occums Razor. But the aluminum just doesnt make sense given where it was found. The only thing near this area during recorded history was an old dam , that formed a private swimming hole in the 1860's. Everything else in the area was either agriculture or undeveloped woodlands. In fact , this area has only been developed in the last 40 years.

But there are other naturally occurring metals other than the "shiney's" that we all so covet. SO Im really thinking it's geological , but I just want to know "what". Don't think the specific gravity will put it in the silver range anyway. Anyway , the mystery continues.....for now anyway.
 

Or, if it is man made, it could have washed downstream sometime in the past and ended up where you found them....
 

Believe we have an answer folks , and Occum's Razor strikes again ! Never any activity of any commercial type on the river anytime in recorded history...... Except ! Back in middle 70's our city had a dredge barge up there that they used to pump for all of their sand needs. Turns out that the barge caught fire and burned , on the very sand spit where this was found ! You see where this is going ? SO what I have is 90% certain to be an amalgum of melted steel and aluminum that came from around the diesel fuel area of the barge. Hence the reason for the symetrical layer of sand embedded along with the iron oxide ! LOL ! Actually got this info from a friend of my mothers that was there when the barge burned , and he was able to tell me where I was when I found it as soon as I showed it to him ! So , it's an interesting answer ; just not as interesting as I would have liked it to be !
 

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