Hot Rock

[ipsilateral]

Although I sort of hate it when other people post these kinds of finds, I truly have not ever seen one like this. Very heavy rock here with unusual patterns that registers on the detector. Anyone have an idea what this is? Found in rural CT. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

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[High Plains Digger]

Anything around that creates slag? Not a strong possibility, but something to think about, and semi obvious. Perhaps it is a piece of hematite. Maybe a little strange in it's physical atributes. Here is a test to do: Use a streak plate and tell us what color the streak plate is. No streak plate? Not to worry, use the back side (unglazed) of a bath tile. Show us the results and that will be a hint.

And what is wrong with a rock occasionally thrown in here and there? Makes things interesting just by being different.

 

[Dig-m-Deep]

Hematite

 

[ipsilateral]

It is definitely ferrous in part, though it does not stick to a magnet strongly if at all. Some rusting, so there must be Fe in there somewhere. The fractured bubble has a really interesting starburst pattern, though not sure if that comes through in the photo. Some areas of a near iredescence. Thanks for your thoughts. I don't have any suitable materials to perform a streak test unfortunately.

 

[ipsilateral]

Hematite

Hope you are right about that! Some hematite samples seem to have a bit of value..

 

[High Plains Digger]

I have a polished hematite stone that had a flaw in it that actually rusted.

Bath tile--Home Depot, under a buck. Knowing what it is, priceless.

Hematite is fairly heavy. Something else to consider is psilomine. Spelling might not be right. It also is very heavy but you may have to look up the streak color. I don't know if that or hematite occurs in rural CT or not.

Hematite has a strong following here. WIsh there was a way to be absolutely sure.

 

[High Plains Digger]

At least you didn't go for "meteorite". Anything black and heavy gets the meteorite tag. Or perhaps CW artifact. We had that discussion.

 

[ipsilateral]

The area was known for iron mining, so perhaps this is a mine tailing of some kind. I will try to locate a tile.

 

[High Plains Digger]

Then it may be hematite or some other form of iron ore. Supposedly hematite is one of the primary iron ores, but lots of others, too. The rainbow sheen you mention may be significant. Hematite is also botroidal, but the samples I have seen look more like kidneys than the knobbies you have, but that doesn't mean a thing.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Could be slag from a blacksmiths furnace, which would explain the ferrous content, but it definitely looks like a cinder to me

 

[High Plains Digger]

Don't know what cinder looks like--are you talking coal cinder? And does cinder rust?

 

[Tuberale]

The rounded bumps are striking, and remind me strongly of hematite. That's what I'd identify it as. Should also be strongly magnetic. Hematite is sometimes used as a semi-precious stone, although I personally have not seen much of it myself. Not much iron in Oregon.

Please test with a magnet and let us know the results. If the rock is VERY magnetic, it is probably hematite.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

yeah was thinking coal cinder, or furnace slag.

 

[High Plains Digger]

I am not real familiar with raw hematite, either. Love the finished stuff. Cabochon is normal, but I love faceted hematite.