Is this raw amber?

[AmandaClare]

Hi, Found these rocks on the beach in UK. It is an area where they are doing under sea drilling work. They shine in the sunlight and under light. Under light and with a magnifying glass you can see inclusions inside - one definitely looks like a woodlouse or the like and another appears to have pincers? It's a scary looking thing. Other rocks definitely have bits in them as well, as under light you can see black things which are not seen on the surface but are deep inside. The rocks can be heated really easily just by rubbing and they give off a very what I would call medical type smell. They can be made very hot just in the hands. I did buy a uv light and they do fluoresce blue under it. Been driving me crazy looking through Google- thought I'd get the opinion of others about this. Thanks so much. Really appreciate your help.

 

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[Plug N Play]

Looks like flint.

 

[ARC]

Hot pin test.

BTW... these may be old Ambergris.

IF so...

You just found some $$$

 

[Plug N Play]

Flint is a cryptocrystalline (means you can't see the crystals) form of the mineral quartz. It is a variety of chert. It occurs as a line of knobbly masses in chalk and some limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually translucent, and can be various colours. A thin layer on the outside of the nodules is usually different in colour, typically white and rough in texture.

 

[AmandaClare]

Would flint contain lots of definite insects? I can definitely see lots of creatures with heads etc right through the rocks and stuff trapped inside? And a very strange smell when you rub it?

 

[Plug N Play]

Flints/cherts very often have fossils in them. They also have many inclusions that can be confused as such.
You've heard of the White Cliffs of Dover. Flint in chalk, on the coast of England.

Edit to add: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Once_a_Week_(magazine)/Series_1/Volume_5/What_is_flint?

 

[JamieD]

Got to agree with plug n play, it looks like flint except for possibly the piece in the 4th and 5th pictures. Fairly straightforward to tell the 2 apart though as amber will float in cold seawater/saturated salt solution and flint won’t. Process described here:

https://www.natural-baltic-amber.com/how-to-test-amber/

Won’t eliminate ambergris or plastic though if it floats...

Jamie

 

[ARC]

 

[Plug N Play]

"AARC ... How common would it be to wander a beach in UK and find a pocket full of random ambergris pebbles ?

Now, random pieces of flint :

 

[Fossils]

Your rocks are very likely flint. Context is everything, and as other users have pointed out here, flint deposits are very common in the UK. Amber, while not out of the question, is far less likely.

 

[ARC]

Agreed.

 

[Georgivs]

BE CAREFUL! What appears to be amber may in fact be white phosphorous, it's safe as long as it's wet but can burst in to flames upon drying! These are left over from incendiary munitions from the wars. I'm sure this isn't the case for your specimens but be aware!
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40839658