Mystery Rock

[Skywola]

I realize I may not get a perfect answer on this one, short of getting this analysed, but it is quite odd, so I thought I would post it. This rock, (the two pieces fit together) which I found up in the Bradshaw Mountains near Mill Creek, makes the metal detector go absolutely bananas. It is also attractred to a magnet. The rock itself is not magnetic. It seems to be quite heavy as compared to other rocks its size. If it were iron, it would be rusty. I hope it's not radioactive!

 

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[IronSpike]

Cool rock Is the orange rust or dirt? Maybe natural ore specimen?

 

[Monty]

Appears to be sedimentary with all the layers. Probably has something metalic sandwiched in there. I'd love to take a lapidary saw and cut it in two just to see! Monty

 

[IronSpike]

Appears to be sedimentary with all the layers. Probably has something metalic sandwiched in there. I'd love to take a lapidary saw and cut it in two just to see! Monty

Sorry can't do. It looks like a pet rock already

 

[Skywola]

The "orange" you see, in appearence, is more like a dull yellow-brown color, I guess there was a little to much light in the photo. The mineral information site (http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photonickl.html) says "Nickel, iron and cobalt are the only three elements known to be ferro-magnetic. Of the three, nickel is the least magnetic." This must be some type of alloy, but I see no rust, so it is not iron, iron would rust.

Regarding the metal detector, (Ace 250) what it does is jumps up and down the scale, unable to identify it as one specific metal, sounding off on all different types, it is quite chaotic!

Here are some additional photos taken in natural light, I think the color appears correctly.

 

[Ant]

I say you have a common sandstone, but it could be a type of fieldspar.

HH

 

[traderoftreasures]

sedimentary shale

 

[Silver Searcher]

sedimentary shale

Yep....

surprised there's no fossils

SS

 

[johnnyi]

Just guessing here, but I know that metal detectors respond to the carbon rods from old batteries. Is it possible that the same type of carbon might exist in sedimentary rocks. I found a site which seems to suggest something maybe this occurrence on rare occasions. I don't have a clue what it all means (if anything!) http://www.springerlink.com/content/l56t8r80h7774035/

 

[ron_c]

Krptonite!!

 

[traderoftreasures]

i do see a carbon layer or two

 

[Woodland Detectors]

 

[Skywola]

Obviously sedimentary, no question about that at all.

Shale:
Mineralogically, most shales are made up of clay minerals, silt-sized quartz and feldspar grains, carbonate cements, accessory minerals such as pyrite and apatite, and amorphous material such as volcanic glass, iron and aluminum oxides, silica, and organic matter. The most common clay minerals in shales are smectite, illite, kaolinite, and chlorite. The type of clay particles deposited is dependent on the mineralogy, climate, and tectonics of the source area. See also Clay minerals; Chlorite; Illite; Kaolinite.

Problem with the carbon theory is, it's strongly attracted to a magnet. Carbon is not.

Ferro-magnetic metals are nickel, iron and cobalt exclusively (at least for strong attraction) as I understand it. I don't think iron, or it would be very rusty.

 

[johnnyi]

Skywola, I forgot it clings to a magnet. Is it possible then that a layer could also possibly be magnetic? (does it affect a compass needle/) Magnetite does exist in sedimentary rock. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetite

 

[Skywola]

I tested to see if it was magnetic, it is not, I have a magnet and I have a guitar slide that my magnet will pick up, but the rock demonstrates no attraction whatsoever. However, the rock does influence a compass!

Bluing (steel) is a process in which steel is partially protected against rust by a layer of magnetite. I think we may have it . . . . the photo on the link you provided looks similar to the rock. An ASU geology professor might be intersted in this rock . . . sound like they can get a lot of info based on the magnet field.

 

[Ramitt]

It is surely a treasure marker left by the Knights of the Fried Chicken leading to where they hid the Colonels secret recipe. Why the hell did youmove it, I have been searchng for 20 some years and now may never find it.

 

[Skywola]

Just think of all the chickens lives I've saved!


I think that this mystery rock is no longer a mystery, thanks to all the folks
who contributed!

It's a lodestone . . . . not quite the lode I had in mind, but what the heck. I wonder how rare lodestones are.