✅ SOLVED PLATINUM Or not?

[matthew8606]

Hey everyone. I recently found a few stones that look like ultramafic basalt. They have solid metal balls sticking out and when I cracked the stones open there were even more inside.. These stones have been exposed to all kinds of weather conditions for god knows how long and only a tiny bit of rust is visible.. They are slightly magnetic.. Could they be anything other than Platinum? I live in iowa by the way so this is rarely odd.. I would truly appreciate any help.

 

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[sutphin]

NEW MEMBER WELCOME BUT WHAT HAVE YOU THERE.

 

[matthew8606]

Hi. and thank you.. I broke open a stone and it has chunks of really hard metals inside.. What could it be?

 

[mcl]

Sorry typed up a long response which got deleted. You get the short, snappy version this time.

1) I've looked at Iowa mineral samples from across the state before. Usually platinum is so low that it can't be detected (believe the threshold was 1 part per billion).
2) Platinum is not magnetic. It should not be attracted to a magnet.
3) Platinum oxidation is a microscopically thin, transparent film. It is not visible to the naked eye. Therefore you should not see any "rust".
4) Platinum is very soft. Even when alloyed with other metals for durability, it is readily and easily scratched by light contact with silverware, doorknobs, and hand tools.

Furthermore:

5) Your "rocks" have both vesicles (cavities/voids created by expanding gases) as well as what appears to be solid pieces of actual metal (rather than mineral forms of metal which have crystalline structures).

Therefore:

Your "rocks" are almost certainly not true "rocks", but rather, "slag", which is a byproduct of metalworking processes such as smelting.

 

[matthew8606]

Thank you for your input but these are actual stones. I don't believe they actually came from iowa soil.. I also broke open another stone that I found, which is the lighter colored stone in the pictures shown about and it has the same white to grayish metals inside and they're not magnetic. I read that native platinum that is mixed with other alloys can be slightly magnetic. These are in fact stones, not slag from metal working, Pictures don't do justice. Thanks anyways.

 

[matthew8606]

I found these in a lot scattered with other forms of basalt. these are stones. and also look as if they were used for tools by the native Americans. I've found many stone stool artifacts and have some shaped just like these stones.. I know platinum isn't magnetic or what not but in all reality you never know.. Thanks everyone for your input. I will do further testing.

 

[mcl]

Thank you for your input but these are actual stones. I don't believe they actually came from iowa soil.. I also broke open another stone that I found, which is the lighter colored stone in the pictures shown about and it has the same white to grayish metals inside and they're not magnetic. I read that native platinum that is mixed with other alloys can be slightly magnetic. These are in fact stones, not slag from metal working, Pictures don't do justice. Thanks anyways.

Yes it is always possible that they came in through either humans or through glacial movement (which would make sense given they were found in Iowa). And you're right, pictures may not do it justice. I've been wrong plenty of times.

To aid in your search for the actual answer, when a vesicle is filled by another material, it is called an amygdaloid. So whatever your rock is, googling "amygdaloidal" + "name of rock" may assist you (e.g., "amygdaloidal basalt" gives many results". There are in fact rocks which, though not the same as yours, present in a similar form, e.g, "Cupriferous amygdaloidal basalt":



Remember, Iowa State University has a good geology program and they would probably be happy to take a look at it for you.

 

[matthew8606]

Thank you MCL for your feedback.. I truly appreciate it.. I'm not really sure if it's platinum or not but I've extracted many round and different shaped pieces of metal from these stones and also which looks to be either gold or copper wire as well.. a lot of the little round pieces of metal have a goldish to orange tint to them.., some lighter, some darker. but I guess my next step will be acid testing.. A lot of the pieces are magnetic but almost 99.9% of the material have no rust.. and also quite beautiful in a platinum patina way. whatever it is I'm sure I'll find out one way or another., Thanks again for your feedback. I truly do appreciate it.

 

[cerF]

Geologist here. That indeed looks like slag from a foundry. HH

 

[matthew8606]

thanks.. Totally looked like a stone.. lol and barely any rust.. So I was thinking how could something as iron not rust from being weathered for however long it's been outside. Still a mystery to me how it doesn't have any rust on it. But thank you. I guess I better further educate myself. ��

 

[matthew8606]

Mcl you were right buddy.. I was certain it wasn't slag.. lol but.. I will admit when I'm wrong., Thanks again.

 

[cerF]

Identification of slag can be difficult for the untrained eye. You stated that you thought it was basalt, an extrusive igneous rock. The vesicles (bubbles/void spaces) in vesicular basalt can be filled in naturally, typically with silica rich fluids. This is how agates are formed. Metals on the other hand, when deposited via hydrothermal means, typically exhibit some cool colors, and high alteration/oxidization of the surrounding rock.

Also, for your sample, the metal filling the 'vesicles' looks to have cooled very quickly as it shows no crystalline structure. The heat from the molten metal is sufficient to partially melt the siliceous minerals in the sandy foundry mold mixture and 'lithify' (solidify) the foundry sand when it cools off. The reason it isn't oxidized (rusted) is likely due to the fact that the metal is not iron, and if I had to guess, I would think it was aluminum. But, it could be platinum. Although, I don't think anyone in their right minds would haphazardly pour molten platinum in a sand mold foundry system! Haha

A quick Google search pulled up a website for some cool DIY foundry info -- Foundry Facts

HH

 

[matthew8606]

Thanks cerF. I completely agree with you. Definitely don't think they would do that with platinum. All in all I'm just glad I got this out of the way. Thanks for the knowledge.. It was definitely a helping hand.