strange metal rock?

[pjroo33]

I have no idea what this is. I'm sure somebody out there can help....

 

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[bakergeol]

Well I checked there was indeed galena(with silver) production in your county.
It is clear that the mineral has a cubic crystal shape but the material to the right does not show any cubic cleavage(breakage into cubes).

Check the streak and hardness on the cubic crystal only. Considering the irregular nature of the material on the right of the specimen could this specimen have partially gone thru a furnace. Look for tiny bubbles on the irregular right side of the specimen. Galena will sound off on your detector.

Perhaps this is a specimen of argentiferous galena( the Ecton Mine had this) which has partially gone thru a furnace.

George

 

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[JHinPA]

I am surprised these folks never heard of "Lake Galena" near Chalfont, Pa. Just a few minutes from my place, the lake is man-made and now sits over a small village, where originally there was a lead mine (get it? Galena!) . It is common in this area of PA, but now it is underwater. - JHinPA

 

[cam9457]

JH is the the steeple still sticking up out the water over the town? I think we were concentrating more on the Ft. Washington area. Do you know about when the mine closed?

 

[oldplacesnofinds]

Hey Aaron,

Looks like Molybdenite to me. Let me know what you think.

 

[JHinPA]

CAM -
I have not been at the lake in years, but I regularly go to the site of the old amusement park in Chalfont / New Britain. I don't know when they closed the mine, but I think the lake appeared in the mid 1970's. Keep in mind that the train that ran to Chalfont and stopped near the mine is the same line that ran into Ambler & Fort Washington in Montgomery County (in the early part of the century). It is possible that someone found the rock near the mine and dropped it where PJROO33 found it.
BTW - I always thought it was odd that the county would flood an area to put a reservoir over an old lead mine. But the NPWA (North Penn Water Authority supposedly monitors the water for lead content.
- JHinPA

 

[cam9457]

Huh, JH the area where Aaron found this stuff is pretty close to where the Great Ambler train wreck of 1856 happened. Wonder if the south bound train was carrying this stuff?

 

[pjroo33]

Huh, JH the area where Aaron found this stuff is pretty close to where the Great Ambler train wreck of 1856 happened. Wonder if the south bound train was carrying this stuff?

That's an interesting thought. What would you say... Maybe 200 yards from the tracks?

 

[pjroo33]

Hey Aaron,

Looks like Molybdenite to me. Let me know what you think.

I looked it up... Some photo's look similar and some don't. I'll post some better quality pictures soon.

 

[cam9457]

Somewhere in that range yeah. I am wondering if the south bound was carrying any of this stuff? There was certainly enough energy from the crash to send that stuff onto the hill.

 

[Montana Jim]

Rock shop

 

[JHinPA]

Regarding that train wreck... I have read all I can about the rail line, but I never heard of it hauling freight of ore from the mine, although I wouldn't doubt it. Logically thinking, If that rock was a part of the entire car load of ore, wouldn't the ground be littered with it? As far as I know, Aaron only found one piece. I think it was in someones pocket and it was dropped or "dislodged violently" from their hand. One piece, that's all. And we are not certain that it is Galena at all. I have a box of "hot rocks" that I have found in the area over the years of detecting. I will have to look at them again with "Galena" in mind. Anyone know of any rock shops in the Montgomery county area? - JHinPA