What is it? Copper Nugget?

[DesertNuggets]

Hello,

I found this today while metal detecting in the moutains.

Its about an inch long. Its not magnetic. The TID was between 16 and 22 on my X-Terra 705.

I tested it for silver and it came up negative.

I sanded a little windows into it and the inside looks very silverly. Very metalic.

Thanks

 

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[aka da Prof]

sure looks like it. Years ago I found one in a 'Seneca Field' up here in N.Y.-kept it in my change pocket till it was rubbed clean!

 

[DesertNuggets]

Thanks for the reply!

Someone asked for more pics but their post is gone now...

 

[DesertNuggets]

If its copper why is its main color gray and not copper color? Really low grade copper?

 

[lostcauses]

Did you scratch, or cut; it to see what the color of the metal part is

 

[DesertNuggets]

Yeah its gray inside. Silver color.

 

[timekiller]

Only metals I know of that produces that type of corrosion is Aluminum & ungrounded zinc.Which both react purdy good in miractic acid if you have any.You could dip the tip of it in & if it starts boiling strongly then I'd be sure it was.That is if you aren't able to tell by the weight already.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[DesertNuggets]

Only metals I know of that produces that type of corrosion is Aluminum & ungrounded zinc.Which both react purdy good in miractic acid if you have any.You could dip the tip of it in & if it starts boiling strongly then I'd be sure it was.That is if you aren't able to tell by the weight already.
Take Care,
Pete,

You don't think its copper at all? I'm in a huge copper producing area. I was thinking the green on the rock was copper oxide.

The pic below is of copper found around here.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

My first impression would be some kind of corroded pot metal but Im just guessing. That would explain the silvery color when cut. Is it very light like aluminum?

 

[DesertNuggets]

I wouldn't call it light but it surely isn't heavy.

Weight: 1.70g
Length: 1"
Width: 1/4"

 

[mile-ender]

My first impression would be some kind of corroded pot metal but Im just guessing. That would explain the silvery color when cut. Is it very light like aluminum?

 

[Tuberale]

Looks like copper sulfate to me. I'd say copper based on your area.

Copper should not be "silvery" though. Copper should be closer in color to a fresh Zincoln.

 

[dirty digger dude]

could be a alloy of two metals.

 

[Tuberale]

Turquoise is a semi-precious gemstone containing lots of copper. Malachite is a similar stone, sometimes in the semi-precious range, which it typically green. It is an ore of copper as well.

This nugget appears to be a little of both. Until a window is filed into the interior, can't tell with certainty. Exterior could easily be weathered copper, especially if in the presence of salt or salatus, which seems to speed the oxidation reaction.

 

[lostcauses]

It could be silver ore of some kind. Have any mines around were it was found?

 

[slimjim1987]

Hate to burst your bubble, but what you have (in my honest opinion) is a piece of melted aluminum.


How do I know? I find a lot of these around campsites on the river. People throw their aluminum cans in the fire and they melt down into a piece that size. They are very exciting at first, but I tested the specific gravity of them and they all register at the specific gravity of aluminum.

That being said, I don't have the actual weight of yours in my hand. So it could be something else, but all of mine look exactly like that and have that same white corrosion/whatever that white stuff is on them.

If you have a digital scale at home, I can tell you how to check the specific gravity of it. Let me know.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Hate to burst your bubble, but what you have (in my honest opinion) is a piece of melted aluminum.

I agree. I seem to find these in Florida all the time but Im not sure if I saved any. Usually near the beach. It may be a melted can but I always thought they were melted and corroded window frame pieces or any odd broken aluminum or pot metal piece. It looks this way after being underground a long time. If you cut it, you will see silver color.

 

[CoolFrayers]

I used to live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a kid, there are a lot of copper mines all over the Houghton/Hancock area.
Anyway, we used to go down the air shafts of old copper mines and find treasures; not to mention risk our little necks. We would get anything from little pieces to football size chunks.
When we got back to our houses, we would slowly chip the rock away until the copper was fully exposed. My point is, if it was copper from my experiences, you would be able to chip away the outer layers and the copper will expose itself pretty as ever.
In my opinion, this is not copper... unsure what you have there...... sure looks like a fun thing to figure out though!

 

[DesertNuggets]

It could be silver ore of some kind. Have any mines around were it was found?

I tested it for silver on every side and it was negative.

Hate to burst your bubble, but what you have (in my honest opinion) is a piece of melted aluminum.


How do I know? I find a lot of these around campsites on the river. People throw their aluminum cans in the fire and they melt down into a piece that size. They are very exciting at first, but I tested the specific gravity of them and they all register at the specific gravity of aluminum.

That being said, I don't have the actual weight of yours in my hand. So it could be something else, but all of mine look exactly like that and have that same white corrosion/whatever that white stuff is on them.

If you have a digital scale at home, I can tell you how to check the specific gravity of it. Let me know.

Here is the results.

Out of water: 1.70g
In water: 0.69g

 

[DesertNuggets]

Math is my worst subject... I'm sure I did it wrong but I keep coming up with magnesium.