Metal Slag or meteorite?

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	Metal Slag or meteorite? « on: July 13, 2010, 08:13:46 AM »

Hi All,
I dug this up in a field a few days back. It is magnetic, heavy and very hard. I tried to scratch it with a nail and it only looks like the nail transfered to the chunk of "stuff". Any way of telling if this is some steel slag or a meteorite? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jim

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #1 on: July 13, 2010, 12:45:42 PM »

Hi,
One test you can try is to drag it across something like an unglazed tile.
It should leave a grey-ish or white "streak" if it's a meteorite.
If it leaves a red-ish streak it's more likely iron slag.
Also, if it's a meteorite you should be able to whack it with a hammer all day long without doing any damage.
If it shatters, again, iron slag.

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #2 on: August 08, 2010, 10:02:27 PM »

Hi, The photos are small, but it looks like foundry slag from an industrial operation. The "flatness" of it is indicative of how slag forms of the floor of steel mills near crucibles/melting pots. However, it does "look" similar to a meteorite. One way to check is use an off-the-shelf Nickel Allergy test. Meteorites contain very high concentrations of nickel-iron. Higher than any other Earth rock. Though the allergy tests are a 50/50 test, it might help determine whether or not it's worth pursuing further. Hope this helps.

Eric

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Eric Wichman
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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #3 on: August 08, 2010, 11:12:55 PM »

Hi Eric and welcome. 'off the shelf nickel allergy test' Where are those shelves - where would I find the test? Sue

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #4 on: August 08, 2010, 11:41:06 PM »

I've used this test:

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http://www.amazon.com/AllerTest-Ni-Nickel-Detection-Kit/dp/B0000Y3ICI

with moderately good results. Though when I say it's 50/50, that's what I mean. It's not entirely reliable.

The "Tile Streak Test" is a myth. It doesn't work. Especially on older meteorites. Think about it. An old stone meteorite has iron in it, it rusts and oxidizes. More so even with an iron meteorite. The outer surface of stone meteorites gets covered in desert varnish, this and iron oxide (rust) will leave a streak on tile.

The only "official" way to have a meteorite identified is to have it tested by a lab, or looked at by an expert. Some labs will identify it for free, but classifying them will cost you some money.

That's not to say that meteorite hunters and collectors can't identify meteorites. They can, and are very capable. Many experienced professionals can tell you whether your rock is a meteorite.

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Eric Wichman
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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #5 on: August 09, 2010, 07:29:53 AM »

Hi Eric,
I want to thank you and the others for the info. I will try to find a kit and see what happens. It was found in a field that is a mile or so from a rather large old stone foundation. I have done more searching and research on the location and found there are mines in the area where I believe lead and zinc ore were mined in the early 1800's. I don't know if iron was also pulled from the area. I have not been able to ID the use of the stone foundation since there is very little documentation on the mines here. It is at the bottom of the mountain along an old railroad bed. I figure it was either for loading ore on trains or crushing ore. There was a smelting operation several miles south of the foundation along with several other mines. I hope to get out soon and check several small foundations I came across while looking around the area. Maybe there will be some relics that will give clues to what was being done there. Perhaps this chunk of "stuff" fell off a workers wagon that was headed across the field on his way home or a shipment of iron headed to some mill somewhere. If so, I am pretty happy having a piece of slag from the early mining history of this area.

I have also found what appears to be some pieces of ingots right on top of the ground( I have not run my detector over them yet) that were not far from the smelting operation I found. More treasures for my "local" collection.
Thanks again, Jim

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #6 on: August 09, 2010, 11:45:36 AM »

Hi Jim,

No worries... If it's not a meteorite, then it's what we in the meteorite world lovingly call a "meteorwrong". Wink

It's a good thing really. Some people actually collect meteorwrongs, and there have been many that looked a lot like meteorites. Some experts have even been fooled. I liken this to a mis-stamped coin, or something similar. It's still worth something, to the collector. Nice find either way!

Good luck out there! Hope you find lots of meteorites. And coins, and relics, and memorabilia, and treasure! Wink

Eric

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #7 on: August 10, 2010, 10:53:26 AM »

Thanks for the test link. I suppose even stone meteorites have a little nickel? Sue

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #8 on: August 10, 2010, 11:01:22 AM »

Here is some stuff you can do!

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http://meteorite-identification.com/streak.html

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	Re: Metal Slag or meteorite? « Reply #9 on: August 10, 2010, 12:15:05 PM »

That's an informative site, homefire. Cool
T.Y. Sue

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