Newbie with questions. Beeping Rock!!

[kittnrose]

Hi All... I'm new to metal detecting, I have an Outlaw detector that I bought off Ebay. So far I've dug up a rusty shovel head and a bunch of spikes, all from the back field @ my parent's house (used to be a dairy farm)...Here I also found a large rock that sets off the detector. I thought detectors were supposed to ignore rocks. I set the discriminate and sensitivity according to the instructions, and this rock still sets it off.... It's sure not gold. Thanks for your time...M P.S. I'm in Northwest CT, Windham County

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[hollowpointred]

the rock probably has iron or some other metal in it. they are called hot rocks since they set your machine off. we have `em here too.

 

[warsawdaddy]

Don't know where you are located,and without pics,it's difficult to say.It could be as hollowpointred says,a hot rock or it could be a meteorite,just not enough info.

 

[Copperhead]

As a fellow connecticut-tonian, I can a attest to the fact that I have come across more than my fair share of "hot" rocks here. I don't know what their composition is..but most of the time they ring up on my Ace as a dime...I just chuck 'em and keep swinging....BTW....welcome to Tnet..

 

[Ammietuar]

on both my whites (mxt and classic 2) and my garrett GS, hot rocks seem to make a "BOING" sound or no sound then a hard loud and sudden beep when it has cleared the coil, rather than the solid "beep" youd get from any peice of metal under the coil.. hope that helps....

 

[ivan salis]

its the "metal" minerals in the rock---try turning down the sen knob a bit if your getting alot static from these rocks in the area this can help sometimes--if your machine is "adjustible" that is----Ivan

 

[Stacylee926]

I found the same thing about a week or 2 ago. My son was learning rocks and minerals in science (this is high school) so the timing was great. He took it to his teacher and the guy thought it was probably pumice. Mine was very light and felt rather porus.

I had no idea pumice has metal in it....

 

[ivan salis]

it basically old lava rock ---old molten lava thats bound to have (dissolved metals & ) minerals in it from deep within the earth----Ivan

 

[Ammietuar]

in new mexico, we have alot of alkaline salts that will give you false signals. ive had fossil bearing limestone and also some solid iron looking chunks of rock that will both set my detectors off. not too sure on it, but i believe that when you have wet alkaline salts inside a rock of any sort it will give you a beep, becasue the wet salts will conduct electricty. also when you have any igneous rock that has a substantial amount of a metal in it like the iron ones here, itll give ya a signal too. now im not a geologist, but what id do is put a magnet to it and if it sticks its probably one of 2 things... either an iron hot rock (very common) or a meteorite... youd need to look at some others to be sure but if its a meteorite congrats cause they are more valueable than gold....... if the magnet dont stick, id break it open and find out what is setting the detector off, maybe something shiny and metallic!... or just some grainy wet salts.... GL!!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Probably a chunk of good 'ol magnetite (aka "lodestone"). Detectors think it is the best stuff in the world. It's a variety of magnetic iron ore.

If it not only attracts a magnet, but is slightly (or highly) magnetic itself it is likely magnetite.

Here is some found in New York

 

[ivan salis]

sometimes a bolt of lightening hits a metal iron type deposit on the surface or very near it---the effect is a magnetically charged iron hunk or "rock" ---or lodestone as they were often called in the days of old---they were thought to be mystical items long ago--they could be used to assist in navation and were--Ivan