Not Magnetic but dense and textured with different taper on each end

[billjustbill]

Here is "something". It weighs 19 oz. and dense for its size. It appears "round" but it is a bit longer than wide and has a front point and a back taper "point". When Finger and Thumb are on each end point, the object's center of gravity feels like it is balanced.... The sandy loam soil is still on it, but have no idea where it was found.... I found it in a "bundle buy" of a garage sale in Texas...

What is your opinion as what it might be? How should I clean it?

Thanks,
Bill

 

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[billjustbill]

More Pics

Here are a few more photos taken in the mid-morning sunlight. It measures 2-3/4" in length and 2-1/4" measured across at its widest its egg shape.

2nd pic shows "back end" center point.. 3rd pic shows "front end" point. When held with finger/thumb on these high points, slow spinning feels like this was the center of rotation like a gyro spun bullet from a barrel's rifling.

So many corners form its outside texture from what appears to be square crystal shapes.

Thanks for looking. Opinions of what earth mineral it might be or where to go next to test for meteorite possibilities are truly welcomed.

Bill

 

[Al D]

The apparent crystal structure kills any hope of it being a meteorite, but whatever it is, it is very cool, alien pod perhaps?

 

[3cylbill]

I haven't a clue but really like it.....

 

[ArfieBoy]

Is that rust among the nodules in the "sunshine" pictures, or is that just some of the soil? Thanks for posting.

 

[billjustbill]

I've use a stiff nylon brush and some "Lime Away" that can also remove drain rust stains on this. Then, another day I submerged it in a tight Ziploc baggie of "CLR" for about 15 minutes. Neither made much difference after rinsing with a lot of clean tap water. The rust color seems to come from sandy soil.

 

[Al D]

The crystal structure looks a bit like that of Hematite, need to test it on a streak plate

 

[billjustbill]

The crystal structure looks a bit like that of Hematite, need to test it on a streak plate

I found a leftover unused 4X4" ceramic tile with Made in USA on the unglazed reverse side. It left no marks. As I rubbed this thing against the tile, in two different areas of the raw side, all it did was cause the fired tile to turn to dust where it was rubbed.

What does that mean?

 

[DDancer]

It means its a very hard mineral. Its not hematite, hematite is fairly soft and would leave a rust colored streak. From what I can see its definitely crystalline and with that kind of hardness I'm going to guess it may be a garnet cluster. It is unusual thats for sure and pretty cool.