Odd rock my son found. Meteorite? Metal?

Squirrel322

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Jul 4, 2016
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While walking the dog today my son pick this rock up. It’s very heavy and sticks to a magnet, maybe a chunk of tumbled iron? It was found in a residential alleyway. We both think it looks like a meteor but we are not experts and I think it unlikely. Anyway we can determine? Opinions welcome!

4C886DD1-C480-45A8-96E8-3E62E7CE1FD6.jpeg
83AC268B-6008-48CD-9554-73B99F6923CA.jpeg
D1E92E20-4C11-4948-A18D-6E2DDE833BE1.jpeg

*****Sorry wrong section, mods please move*****
 

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Tom_Restorer

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Oct 5, 2009
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It looks like limonite. We find them here a lot.

Limonite has an other surface structure.

Easiest way is to grind a small area down to a flat iron surface and put hydrochloric acid on it.

If it gets this pattern widmanstaetten-figuren-251q.jpg it is definitely a meteorite!
 

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galenrog

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Feb 19, 2006
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When I did lapidary, before the arthritis, I also cut and polished suspected meteorites for others. Polish to at least 10,000 grit made the widmanstatten pattern jump when the dilute nitric acid was applied.

Please note that limonite, like many iron ores, can, in some cases, have a crystalline pattern when surfaces are polished and dilute nitric acid applied, so having a number of images showing said patterns for a variety of ores and minerals is advised.

Time for more coffee.
 

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