could this be copper?

[piddler]

I need a little help! I found what seems to be a large vein of rock/mineral on top of the mountain where I live that doesn't appear anywhere else around the area. No one seems to know what it is.
It is a dull silvery color on the outside, and is a dull, dark red on the inside. The streak color is red to brown and the hardness is 2.5-3.0. It is very heavy but I don't have any scales to weigh it or to get specific gravity.
Below are a few pictures of it. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Thanks,
Piddler

 

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[Eu_citzen]

I don't think it's copper, I'm thinking a iron mineral (iron oxide?)
Look if it's magnetic.
Look up Tenacity and Fracture if you know how.
Definition:
http://www.webmineral.com/help/Fracture.shtml

 

[allen_idaho]

No, that is definately not copper.

 

[kybob]

It is possible it could have Silver in it. Silver ore that has been exposed to air will usually turn dark. and if it is heavy I would have it checked out.
I would crush a fist size piece as fine as possible, and send to Reed lab. to be checked out. Have them run Test Code S3 which covers all the common metals plus Gold and Silver. The cost is $45. per sample. They will tell you what percent of each metal is in your sample. Here is a link to their web site. http://home.nethere.net/rely/ kybob

 

[Eu_citzen]

It is possible it could have Silver in it. Silver ore that has been exposed to air will usually turn dark. and if it is heavy I would have it checked out.
I would crush a fist size piece as fine as possible, and send to Reed lab. to be checked out. Have them run Test Code S3 which covers all the common metals plus Gold and Silver. The cost is $45. per sample. They will tell you what percent of each metal is in your sample. Here is a link to their web site. http://home.nethere.net/rely/ kybob

It is possible, but I don't think so hence it has a red color which at least here in my are is connected to iron minerals.

 

[kybob]

I agree the red is probably Iron ore. It is the Black areas I wonder about,if the rock is heavy. The only way you will know for sure what is in it, is the have a lab. test done. The test I stated in last post S3, will cover 60 Elements. I have sent samples to Reed Lab. before. They do an extra good job. kybob

 

[Eu_citzen]

I agree the red is probably Iron ore. It is the Black areas I wonder about,if the rock is heavy. The only way you will know for sure what is in it, is the have a lab. test done. The test I stated in last post S3, will cover 60 Elements. I have sent samples to Reed Lab. before. They do an extra good job. kybob

Ilmenite? I'd guess, or it can have 'higher concentration' (higher %) of something.
Black and red are both connected to iron minerals here.

 

[piddler]

Thanks for all the information. I have been stumbling over these rocks for years and not knowing what they are and really not caring until I started to notice that my place here is the only place I can find them. I have had a bulldozer in here and they have pushed them up the size of small cars. They are everywhere on top of this mountain.
Thanks again for the info. I'm definately going to send a sample off to get checked out.
piddler

 

[Jonnybobrich]

is elemental copper worth a lot or something??

 

[Eu_citzen]

is elemental copper worth a lot or something??

Sorry never heard of elemental copper. What is it?

 

[allen_idaho]

wouldn't that be copper in it's natural state? Found in the elements. Unrefined and unprocessed.

 

[Eu_citzen]

wouldn't that be copper in it's natural state? Found in the elements. Unrefined and unprocessed.

Nope that is native copper.

 

[Jonnybobrich]

the two mean the same thing....

 

[TRHunter]

If you can break off a nice clean piece and it gives a shinny red streak then it might be copper or Cu a native element. Copper does come mixed with iron oxide. Try to break it with a pen knife and see if it bends, copper is also very malleable. It normally forms in volcanic basalts so that might be what the rock is. Hope it proves to be an ore for you I am still hunting my land for the big ore outcropping. I am a couple of miles from what was a huge gold mine.

 

[Eu_citzen]

the two mean the same thing....

http://mineral.galleries.com/scripts/item.exe?LIST+Minerals+Elements+Copper
This might give you an idea.

 

[cosmic]

Copper nugget found while dredging glacial gravels...
Ray