Found this in a small sink hole

[TheTh3rd]

A small random sink hole started forming about a month ago, so I decided to take the metal detector around the perimeter where it caved in. A little under 2 feet deep of dirt was visible. This little guy was sticking out. Its very light and magnetic.

 

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[BurntBear]

Looks like an Iron ore; probably Magnetite.

 

[kingskid1611]

A Bullet?

 

[TheTh3rd]

Would it be magnetite in its natural form and if so is it of any value?

 

[BurntBear]

Yes, that would be it's natural form; if that's in fact what it is. It's a common occurrence, so unfortunately no real value for the most part. Where about do you live? You could be in an area that has other notable mineral deposits.

 

[BurntBear]

Of course, if that yellow attached to it is gold and not iron; that's another story.

 

[TheTh3rd]

SE Tenn near the tn/al line. There is alot of iron, hematite and coal. Ive read ab the formation of the sequatchie valley and im finding alot of odd rocks

 

[TheTh3rd]

Gold would be nice!

 

[Plumbata]

It looks like coal furnace clinker. That "random sinkhole" might be a mostly-filled cistern that compacted over time and left a void above, leading to the collapse and apparent sinkhole. Often cisterns were filled with ash, trash, bottles and clinkers when they stopped being used, which might explain what ya detected. Very similar to outhouse pit digging, cisterns can be great sources of antique bottles and jugs.

 

[huntsman53]

I was thinking that the piece in the first pics was slag from a smelter, coal fired furnace or steam engine. Coal is well know for having Iron and many other minerals and compositions mixed in and these often burn and melt down to slag.


Frank

 

[smokeythecat]

I agree with furnace klinker/slag, residue from casting iron. The melted look and light weight give it away.

 

[BurntBear]

If you have small digital scale, you can do a specific gravity or (S.G.) test and narrow the possibilities down considerably.

 

[Plumbata]

In the 1st image, in the light-colored depression one can clearly see 2 holes, which reflect the lightweight and porous nature of the stuff (I call it clinker, the semi-vitrified residue left from burned coal). The 2nd item looks more like what I'd call slag, or a rock that got "glazed" with slag. Hard to say from this end.

As a dump digger, I've shoveled many many tons of clinker, and wherever one finds layers of the stuff, often good antique bottles and other stuff tossed long ago can be found mixed with it.

 

[TheTh3rd]

Thanks for the info. Any idea how deep the old bottles will be? (If there are any) or does it vary

 

[TheTh3rd]

Sorry for all the pics, but would this also be iron ore?

 

[huntsman53]

That appears to be a Quartz rock that when it was still in a liquid/semi-liquid form, flowed into and cooled in a rock deposit that was heavy in Iron. It also appears to have been exposed to very high volcanic temperatures.


Frank

 

[TheTh3rd]

Amazing! Is that not odd though, being from SE Tenn