🔎 UNIDENTIFIED I found this in the Deserts of the Southwest United States with my Gold Detector.

[warbike39]

I found this buried up a Canyon in the Deserts of the U.S southwest. It was inside a 100 year old lard can that was sealed with a lid and wrapped in what appeared to be calico that turned to ash when I unwrapped it. The corner had already been sawn off when I found it and still shines brightly like it was recently cut. It weighs 85 ounces and you can see by the photo of it in my hand how big it is. It is not magnetic. It is not lead, tin, nickel, iron, slag, aluminum, galena and it is not a meteorite. Perhaps an old prospector hid it there and died before he could return or forgot where he had hidden it? Several very old mines in the area.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Looks like Basalt to me.

 

[releventchair]

Pele's tear. American version.
Quick , put it back!

 

[cyzak]

It almost looks like platinum, if it is you got a record piece of it.

 

[warbike39]

Looks like Basalt to me.

It's definitely not basalt.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Radioactive?

 

[ArfieBoy]

Is it heavy for its size?

 

[GoldieLocks]

https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/dispersed-volcanic-fields-are-found-through-western-us

Volcanic rock?

 

[CoinsAndThings]

If you have a scale you can check it's specific gravity. That will give you a ball park idea of what it might be

 

[gunslinger44]

You could use a water method to determine its exact volume, then take the exact weight and get an idea what element it likely is based on weight per volume.

 

[Timbermaster]

Very intriguing. PLEASE let us know what you find out about this!

 

[GeorgianSkye]

Looks similar to platinum occuring in 'arsenic sperrylite (PtAs2)' usually seen in copper–nickel mining. Or maybe just a type of furnace slag.

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

I found this buried up a Canyon in the Deserts of the U.S southwest. It was inside a 100 year old lard can that was sealed with a lid and wrapped in what appeared to be calico that turned to ash when I unwrapped it. The corner had already been sawn off when I found it and still shines brightly like it was recently cut. It weighs 85 ounces and you can see by the photo of it in my hand how big it is. It is not magnetic. It is not lead, tin, nickel, iron, slag, aluminum, galena and it is not a meteorite. Perhaps an old prospector hid it there and died before he could return or forgot where he had hidden it? Several very old mines in the area.

Nice find, Warbike.

XRF Analysis in Socorro. $30

Expect approximately two or three weeks for letter of analyses to be returned to you by mail. You might speed things up by calling Virgil first to inform him you are sending the samples in.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology - NM Tech.
801 Leroy Place Socorro, NM 87801
Attn: Virgil Lueth 505 835-5140

Mineral testing

Where to get your minerals tested

www.durangosilver.com

Have a Good'un 👍

 

[warbike39]

Is it heavy for its size?

Yes it's very heavy for its size.

 

[warbike39]

Nice find, Warbike.

XRF Analysis in Socorro. $30

Expect approximately two or three weeks for letter of analyses to be returned to you by mail. You might speed things up by calling Virgil first to inform him you are sending the samples in.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology - NM Tech.
801 Leroy Place Socorro, NM 87801
Attn: Virgil Lueth 505 835-5140

Mineral testing

Where to get your minerals tested

www.durangosilver.com

Have a Good'un 👍

Thanks very much for the info.

 

[CoinFetcher]

Nice find, Warbike.

XRF Analysis in Socorro. $30

Expect approximately two or three weeks for letter of analyses to be returned to you by mail. You might speed things up by calling Virgil first to inform him you are sending the samples in.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology - NM Tech.
801 Leroy Place Socorro, NM 87801
Attn: Virgil Lueth 505 835-5140

Mineral testing

Where to get your minerals tested

www.durangosilver.com

Have a Good'un 👍

This here is why we post in Tnet.

What wonderful advice .

 

[schreib69]

judging from the size and your weight of 85 oz I estimate the specific gravity at about 5 or 6. If you go here:

(Link deleted, can't post links to nonsupporting vendors.)

you will see some metals listed that have that range of SG. I note that gallium is one of these. Gallium melts at just a bit above ROOM temp. Suggestion: take a match to one corner of it and see what happens.
NOTE: If you look at the other metals around that specific gravity it would seem it is likely you have something pretty rare. Interesting.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Specific Gravity Chart for Gold and Metals​

Specific Gravity Chart​

Metal or Alloy​	Density​
Actinium​	10.070​
Admiralty Brass​	8.525​
Aluminum​	2.712​
Aluminum – melted​	2.560 – 2.640​
Aluminum – 1100​	2.720​
Aluminum – 6061​	2.720​
Aluminum – 7050​	2.800​
Aluminum – 7178​	2.830​
Aluminum bronze (3-10% Al)​	7.700 – 8.700​
Aluminum foil​	2.700 -2.750​
Antifriction metal​	9.130 -10.600​
Antimony​	6.690​
Babbitt​	7.272​
Barium​	3.594​
Beryllium​	1.840​
Beryllium copper​	8.100 – 8.250​
Bismuth​	9.750​
Brass – casting​	8.400 – 8.700​
Brass – rolled and drawn​	8.430 – 8.730​
Brass 60/40​	8.520​
Bronze – lead​	7.700 – 8.700​
Bronze – phosphorous​	8.780 – 8.920​
Bronze (8-14% Sn)​	7.400 – 8.900​
Brushed metal​	7.860​
Cadmium​	8.640​
Caesium​	1.873​
Calcium​	1.540​
Cast iron​	6.800 – 7.800​
Cerium​	6.770​
Chemical Lead​	11.340​
Chromium​	7.190​
Cobalt​	8.746​
Constantan​	8.920​
Columbium​	8.600​
Constantan​	8.880​
Copper​	8.940​
Cupronickel​	8.908 – 8.940​
Delta metal​	8.600​
Duralumin​	2.790​
Electrum​	8.400 – 8.900​
Eroded metal​	7.860​
Europium​	5.243​
Gallium​	5.907​
Germanium​	5.323​
Gold​	19.320​
Hafnium​	13.310​
Hatelloy​	9.245​
Indium​	7.310​
Inconel​	8.497​
Incoloy​	8.027​
Iridium​	22.650​
Iron​	7.850​
Lanthanum​	6.145​
Lead​	11.340​
Light alloy based on Al​	2.560 – 2.800​
Light alloy based on Mg​	1.760 – 1.870​
Lithium​	.534​
Magnesium​	1.738​
Manganese​	7.440​
Manganese Bronze​	8.359​
Manganin​	8.500​
Mercury​	13.593​
Molybdenum​	10.188​
Monel​	8.360 – 8.840​
Neodymium​	7.007​
Nichrome​	8.400​
Nickel​	8.908​
Nickel 20​	8.090​
Nickel 200​	8.890​
Nickel silver​	8.400 – 8.900​
Nickeline​	8.770​
Nimonic​	8.100​
Niobium​	8.570​
Osmium​	22.610​
Palladium​	12.160​
Phosphor bronze​	8.900​
Platinum​	21.400​
Plutonium​	19.816​
Red Brass​	8.746​
Silver​	10.490​
Sodium​	.971​
Solder 50/50 Pb Sn​	8.885​
Stainless Steel​	7.480 – 8.000​
Steel​	7.850​
Tin​	7.280​
Titanium​	4.500​
Tungsten​	19.600​
Uranium​	18.900​
Vanadium​	5.494​
White metal​	7.100​
Wrought Iron​	7.750​
Zinc​	7.135​
Zirconium​	6.570​
Yellow Brass​	8.470​

 

[warbike39]

I have not received a reply after several attempts to the New Mexico Bureau of geology for an XRF test. I did take it to 3 high end Jewelers and they all believe it is pure smelted silver. One pointed out that I has a flat surface on the top and the side is curved where it appears to have been sand cast. I had noticed this but wanted someone else to point it out. I am still looking for another source for an XRF.

 

[schreib69]

It is easy to measure the volume. Please do that and report.
Specific gravity = 85 oz/ volume. . . after converting to gm/cc.
Calculation: 85 oz x 28.3 gm/oz = 2400 gm; Volume(my guess) 15 cubic inches x 16.4 cc/cu in = 246 cc
Divide 2400 by 246 = approximately 10. Proving my estimate earlier wrong because I failed to convert my units! Sorry, new estimate is about 10 or so, which is close to silver, pointed out by your jeweler. That is likely it! Look for ways to get it smelted down to high purity and you have something worth some money. 85 oz x $22/oz = about $1900. Sell it and buy something nice!