Is it common for slag to contain non-chondrules like this?

[Derk]

These are magnified images of some slag I found that contains scores of these perfectly round chondrule look-alikes, all of varying sizes and makeup. Being that they are in slag, they can't be chondrules, but I would like to see if anyone here is familiar with, or has seen, other specimens with similar inclusions?



Anyone know what could cause these?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[Red-Coat]

Yes, spherules like that are a common constituent of slags.

Randy Korotev of the Washington University in St Louis Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has this to say (picture also by Korotev):

After iron oxide concretions and nodules, the most common type of meteorwrong that we encounter is industrial slag. Slag usually refers to a glassy by-product of smelting ores to retrieve the metal. I use the term here to also include any man-made, rock-like by-product of heating things to high temperature. Thus, clinkers are a form of slag.
Two other common characteristics of most slags are that they are glassy (vitreous) and contain vesicles (gas bubbles). Many slags also contain metal from inefficient separation of metal from ore during smelting and, thus, they will attract a magnet.





In “A comparative study of some metallic spherules” [Parker & Reid 1965] the authors reported:

We looked at a number of slags in order to search for spherules for comparison with spherules of meteoritic origin. If material with a high iron content is heated in a reducing environment, the iron commonly segregates from the melt to form a separate metallic phase. In slags a separate metallic phase, in the form of spherules, is common.

 

[Derk]

All of these are from a piece of slag and are not chondrules:


Much "Thanks!" to Red-Coat for all the information that you shared in answer to my question. A great explanation!