Meteorite? Unknown extremely strong shiny metal object found while Metal Detecting

[ChrisBug]

it weighs 368 grams and displaces about between 52 to 57 ml of water which gives it a density between 6.6 and 7.3, its only very, very, slightly magnetic only with a high powered rare earth magnet. This object did have a crust on it which i broke off which seems to be made up of sand and ash when crushed. I broke a small fragment off the crust of this object and broke it up and it was completely sand and ash. Please help with identification!! Its one of the strongest/hardest materials I've come across, like i said you can take a knife to the smoothest part and try to carve as hard as you can and you cannot make even the slightest scratch. Could it be an unknown type of metal from space? I will answer any questions, Please help Identify!!! Thanks you in advance!!!

 

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[here4themoney]

hmm it's interesting, thanks for sharing. It doesn't really look like a meteorite to me, but I certainly don't know every type. Looks like 2 different objects after the crust was removed, very interesting. Hopefully someone knows more info... What kind of metal detector? What did it come up as if your machine has target ID?

 

[Hitndahed]

Hrmmmm,,,

I have to agree with here4themoney on this one,,need more info.

Hit

 

[ChrisBug]

I found it about a quarter mile out in the ocean during low tide using a Bounty Hunter IV, It made the same sound it would make for Gold but it's obviously not gold. I'm dying to figure out what it is, no one seems to know. I tried to test it with an acid test and its so strong it actually scratches the testing stone instead of leaving a mark for testing... The crust is also extremely, slightly (sorry for my English) magnetic with an extremely high powered rare earth magnet. When using a normal magnet it had no magnetic properties. I'd be more than happy to answer any possible questions you can think of, thank you so much for your response! Hope to find out one day what this is. My theory is that it could potentially be a meteorite because it doesn't match any of the elements in the periodic table of elements that have the same density, hardness and magnetic properties, also only one side has holes or mini craters in it I assume are from an impact and the scratchy surface in my theory is from sand being on it while cooling down. Any other test that you would suggest? Thanks a bunch!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Lava? I believe that the vast majority of meteorites are highly magnetic, so I doubt if it's that.

 

[bigfoot1]

go to a pharmacy and get a nickle test kit(some people allergic to nickle)It sounds like elemental nickle and likely from space.A phone call to the local university geology department would be my next move.Some meteroites are very valuable,some not so much...good luck

 

[RW]

So the 2 photos at the top are the same specimen as the 3 photos below before you broke the crust off? And other than rub that crust off you have done no sanding or polishing?

 

[BIGSCOTT]

sounds like it's Iridium, if so that would be the largest piece ever found.

 

[trdking]

Send the photos to the link of the meteorite specialist that was sent to you in your other post. They are very willing to discuss meteorites with you. Please let us know what it is when you find out? I am very curious on this one.

 

[BIGSCOTT]

When a big asteroid hit earth many millions of years ago, down near what is now the yucatan penninsula Mexico, it sent a cloud all the way around the world that caused one of our ice ages.
the cloud settled and was rich in Iridium and left an Iridium belt this is how many archeologist date their finds, by how far above or below the iridium belt their finds are, it also caused a huge tsunami, this tsunami washed inland then retreated leaving Iridium rich sludge behind another very rich iridium belt, you can find maps showing close to where this belt is, here in Texas it is called the brazos k-2 boundry, ive dug this and panned it there is not enough iridium in it to make it worth while, but anywhere that construction is going to take place on grounds where this belt is they bring washplants out and go through it.

 

[here4themoney]

I have been researching iridium, it is a hard substance and it is weakly attracted to a magnet .. While I was doing that research I cam across platinum nuggets that look just like your object , but platinum is not that hard and not attracted to a magnet in it's pure form.. But take a look at some photos and it looks like it and iridium is in the Platinum class.

Lots of great info on iridium

Iridium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[worldtalker]

Did you take a side shot before decrusting? They look rather thin compared to the last three.


GOD Bless

Chris

 

[Rob in KS]

There is a meteorite section on down the page.

 

[ChrisBug]

After I broke off the crust I did sand it for a while to get it as shiny as it is, it was way more dark grey before sanding it. Also it has a hardness above 7 on the Mohs scale because it scratches a streak plate instead of leaving a streak ( streak plates have a hardness of 6.5 to 7). Thanks a bunch for the replies everyone!!!!! Hope to find out what this is!!!!

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

Really like your find would keep that one its nice ! Wouldn't matter to me what it was. Like how it looks now.

My Sovereign found an ore stone which weighed in at around 5 lbs. Reads out in the screw cap range. Geology teacher said valuable iron ore stone museum quality, in the caveman days one of these would be like a top notch weapon !

 

[BIGSCOTT]

Yes Iridium is very hard, and withstands heat better than all other metals, anything that is heavier than gold and not radioactive is considered part of the platinum group metals.

 

[Hitndahed]

sounds like it's Iridium, if so that would be the largest piece ever found.

=========================================================
Oh man,,,wouldn't that be awesome,,,
And I believe it would be very valuable too.

I am leaning to the poster above who thinks it may be meteoric nickel.

Hit

 

[Hitndahed]

I have been researching iridium, it is a hard substance and it is weakly attracted to a magnet .. While I was doing that research I cam across platinum nuggets that look just like your object , but platinum is not that hard and not attracted to a magnet in it's pure form.. But take a look at some photos and it looks like it and iridium is in the Platinum class.

Lots of great info on iridium

Iridium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

==================================================================
Correct me if I am wrong,,, but those 2 metals are in the same class,,,right?

Hit

 

[Broken knee]

After I broke off the crust I did sand it for a while to get it as shiny as it is, it was way more dark grey before sanding it. Also it has a hardness above 7 on the Mohs scale because it scratches a streak plate instead of leaving a streak ( streak plates have a hardness of 6.5 to 7). Thanks a bunch for the replies everyone!!!!! Hope to find out what this is!!!!

Here is a chart of abrasives and the hardness of them. What type of sand paper did you use? HH
BK

Material	Mohs' Hardness
Alumina (Synthetic aluminum oxide)	3.4
Aluminum oxide	9
Alundum (Fused brown Al[SUB]2[/SUB]0[SUB]3[/SUB])	9.0
Amalgam	4 - 5
Anatase	5.5 - 6
Apatite	5
Barium sulfate	3
Boron carbide	9 - 10
Burundum	9+
Calcite	3
Chalk (calcium carbonate)	3
Chrysoberyl	8.5
Copper slag	7
Corundum (Natural aluminum oxide)	9
Crystolon (SiC)	9.0
Cuttlebone	7
Dentin	3 - 4
Diamond	10
Diopside	5 - 6
Emery	7 - 9
Enamel	5
Enstatite	5.5
Feldspar	6
Fluorite	4
Furnace slag	7
Garnet	6.5 - 7.5
Glass Bead	5.5
Glass (lead free)	7
Gold	2.5 - 3
Gypsum	2
Hematite	5.5 - 6.5
Kyanite	4 - 7
Magnetite	5.5 - 6.5
Olivine	6.5
Orthoclase	6
Petalite	~ 6
Plastic media	3 - 4
Porcelain, feldspathic	6 - 7
Pyrite	6.5
Pumice	6
Quartz (Silica sand)	7
Serpentine	2 - 4
Silica sand	6 - 7
Silicon carbide	9 - 10
Sillimanite	6 - 7
Soda (Sodium bicarbonate)	2.5
Specular hematite	7 - 7.5
Spinel	~ 8
Spodumene	6 - 7
Staurolite	7.0 - 7.5
Steatite (Soapstone)	1 - 2.5
Steel grit	RC= 42 - 62
Steel shot	8 or RC= 42 - 50
Strontium titanate	5 - 6
Talc	1
Topaz	8
Titanium dioxide, Anatase	5.5
Titanium dioxide, Rutile	6.5
Tungsten carbide	9
YAG	~ 8 1/4
Zinc sulfide	3
Zirconia	8
Zirconium silicate (Zircon)	6.5 - 7.5

 

[coinman123]

It has the tell-tale signs of meteorite. Smooth glossy feeling from it catching fire when reaching the atmosphere. I typical color too. Send that out for testing!!! You may have a winner!