Mystery hunk of metal

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Today I went exploring with my new Treasure Mobile. Two weeks ago I purchased a 2012 Polaris Ranger. This thing is AWSOME when it comes to getting me off the beaten path !

I have located a few cellar holes and have been hitting them a little bit, waiting for the fall frost to kill back the weeds. I have picked out a few buttons, one Indian Head Cent and a suspender clasp in my last two hunts. Today I hunted the old road leading up to these new sites. Right in the middle of the road I was getting a 42-44 on my Minelab. I was thinking Large cent or can slaw. I almost gave up...... 8-10 inches down I pulled up this hunk of metal. I am not really sure what it is. Fresh from the ground it seemed to have a green patina like copper would have. I have dug a hunk of copper before. This is not copper. My best guess is that it weighs close to 2 pounds. I really dont think that it is lead, although I am no expert. I usually melt my lead down into bars and give them to a buddy of mine who uses them on his race car. This hunk does not "feel" the same as lead when whacked with a hammer or when a file is run accross it. Much harder than lead.

I am open to any and all suggestions on what you may think it is. Could it be silver or am I hopeing too hard?

VPR

 

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[NOLA_Ken]

It looks like iron slag to me, but I could be wrong. is it magnetic?

 

[WildOutdoorAddict]

We find metal chunks around here that ring up high all the time...We think they are melted cans of some sort.

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

A magnet will not stick to this. My best guess is that it weighs 24-26 ounces. That is compared to my 20 oz Estwing hammer. I have no way to accurately weigh this right now. If this were a glob of melted can or aluminum I would think that it would weigh cosiderably less. It is heavy like lead but much harder.
What ever this is it is not "modern". Dug at 8-10 inches deep in an old road that is now an atv trail, atleat two miles in the woods, within 500 yards of two different colonial era cellar holes.
There seems to be some sort of green patina on parts of it, much like you might see on something copper that has been buried for a long time.

VPR

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

As I stated above, I usually melt my lead and pour it into ingots for a friend of mine. This being said, I have melted and poured about 40 pounds of lead in the last few years with a propane torch. it would only take 10 or 15 minutes to completely melt a chunk of lead this size and pour an ingot.

I tried to melt a small "finger" of metal sticking off the side of this chunk. After 20 minutes the "finger" was red hot but still solid. I have tried melting a silver coin with a propane torch with similar results. The coin will get red hot but the propane will not burn hot enough to melt the silver.
I will be taking this chunk to be tested in the next day or so.

VPR

 

[mrmackin]

Let us know what you find out!

 

[mickk]

I reckon it might be pewter, but I hope it is silver. The green oxidation should be a good clue to something. It looks like silver, but it may be tin.

maybe the clue is in where you found it. Not hard to get something that weight to go down that distance over time with foot horse, cart vehicle traffic. How old the area?

If I was to have one guess, a conglomerate of metals from an incinerator.

 

[olekyground]

Yes, I agree. Its iron. I find those quite often.

 

[nickmarch]

It looks like a meteorite to me.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&cp=9&gs_id=y&xhr=t&q=meteorite&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1440&bih=754&wrapid=tljp1346157769948016&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=zrw8UNKSJOa36gG5-YG4AQ

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

I don't think iron, that far / long in the ground would be rusty.

A simple specific gravity test will tell you, no scales, take it to the post office, they will weigh it for you. (in grams) next find out it's volume. Put it in a container fill with water, remove this item, calculate how much volume is now "missing" from the container. volume in cubic centimeters. A square container with straight sides makes math easier.

Divide weight (g) by volume (cc) and you have specific gravity.

SG for Silver is 10.49
Lead is 11.3
Etc. you can look those up here Solids and Metals - Specific Gravities

Done as accurately as you can this will tell you what you have.

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Today I drove to a local jewelery store to have this tested..... Closed Monday and Tuesday Check back tomorrow and I should have the answer as to if it is silver or not.
I was able to weigh it today, 28.35 oz. Boy do I hope this is silver !

VPR

 

[CladMagnet]

Looks kinda like what i found last week mine didnt have as much green but the grayish black looks the same and it checked 800 to 925 silver only 4 1/2 oz but i was glad to have it.... good luck

Today I drove to a local jewelery store to have this tested..... Closed Monday and Tuesday Check back tomorrow and I should have the answer as to if it is silver or not.
I was able to weigh it today, 28.35 oz. Boy do I hope this is silver !

VPR

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Looks kinda like what i found last week mine didnt have as much green but the grayish black looks the same and it checked 800 to 925 silver only 4 1/2 oz but i was glad to have it.... good luck

Your silver looks pretty sweet!! Do you think its coin silver or maybe some melted flatware, spoons, forks, etc? I would love to hear the story behind your "hunk" of silver.

VPR

P.S. I never get tired of typing the word SILVER

 

[ironman]

Well not to chafe the subject but I know what u mean about ur ranger I bought a rzr xp 900 about 3mnths ago lol. But nice find can't wait to hear what it is

 

[coinshooter]

That has the characteristic shape of a meteorite. In that case, I could be worth considerably more than silver and if it turns out to be a meteor, I would pound that area of the "fall" alot more.

 

[coinshooter]

Oops, I was referring to the hunk just above my reply.

 

[Tnmountains]

Hope it is silver or a meteorite !! I have a polaris 700 it takes me way back in the woods and you can carry the farm with you. Good luck!!!
HH
TnMtns

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Only one side looks "somewhat" meteorite like, AND he's already said non-magnetic that makes it 95% not a meteorite. Those two facts make it almost 100% not a meteorite.

 

[nickmarch]

Only one side looks "somewhat" meteorite like, AND he's already said non-magnetic that makes it 95% not a meteorite. Those two facts make it almost 100% not a meteorite.

If you have a rock that DOES attract a magnet, its probably not a meteorite because magnetite-rich Earth rocks are much more common than meteorites. Cut or break it open. If it has lots of metal flecks or veins like these ordinary chondrites, then it might be a meteorite (but industrial slags sometimes contain metal).

If you have a rock that IS NOT magnetic, it could be a meteorite, but the probability is exceedingly small because nonmagnetic Earth rocks are exceedingly more common than any kind of meteorite.

some meteorites are magnetic, some are not

Some Meteorite Realities

How To Identify A Meteorite

 

[oldsalty19]

that deep, it may be a meteorite.....