Strange find today, need help.

[deerhuntinghippie]

Well, I've been digging an old home site that is literally within walking distance of my house and today I found something strange.
I saw what looked to be a piece of iron laying on top of the ground and I walked over to get it to carry to the truck for scrap and when I knelt down to pick it up the thing wouldn't budge. After about 45 minutes of digging I finally got it out of the ground. The thing looks like an old steel drum that you'd see folks using for burning trash in back in the day, however, there didn't appear to be any openings and it has been somewhat flattened. It's also green in places as if it were copper, which in my mind would be highly unlikely. When I ran the Garrett over it I received only high tones ranging from pull tabs to quarters...
I don't know what to make of it. Could this be a something other than iron? Would iron green like this?
Anyways, I'm going to go back and get it tomorrow if the weather will allow me to and I'll take some pictures.

 

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[huntsman53]

If it is an old steel drum and if it has spots of green on it, that doesn't sound good! The drum may contain some very corrosive or even toxic chemical(s) and handling it, could be very dangerous. You may want to contact the nearest Fire Department and have someone come and look at the drum. If they deem that it may contain hazardous materials, then they will likely call a Hazmat Team to dispose of drum and the chemicals.


Frank

 

[d2]

May be part of a whiskey stilld2

 

[ARC]

Hmmm
No holes ? and heavy... ?
Then go with Franks theory ... heh

Barrels make me nervous... could be anything from toxic waste... to a body...
Could be just an old barrel.

 

[ivan salis]

ever see "dawn of the dead"? -=-- folks do dump barrels of toxic chems in the woods ..

 

[kingskid1611]

It was probably full of gold coins before the pirates emptied it and then dumped it.

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

Thanks for the replies folks. I will take some pictures of this thing before touching it anymore to be safe. I can't call our Department of Natural Resources office nor the fire department because this is my morel mushroom honey hole. Can't have folks marching around and stepping on my babies!

 

[diggummup]

Looking forward to those pics. As suggested by d2 and the fact that your in Ga., a piece from an old still isn't out of the question.

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

I'll throw up some pictures of the mystery items and some morels :-)

 

[Ant]

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

View attachment 1149418

I know, I know...
I will get them up asap. I was most curious about whether iron would/could green as copper and brass will do.

 

[huntsman53]

I know, I know...
I will get them up asap. I was most curious about whether iron would/could green as copper and brass will do.

If the drum was made for storage of a liquid, solid or semi-solid substance, then it is made out of Steel. It could possibly be made of Iron only if it has some mechanical type use as in sometime type of industrial or construction equipment. The fact that you stated that it appears to be an old drum like the one's used for burning trash, indicates that it is or is similar to a 55 gallon Steel drum. If it is a Steel drum, then there is not much in the environment that would make parts of the drum turn green other than Moss or some other type of Lichen. Therefore, I believe that the drum is leaking some type of chemical which is either green or reacting to the Steel or something on the drum and is causing the green spots. If the Department of Natural Resources, Fire Department or other agency deems that the drum contains toxic chemicals, then do not harvest any Morels anywhere near it or downstream (downhill) from it as the Morels could be contaminated from the toxic chemicals in the drum.


Frank

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

Holy cow huntsman53 thanks for looking out! I never really gave it too much worry considering how old it seems to be. I figured that if there had been hazardous material in it that it all would be gone by now. I say that because I know I stated above that there was no openings but let me clarify. I was referring to intended openings, as in how the thing was made. When this thing was flattened it was damaged and there are places cracked open. This has me worried still...
I'm going to go take pictures on my lunch break and will have them posted soon.

 

[Ant]

It could be for septic, brown water, irrigation, rain water collection, animal water, feed, dip,
molasses (etc), compost... Charades anyone?

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

Sorry these pictures aren't better in quality.

 

[ARC]

Woah... it has been mashed... hmmm
Welp I do not think the "seal" is still good on that one !

Um... IF it did have something of "lameness" in it.... it has spilled out by now... and has contaminated everything including your hands.
If I were you wash your hands AGAIN.
Heh...
Welp... I am lost on this one...
Prolly just old fire barrel with some left over green paint on it...
BUT...
One never knows.
Thoughts guys ?

 

[tamrock]

morel's yum. wish I could finds those around here ...

 

[d2]

Looks like just an old green barrel. I thought it being green may have meant it was copper and was for cooking mash in and was part of a still...d2

 

[deerhuntinghippie]

Thanks for the replies.
I tried to determine if the green is paint but I couldn't tell. I didn't want to touch it. As bad as I hate to, I guess I'll just leave it in there...