🔎 UNIDENTIFIED This rock was found several years ago in WV. The family kept because of its funny shape front and back. It’s heavy. Any clues?

[JAWhite]

 

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[detectorcowboy]

Is it magnetic?

 

[desmobob]

Is it magnetic?

I was wondering the same thing. Meteorite?

 

[JAWhite]

Is it magnetic?

I put a small magnet on it and it seems to slightly repel.

 

[Red-Coat]

I was wondering the same thing. Meteorite?

I put a small magnet on it and it seems to slightly repel.

Curious looking rock, and I don't know what it is, but there are no features in your pictures which are characteristic of meteorites.

There is only one mineral which is diamagnetic (repels magentic fields)... bismuth. Also rocks containing the mineral, and there are deposits of those in West Virginia (notably Carroll and Grayson counties).

Magnetite can also repel a magnet in some circumstances. When it has formed with a particular crystal alignment the crystals may behave like bar magnets with a north and south pole (as in lodestones and some concretionary masses). Usually, if that's the case, moving a magnet slowly around the specimen will give you a very slight 'kick' as the field changes from repulsion to attraction.

 

[JAWhite]

Curious looking rock, and I don't know what it is, but there are no features in your pictures which are characteristic of meteorites.

There is only one mineral which is diamagnetic (repels magentic fields)... bismuth. Also rocks containing the mineral, and there are deposits of those in West Virginia (notably Carroll and Grayson counties).

Magnetite can also repel a magnet in some circumstances. When it has formed with a particular crystal alignment the crystals may behave like bar magnets with a north and south pole (as in lodestones and some concretionary masses). Usually, if that's the case, moving a magnet slowly around the specimen will give you a very slight 'kick' as the field changes from repulsion to attraction.

Thanks so much for reply. The magnet test was very so slight. The rock is so odd. I thought with the funny groves it maybe some type of Indian artifact. Where we found it there were some signs of indian artifact. Pottery flint and some broken arrowheads. Interesting. Do you know of any rock shows in or around the east coast?

 

[Red-Coat]

Thanks so much for reply. The magnet test was very so slight. The rock is so odd. I thought with the funny groves it maybe some type of Indian artifact. Where we found it there were some signs of indian artifact. Pottery flint and some broken arrowheads. Interesting. Do you know of any rock shows in or around the east coast?

You're welcome. It's not an artefact. The patterns will likely have their origins in the way the rock formed, coupled with some differential erosion. Can't help on rock shows I'm afraid. I live in the UK.