weird type of brittle metal, and rail road spike and a bracket?

[hooziz2005]

this is the second time I have found this type of metal and it usually is brittle and in the soil around the object looking like a white flaky mess, this one looked like the top of a metal bottle or funnel. any idea what it is?

also found this rail road spike or what I think is a rail road spike, it is very heavy and is 10 inches long 3/4 inches wide and square in shape .

Lastly is a bracket about 10 feet from this spike. any idea if they go together Im new to Hunting and could use the help identifying these things

 

[duggap]

Kind of hard to be positive without holding it in my hands, but it looks like pot metal. I have dug it and it does appear to be brittle. Maybe someone else will have a different view.

 

[Rmeav8r]

Looks like pot metal. Maybe plumbing related.....