What would the metal in this rock be ?

[Saturna]

I detected this on an ocean beach that is part gravel and part sand. It gave a loud, clean beep in all-metal. With TR disc. it nulls out (goes silent).
It is ever so slightly magnetic, but has no rust indicating iron. What would the metal in it be ?

 

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[Old Dog]

Magnatite with a slight infusion of hematite
The hematite will keep it from oxidizing.

 

[Saturna]

Yeah, that's it alright. I did some Googling on those and you got it. Interesting stuff.

 

[Arid-Zone-A-seeker]

could be nickle, hematite will leave a brown to red streak on unglazed porcelain. have someone cut it for you to see if it a meteorite. you found it in salt water?

 

[Saturna]

I wondered about Nickel but this rock is only barely magnetic and I would think any amount of Nickel should be more so.

It was found on a salt water beach that has a lot of gravel and different rock types, common here in the Pacific NW.

 

[Saturna]

any chance it is a meteorite?

The magnetite ID seems right. How do you know if a rock is actually a meteorite ?

I found this site below. Lodestone acts as a magnet, which this doesn't. Magnetite is attracted to a magnet. The only thing that isn't quite right is that a good magnet is only barely attracted to this. Just a very weak pull. Enough to feel it, but that's all.

http://geology.com/minerals/magnetite.shtml

It sure looks like the magnetite in the photo.


Jay

 

[Eu_citzen]

any chance it is a meteorite?

The magnetite ID seems right. How do you know if a rock is actually a meteorite ?

I found this site below. Lodestone acts as a magnet, which this doesn't. Magnetite is attracted to a magnet. The only thing that isn't quite right is that a good magnet is only barely attracted to this. Just a very weak pull. Enough to feel it, but that's all.

http://geology.com/minerals/magnetite.shtml

It sure looks like the magnetite in the photo.


Jay

Magnetite and Hematite are very similar.
But magnetite is strongly magnetic. Hematite is not magnetic but can host magnetite.
Hence a little bit of magnetite will make it magnetic.
Old Dog is correct.