ssams808 Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Hey everyone! Just found this forum and signed up, have always loved rocks, fossils etc. Anyhow, I went for a walk this morning at this beach in Maryland and found this. Its really cool, heavy and has this really cool black color with shiny blue! Not sure what in the world it is though lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Anytime I see something black and shiney, I think obsidian... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Soloman Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Probably coal, but could be an obsidianite (Apache Tear). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4meter Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 (edited) Heavy and from the shore or Maryland would rule out coal & obsidian. I think it is glass or slag, probably used as erosion protection. Check the hardness; coal has a hardness of 3, glass or slag ~ 5. Edited October 13, 2018 by 4meter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 This is not obsidian. The cortex surface is not turning to pearlite. It does not have the conchoidal fracture of obsidian or glass. This breaks along lines like coal. It almost looks layered or foliated in the last photo. There is a cortex on one side (photo #3) that looks like it was solidified by cooling. I am going to say this is some type of slag or man made stuff. If it is a natural mineral I would call it coal but I would say that very reluctantly (because of the cortex and weight). I would say it is some type of slag or flux from a metallurgical process. Maybe a bronze foundry. I saw a pile of stuff pretty close to that in Santa Fe behind a foundry that was casting big bronze sculptures. It was rainbow patina and not quite black. I thought it was a mineral until I realized they were busting it off the backs of the cast bronze pieces. Is it magnetic? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 (edited) 21 hours ago, Terry Soloman said: Probably coal, but could be an obsidianite (Apache Tear). I had never heard of "obsidianite" Terry. I have always called an Apache tear a "merkanite". I was going to tell you what a goof ball you were. Then I Googled it. Old dogs learning new tricks I guess. Never heard of an Apache tear being called an obsidianite. And to think a guy in New York taught me a mineral name! I never woulda thunk it. I would swear it wasn't true if someone said it happened. So we gotta keep this just between you and me OK? Edited October 14, 2018 by Bedrock Bob "OBSIDIANITE" What kind of goofy yankee talk is that, huh? 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Soloman Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 You know you are getting old when it is more difficult to admit that you are wrong than it is to take your bad leg off and beat someone with it. I think I am almost to that milestone in my life. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul R W Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, Bedrock Bob said: You know you are getting old when it is more difficult to admit that you are wrong than it is to take your bad leg off and beat someone with it. I think I am almost to that milestone in my life. We are all humbled by your humility, Bob. I'm wondering what color the streak? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 1 minute ago, Saul R W said: We are all humbled by your humility, Bob. I'm wondering what color the streak? Probably brown when they realize I am taking off this leg. Or did you mean the specimen? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul R W Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Bedrock Bob said: Probably brown when they realize I am taking off this leg. Or did you mean the specimen? Geez, I'm having trouble coming up with a family friendly retort for that one, and it ain't often that I'm stumped. I meant the specimen. It reminds me a little of a black hematite, which I think is found in Maryland. So, if the streak is red (the specimen's, not yours), it could be hematite. Then again, I could be way off. Edited October 14, 2018 by Saul R W You shall be known henceforth as Brown Streak Bob. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 9 minutes ago, Saul R W said: Geez, I'm having trouble coming up with a family friendly retort for that one, and it ain't often that I'm stumped. I meant the specimen. It reminds me a little of a black hematite, which I think is found in Maryland. So, if the streak is red (the specimen's, not yours), it could be hematite. Then again, I could be way off. Yeah, hematite or magnetite could be blued and heavy like that. Might even fracture like that huh? It would explain the weight. Both could respond to a magnet too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul R W Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Bedrock Bob said: Yeah, hematite or magnetite could be blued and heavy like that. That's what I was thinking. So, Ssams88, if your find streaks red or reddish brown, possibly hematite; if black, possibly magnetite. And Bob, leave all the colorful streaks alone. Edited October 14, 2018 by Saul R W I wonder if Au and the other mods ever feel like they're babysitting a bunch of pre-teens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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