Cheshirecat 20 Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 HI everyone. I hail form Newfoundland Canada where I do a lot of beach combing and picking up all sorts. I love rocks. I posted about something I found without introducing myself. I have another post with questions so here goes. I find a lot of this "coal clinker" on the beaches. I assume it is what it is. Does anyone have other ideas? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheshirecat 20 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share Posted July 13, 2019 Not sure what happened, sorry for duplicates.. I tried deleting them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,872 Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 Bienvenidos Gatito! That is slag from an arc furnace. They use the waste products of smelting to stabilize beaches, build railroad beds, and as an additive in non structural concrete to name just a few uses for the stuff. It is all over the place. It is a by product of a refractory process. The term "slag" is a slang word that is used for all refractory waste but I think that "slag" is actually more about metal refining and metal working. "Cinders" or "clinker" might be a more appropriate term given some other refractory process. But whatever the process it is silica foam from a furnace of some sort. It some ol' stuff from the coke oven ba. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheshirecat 20 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share Posted July 13, 2019 Hi Bob! Some 'ol stuff is right! I was calling it slag until I looked into it. Would it be the same stuff thrown off steam ships when cleaning the boilers? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,872 Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 15 minutes ago, Cheshirecat said: Hi Bob! Some 'ol stuff is right! I was calling it slag until I looked into it. Would it be the same stuff thrown off steam ships when cleaning the boilers? It very well could be. I am not familiar with the waste from a coal fired boiler but the clinker left over in the firebox would look a lot like that I suppose. You would have a lot more experience with maritime engineering than I would. The closest water to New Mexico is the Sea of Cortez and all the boats in that body of water are powered by tequila and gasoline. The only artifacts left on the beach are sunburned gringos and dead fish. I would think you folks have some big coal fired boilers to power boats and a few more to generate electricity. Either one of those industries would probably produce a lot of material like this. Of course a smelter, ceramic kiln, forge, etc. would create very similar by product. They do a bunch of casting, metalwork and welding around those big ships. Lots of bronze work. IMHO it looks like silica slag from a metalworking operation. But that is just a wild guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cheshirecat 20 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share Posted July 13, 2019 Too funny. Maybe longliners and speedboats could create this sludge? I really don't know. I lived on the mainland for many years then in St. John's. I have only been livin' around da' bay for a year now. I htink I need to stop collecting it now as it takes up too much room. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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