CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) Hey so I recently acquired a very odd looking rock from a recently passed grandparent that from my very inexperienced (Google knowledge at best lmao) eye it seems to be a meteorite, but it doesn't seem magnetic. I scratched a small bit on unglazed ceramic and it came out a very light grey, I measured the density to be only 4.2g, it was 105 grams with a volume of 25ml almost exactly (don't have means for very precise measurements) it has a slight brown tinge in some areas (hopefully I can post some good pics on here) with odd rusted spots with different shapes, and small impressions on the surface, as well as what looks like areas where molten material flowed over top of each other. there is also this ridge on one side that runs around the edge of the flat side before it curves around which I originally thought might have been from it being fastened somewhere, but I realized that it was very much a part of the rock, and the side it is on has very odd beige coloured rings, and one of them is embedded right where the ridge is, and there is a small red translucent crystal like material in place of the ridge where it overlaps, making me think maybe it was a small fossil of some kind, no idea. Like I said super weird. Hopefully i can figure out how to link pictures now. Just noticed a piece inside the rock that looks like a tiny tiny claw too (image attached) also that light piece in one of the images is from scratching the ceramic. thought I'd mention if it wasn't already apparent by the photos, this rock has a very glazed surface that is about 1mm thick before it's a light grey material underneath as seen in the one pic. There's also one small part on the more rounded front piece that has a decent impression with line marks going vertically up the narrow side of the impression, which is odd too. Would love to know what this darn thing is ahaha, tried a good 3 hours of researching finding nothing with all the same properties as this, so here I am. Thanks for any help! Edited March 15, 2020 by CurtisGrows420 Adding images Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Morlock 1,678 Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Not a meteorite. Not sure what it is though Quote Link to post Share on other sites
d_day 341 Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Agree with morlock, not a meteorite. It does appear to contain many small sea fossils, though I can’t identify he species. The stone also appears to have been coated in varnish or lacquer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) Yeah I didn't think it was a meteorite after doing some more research, and I can definitely see it being coating in varnish or laquer, but it's just a little odd because near the fossil that is intersecting with the ridge (one with the claw) there is a crystallike material that goes from an orange colour to a blood red colour (changes with each tiny crack in the bead until it eventually blends again with the colour of the rock) and it is very visibly on the exterior of the varnish/laquer given its there. There's even a spot with a considerably raised portion of whatever that crap is right where the claw arm would have been. I'll try to give a better picture example of what I'm talking about, super odd. Tbh this probably makes no sense from someone who knows what their talking about and it's just crazy talk but it kinda looks like it came from the fossil? Is it maybe possible the laquer could have reacted with that fossil since it was so close to the surface? I'm probably way off saying this but it looks like all of the fossils I can see are sitting under a dark reddish brown sorta glass like material, I can see a couple fossils that look deeper than others beside it which makes me think it may not just be the laquer that is allowing me to see the fossils inside the rock. Thanks for the help though guys really appreciate the quick response, also tried to chip off some of the red portion of the ridge, but even with a small tool it was very difficult to break off, definitely seems to be a part of the rock, and it's also very hard, so it doesn't seem to be what I thought might of just been contaminants that dried with the laquer Edited March 15, 2020 by CurtisGrows420 Added observations from trying to chip off piece of reddish material Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) Hey again I decided to cut open the rock (sorry for the Terrible job in advance) and it looks very similar to graphite from a pencil or even lead, and another cylinder fossil in the center, and it's also still quite shiny for being badly scratched, making me think it may not be a laquer after all idk about that though, and sorry I couldn't buff it up I have to go buy a new buffing bit for my Dremel Edited March 16, 2020 by CurtisGrows420 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,997 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 Looks like hematite to me. What color were the cuttings when you made the window? Is it magnetic? Lots of fossils in iron replacement environments. That is what it looks like to me. Iron rich limestone. And it is sealed with lacquer or some other finish IMHO. Maybe terrazo sealer or even floor wax. All are common finishes on stones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 It is not magnetic no and the cuttings were no different in colour they actually broke off in shards almost like glass I grabbed a few to take a pic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,997 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 20 minutes ago, CurtisGrows420 said: It is not magnetic no and the cuttings were no different in colour they actually broke off in shards almost like glass I grabbed a few to take a pic If you take the window you made in the rock and use silicon carbide sandpaper on it you will get a reddish powder. This is the "streak" color. The fine powder of a mineral often will give you a good clue as to the chemical composition. The chips don't do much good. You have to abrade fine powder from the stone. Red hues from dark red ochre to pink indicate hematite. Grey from dark charcoal to light grey indicates magnetite. The two most common iron minerals. Hematite is common with fossils and is generally non magnetic. Magnetite is not really associated with fossils and is often magnetic. So do a "streak test" with a piece of sandpaper and observe the powder. My bet is it will be dark red hues indicating hematite. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 30 minutes ago, Bedrock Bob said: If you take the window you made in the rock and use silicon carbide sandpaper on it you will get a reddish powder. This is the "streak" color. The fine powder of a mineral often will give you a good clue as to the chemical composition. The chips don't do much good. You have to abrade fine powder from the stone. Red hues from dark red ochre to pink indicate hematite. Grey from dark charcoal to light grey indicates magnetite. The two most common iron minerals. Hematite is common with fossils and is generally non magnetic. Magnetite is not really associated with fossils and is often magnetic. So do a "streak test" with a piece of sandpaper and observe the powder. My bet is it will be dark red hues indicating hematite. Hey so I did the test and here is some pictures. Visually it appears much more grey in person as my camera lighting isn't perfect, sorry it isn't the best representation, and not to mention I've also been told my whole life I have a hard time differentiating some shades of grey and brown, so it's best you decide anyway bahaha, with flash looks more brown to me idk and surface looks about the same Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stillweaver hillbelli 294 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) Interesting how the camera lens is in the pic...derp, now after looking at the other pics,I would have to agree w/ Mr Morlock that it is fossiliferous. The circle reminds me of a fisheye. Edited March 16, 2020 by Stillweaver hillbelli Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Stillweaver hillbelli said: Interesting how the camera lens is in the pic. I can't remove this now, just ignore it mb. Might just be a dumbass idk hah Edited March 16, 2020 by CurtisGrows420 Tried to delete it but couldn't Quote Link to post Share on other sites
d_day 341 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 I think the color you’re seeing is the lacquer itself. The thicker the lacquer the darker the color. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,997 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 The streak is lighter than I expected. I still think it is iron rich limestone with fossils. That is about as close as I can come to an ID. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CurtisGrows420 1 Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Thanks for all the help 😊 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bedrock Bob 3,997 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 You are welcome! Happy to help a fellow bud man! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob(AK) 53 Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 I agree with Bedrock B, limestone with fossils. Try some vinegar or weak hydrochloric the limestone will fizz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4meter 200 Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 The round fossil pieces are from crinoids and/or blastoids I also see some gastropods (snails) & brachiopods (shell "fish"). The sample is organic rich which is way it is nearly black and has some iron staining likely due to minute pieces of pyrite within the sample that are weathering out. Pyrite is very common in organic rich rocks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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