Any idea what it is?

[lou1661]

Found this on a damp walk on the South Downs this morning, any ideas?



It seems heavier than expected for its size, no discernible movement of a compass needle and does not stick to a magnet.

Cheers

Louis.

 

[Tengu]

A truffle?

It looks like slag from smelting. But you havent contextualised. Apart from South downs.

 

[lou1661]

A truffle?

It looks like slag from smelting. But you havent contextualised. Apart from South downs.

On a footpath in a rural area, predominantly grassland. nearest hill fort approx 10km nearest pub 3km.

 

[slowworm]

Looks like a bit like nitrogen fixing root nodule from an Alder tree.

 

[mrmike]

Is it metallic or organic?
Does it have a smell?
Can you file a bit of it to get more info?

 

[Tengu]

footpath and not a bridleway?

 

[saxonaxe]

Snap ! 15 or so years ago I too found a similar object on the South Downs while walking West to East along the Downsway.



Very heavy, metallic feel. I had lots of people telling me what it wasn't, but nobody identified it. It's not plant matter or perishable that I do know. It was suggested it could be Meteorite debris or a natural formation of ore from deep in the chalkland brought to the surface by eons of weathering.

 

[Tengu]

The latter; I think.

Meteorites a very long shot.

 

[Nice65]

It's a pyrite nodule. They're very common on the chalk and flint South Downs. I find them fairly frequently but only ever found one that was solid Fools Gold throughout.

 

[Stew]

It's a pyrite nodule. They're very common on the chalk and flint South Downs. I find them fairly frequently but only ever found one that was solid Fools Gold throughout.

That's cool. Do you crack them open or cut them?

 

[Tengu]

Crack them to bring out the crystalline structure?

At any rate, good find

 

[saxonaxe]

It's a pyrite nodule. They're very common on the chalk and flint South Downs. I find them fairly frequently but only ever found one that was solid Fools Gold throughout.

Thanks for that, I learned something. Just read up on them, mystery solved.

 

[Pattree]

…….. but why isn’t it affecting a compass?

I’d try to polish a surface to be sure.

 

[chimpy leon]

I don’t know exactly but I really hope you wash your hands before you eat your sandwiches today.

 

[Toddy]

https://files.ekmcdn.com/therockgallery/resources/other/oxford-mineral-shows-2026.jpeg.pdf

 

[oldtimer]

Coprolite?

 

[saxonaxe]

https://files.ekmcdn.com/therockgallery/resources/other/oxford-mineral-shows-2026.jpeg.pdf

I was asked to attend that show



As one of the Fossils.........

 

[chimpy leon]

Labradorolite - an extremely rare mineral produced by a Labrador as they age. It has be known to be occasionally deposited on living room floor.

Finding it with your shoe is recognised as being lucky, particularly in northern cultures.

 

[Nice65]

That's cool. Do you crack them open or cut them?

I crack them, it’ll be a rare thing if it has much shiny metal inside, I usually get a load of brown iron ore and muck. The iron sulphide is a bit like ferro rod steel and prone to decay in humid conditions.

Down on Bracklesham beach it’s quite easy to find it as fossilised wood, and those are solid metal. I’ve seen some really nice pieces cut to show the tree rings, but all in shiny gold.

If cutting is an option, I’d try that to get a slice rather than a load of crumbs.

 

[Toddy]

I was told that they could be smelted to make iron, but that they're so full of sulphur that it makes a horrible job of it for second rate metal.

I haven't had much luck trying to strike it to make a spark either.

Frustrating stuff, but much used in industrial chemicals these days apparently.