An old story

[Jack D]

I've never owned a metal detector until yesterday, but some 25 years ago, a friend and I were walking the shores of a local reservoir. The water level was way down and as the water recedes the waves lap at the shore and exposes new material. We were picking up rocks, mostly petrified wood and jasper. My buddy had a metal detector (Whites). As I was picking through the rocks, I found a fist sized rock that was much different from the others nearby. It was almost black or, at least, a very dark grey and very heavy for it size. We put the metal detect near it and it sounded off.

I brought that rock home and later had another friend (a rock hound) cut it and polish the cut to see what it looked like inside. It was porous and had sparkles....not gem quality, so we forgot it. He kept half of it and I the other half. I've lost track of it, but may still have it somewhere.

Anyway, my purchase of a detector brought back this old memory and I began to wonder, again, about what it was. A little research leads me ro think it may have been a meteorite. My research tells me that most meteorites are iron and nickel.and sometime a few other metals mixed in.....and that seems to fit. A magnet would also stick to it. I wondered about magnetite, but the only kowledge I have of magnetite is that it is the black sand that most of us are familiar with. Does magnetite come in large junks like this?

Does anyone else have any thoughts on what this might have been? Exactly what does a meteorite look like?

Has anyone on this forum found a meteorite?

I have not personally found a meteorite, but I know they exist, and I know some folks on here have found similar items. Someone should be able to help you with the id'ing of your rock. Lots of experience here. Good luck and let us know if you find out.

[Steve in PR]

In Riki's post further down "I forgot to ask", Anne responded that they have "hot rocks" in her area that give strong signals that are coke, a by-product of coal. I never knew that....Best to have it checked...

[creekrat]

this coal will drive a detector crazy,we have a bunch of it here in the hills it may have fallen from a barge and washed up on shore,,,just a guess .but the mineral is tuff to detect around unless you tune it out.....creek

[Jack D]

All things are possible, of course, but coal and coke are almost non-existant here. There is a low grade coal deposit near Coos Bay, but I'm a long way from there. This was found on the banks of the Willamette River behind Lookout Point Reservoir in the Willamette National Forest. I don't know what coke looks like...although I have seen coal. It seems unlikely that this stone was either. I wish I had taken it to the U of O's geology dept for identification......If I ever come across it again, maybe I will.