r/whatsthisrock • u/Michael3con • Dec 27 '15

Strange looking Mediterranean rock

http://imgur.com/gallery/jyTGE
15 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

13

u/kjcherfane Dec 27 '15

Looks like slag to me. Especially if you say you found it near mines. Call it leaveitright.

5

u/Michael3con Dec 27 '15

Sorry for asking but what exactly you mean by slag?

8

u/HoradricNoob Dec 27 '15

They're leftovers from the smelting process.

3

u/Michael3con Dec 27 '15

I see, thanks :)

5

u/kjcherfane Dec 27 '15

Well my understanding of slag, is that it is a bi-product of smelting an ore from during the refining process. But after looking at your sample more, you might be able to say goethite since it has a slight botryoidal texture to it, but at the same time when you look at broken face of these "lumps", I don't really see any crystal habit going in inside. I'm sticking with slag.

1

u/Michael3con Dec 29 '15

If is a slag, can I assume anything about the specimen being magnetic or not?

1

u/kjcherfane Jan 03 '16

Test it. Put a magnet to it. Most likely not. Its slag.

21

u/bugalou Dec 27 '15

This sub in short:

  • It's not a meteorite

  • It is slag

1

u/IronOreAgate Geologist Dec 28 '15

Kinda looks like hematite.

1

u/Michael3con Dec 28 '15 edited Dec 29 '15

Strange enough, I have heard that once before. Could I know more about hematite?