Unidentified Metal- please help

**Pcbmine** · 03-11-2012, 11:12 PM

To me they look very suspect of Argentiferous galena. Galena is a lead sulfide which makes it a very dense and heavy rock. This may also show why there is no magnet attraction as well. Here is a picture for reference. I am from Illinois and have seen quite a bit of this material. The edges of the Illinois Basin hold vast quantities of this type of material. This rock is the core mineral in lead mining, but also tends to have quantities of silver and zinc as well.

**Hypoman** · 03-11-2012, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Escrap

To me they look very suspect of Argentiferous galena. Galena is a lead sulfide which makes it a very dense and heavy rock. This may also show why there is no magnet attraction as well. Here is a picture for reference. I am from Illinois and have seen quite a bit of this material. The edges of the Illinois Basin hold vast quantities of this type of material. This rock is the core mineral in lead mining, but also tends to have quantities of silver and zinc as well.

The pictures provided lack the "flaky" look of that mineral. I still say it's hematite.

**Pcbmine** · 03-11-2012, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by Hypoman

The pictures provided lack the "flaky" look of that mineral. I still say it's hematite.

This mineral does not always look like this. Sometimes it does have a less flaky look with that being said I agree that it could also be hematite. Hematite is not often magnetic, but this gets easily confused with Magnetite which is always magnetic. Hypo after further review I agree with you and am 95% positive that it is hematite as well.

**writer2783** · 03-11-2012, 11:37 PM

That looks similiar, but Galena is 2.5 to 2.75 on the Mohs Hardness scale and this is atleast a 4.5 to 5. I cant scratch it with a knife blade unless I use alot of force or hit it with it, then it will leave a scratch. And there are no crystal structures on any of the "rocks" Ive found. I now all specimens of Galena probly wont have the crystal structure, but I have 7 to 8 good size pieces and they all look pretty much the same.

**writer2783** · 03-11-2012, 11:55 PM

The outer part that looks like oxidation streaks dark grey/ black, but the inside silver part streaks silver, but is easily brushed off the ceramic to where theres no mark at all it looks like, whereas the outer part that streaks blackish grey it doesnt easily come off the uncoated ceramic.

**writer2783** · 03-11-2012, 11:44 PM

I just noticed in the light some VERY small copper colored flecks in a couple spots on the inside. It mainly has the silver color, and I guess the most relevant word id use is flaky, but it is still very hard and does not flake easily. And the "flakes" are very compact and close together. I tried scraping some of the silver part off with a screwdriver but nothing comes off, its too hard for that.