New Members moogiemoo Posted July 20, 2019 New Members Share Posted July 20, 2019 I apologise if this is a simple find but I asked at the Charmouth Coastal centre and they were not sure of this find. I found it on a fossil hunting walk but I'm not sure what it is. it looks like molten metal. It is very light in weight and has some golden colour to it. It is mainly light grey in colour and dull in appearance. It was found on Charmouth Beach near to the cliffs, towards Lyme Regis. Is it a fossil?Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemphix Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Think it is a piece of metal - looks like some lead used for fishing (fishing rod or thosev for the nets of the fishing ships). Slag is a possibility, too or just some metal junk worn by the sea... But definitely no fossil. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemipristis Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 No, it's anthropogenic. At some point in the last couple of hundred years someone threw some aluminum (or similar soft metal) in a campfire. Or maybe from a passing ship 3 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' George Santayana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockwood Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Can you dent it with the point of a knife or hammer and nail ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Zinc. Looks like it might be zinc. Or tin. Magnesium? Those are the common light metals one is likely to find on a beach. (Aluminum was already mentioned) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TqB Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 There's an eroding dump at the top of the cliff around there with a lot of old metal in it (flat irons etc.). But more modern aluminium seems a good bet too. 2 Tarquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Probably the remnant of a tin object thrown into a campfire on the beach at some point in the past, or if there's a garbage dump at the top of the cliff it is possible that it is formed by fire at the dump. Prior to the 60's it was common to burn trash and garbage dump contents to reduce their volume. In addition refuse at dumps frequently combusted spontaneously. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagebrush Steve Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 If you want to get a better idea of what it is, you might try measuring its specific gravity, which isn’t too hard to do using the vessel weight method described in the pdf referenced in the post below. You will need to do an internet search to find the specific gravities for a range of metals. For example, aluminum is about 2.7, magnesium is about 1.7, and tin and zinc are both around 7 (not likely to be either of these if you say it is light). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngodles Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 I've melted aluminum cans in really hot fires before and they look just like this metal. Fossils of Parks Township - Research | Catalog | How-to Make High-Contrast Photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sTamprockcoin Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 I've melted lawnmower engine blocks in campfires that ended up looking like this and the guy at the scrap yard even commented on the "artistic" form (right before he threw it into the smelter hopper!)I'd bet aluminum or "pot metal"/diecast. “Beautiful is what we see. More beautiful is what we understand. Most beautiful is what we do not comprehend.” N. Steno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocc54 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Looks like aluminum to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now