Are these iron meteorites?

[sjastro]

Found a third sample from a different location in the creek bed.
This one shows a more obvious fusion crust (if it is that) and quite a bit of corrosion.

I found a number of old gold mines "upstream" and adjacent to the creek bed which possibly suggests this may have been the original site. The objects and excavated material may have been dumped into the creek during mining.

All going well three samples from the three different locations will be tested using X-ray spectroscopy by a former employer. The spectrometer will analyse for all elements in the range from Sodium to Uranium. If there is a large Nickel content it should confirm the objects are iron meteorites.

Regards

Steven

[sjastro]

The power of X-ray spectroscopy.

No nickel found in the samples = a meteorwrong.

Regards

Steven

[renormalised (Carl)]

Ironstone...most likely hematite. That "melt crust" would be a weathering patina. It's probably part of the ore out of which they were mining the gold. Either that, or capping materials to the ore body...a gossan. Quite common surface indicators of subsurface ore bodies.

[sjastro]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Ironstone...most likely hematite. That "melt crust" would be a weathering patina. It's probably part of the ore out of which they were mining the gold. Either that, or capping materials to the ore body...a gossan. Quite common surface indicators of subsurface ore bodies.

Ironically I gave a sample of hematite crusted basaltic rock ("melt crust") as a reference sample for testing.
The key is the presence of silicon in the sample (as silicate).

One of the meteorwrong samples was cross-sectioned and revealed iron under the corrosion.
Without doubt this a man made object.

Below is the spectrum of the basalt rock. Don't get excited about the Rhodium peaks, they are from the X-ray tube.

Regards

Steven

[renormalised (Carl)]

Just noticed a manganese peak tucked in on the iron peak....this is mangalloy. It could be just flakes off some of the old equipment left at the mine after it closed. Most probably off a ball mill or stamping mill.