What the heck is this...rock?

[pmer27]

I literally stumbled upon this object in my yard (central Jersey) a few weeks ago. Initially I thought that it was wood, but after picking it up realized that it was some sort of rock. It is not magnetic, but it appears to consist of several different substances (rock/stone?). The parts would seem to have been fused together as if under extreme heat. I, as a novice would base this upon tiny air bubble holes on two or three of the materials in it that give that appearance to have been in a liquid state at some point. My hope is that someone on this forum can identify it and solve the mystery. Thanks to all who offer a response.

[studiot]

Do you live in a volcanic or formerly volcanic area?

 

Could well be pyroclastic volcanic tuff.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en-GB&source=hp&q=volcanic+tuff&gbv=2&oq=volcanic+tuff&gs_l=heirloom-hp.1.0.0l10.1141.5797.0.6672.13.13.0.0.0.0.188.1342.1j10.11.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..2.11.1342._QPfxH-joyM

Edited October 6, 2014 by studiot

[Essay]

Density?!? You can rule in or out many possibilities based on its density. Also, check into websites about identifying "meteorwrongs" and meteorites.

~

[pmer27]

To responses thus far:

• No volcanic history in this area, sandy soil and apparently was sea floor in distant past.
• Have ruled out meteorite based on the "meteorwrongs" descriptions at Washington U (St. Louis) page.
• Density, I am working on, need to get my hands on an appropriate scale to finalize (could that be misleading since it is apparently a conglomeration of several materials?)

[studiot]

 

(central Jersey)

 

Just noticed this,

 

Do you mean Jersey, America or Jersey, Europe?

 

Could it have been residue from a furnace?

In your yard?

Builders used to import clinker as aggregate under slabs.

 

How much of the stuff is there?

[pmer27]

Sorry, forgetting the global nature of the Internet. That would be New Jersey, USA, just that one object was found mysteriously on a walkway. I was the builder and done on virgin land in the 70s, no fill. Not furnace residue either since we heat with natural gas.

[tar]

pmer27,

 

I think Studiot meant furnace as in blast furnace or smelting furnace. Are you anywhere near Farmingdale?

 

Just saw a blurb on Youtube

Blast Furnace - Allaire State Park - Farmingdale, New Jersey

 

[pmer27]

He probably did, however I had ruled that out since no fill had been brought in and the land had been virgin. This thing just appeared on a walkway (paved) within a very densely foliated area where no soil had been disturbed.

 

By the way, as the crow flies, I am about 7 miles away from Allaire. I'll give you a tid-bit about that too. When I was a youngster my father would take me there occasionally to walk around the grounds of what is now the park. Then, it was not yet an official state area and those explorations, especially looking at that old furnace was pretty exciting stuff for a little boy. I also knew an older gentleman that had lived there in his younger years. I suspect it must have been the late 1800s or early 1900s. I am sure the furnace was not in operation, but apparently a small group still lived there in that period.

[Kelnad]

Electron Microprobe would be nice, looking into volcanic rocks, they can travel pretty far. Had some from Mount Rainier go into other states.

Live science has a post on Mega Volcanoes May Have killed half of earths species:

 

Talks about New Jersey. Good reading and talks about what kinds of rocks in the location.

Oh forgot it was also talking about before the dinosaurs. So that could predate the rock if it is connected to an eruption, or if it had to do with some kind of other scenario.

Popsci huge volcano eruptions may have caused mass die off before dino's, but on this article it does not know what could of set it off. I read another article about the green belt of Africa and a large rock hitting the planet that even out shines the one that took the dinosaurs. It would of caused the eruptions from volcano's, tsunami's and other catastrophic displacements of the land and life on it.

[pmer27]

Kelnad,

 

Thanks, the Live Science read is very interesting. You are the second to mention volcanic rock, but I still cannot reconcile having found it simply sitting on a paved path in an area of my yard where there was no ground disturbance within an area of heavy ground cover.

[StringJunky]

Could a bird, like a crow for example, have carried it whilst flying and dropped it?

[pmer27]

I have wondered about that myself, but the question remains, "what the heck is it?"

[StringJunky]

A man-made byproduct, probably from smelting, carried by a bird and dropped in your yard.

[Kelnad]

I put food in these containers to see how strong a bird is on carrying a large object, and the crow was able to lift the whole plastic container and fly away with it around that size. Why would a bird carry a rock off with out food involved don't know. Maybe someone had removed it from a location thought if nothing and tossed it aside nearby where you could find it. Would like to know if its from the location, maybe search around for more of it?

[StringJunky]

I put food in these containers to see how strong a bird is on carrying a large object, and the crow was able to lift the whole plastic container and fly away with it around that size. Why would a bird carry a rock off with out food involved don't know. Maybe someone had removed it from a location thought if nothing and tossed it aside nearby where you could find it. Would like to know if its from the location, maybe search around for more of it?

Crow family are known are known for collecting things. I read of a young girl that leaves food out for Crows and they leave her things in the food container.as gifts.

[Acme]

Take the rock to the geology dept. of a local college. The professor will be familiar with local rocks and may find it an interesting challenge for students to try & ID it.

[pmer27]

Well, I am liking the crow theory for its presence and I am leaning toward a man-made by-product as an explanation to what it is. Rutgers' Geology Museum runs "Late Nights" once a month where rock/mineral identification is offered, so, I think a trip there is in order soon to resolve the question. Thanks to all for your insights and if resolved I will post the result.

[StringJunky]

Well, I am liking the crow theory for its presence and I am leaning toward a man-made by-product as an explanation to what it is. Rutgers' Geology Museum runs "Late Nights" once a month where rock/mineral identification is offered, so, I think a trip there is in order soon to resolve the question. Thanks to all for your insights and if resolved I will post the result.

I look forward to it.

 

Here's that article.

Edited March 2, 2015 by StringJunky