A week ago I found a strange looking rock (see attachment picture) onHopton beach near Great Yarmouth. I am very interested to find out
what it is.It is heavy and very hard on the outside shell with a rusted looking smooth rock like finish, it repels an earth magnet so it must contain iron, when i found it the inside was soft like clay but has since hardened. I think it might be volcanic but all the pictures i have found look nothing like it. Other people have said it looks like a Meteor or a fossil. Maybe you can point me in another direction. whatever it is, i have never found anything like it before.
Message was edited by: batfink
Rock? No.
Meteor? No.
Volcanic? No.
Fossil? No.
Cut off a piece and put it on fire.
Smell and report please.
I suggest you go for the softer innersection first.
The burn and smell test might show that it is not a rock but an organic substance.
Be careful with fire.
BURN TEST
1. The inside could be cut with a knife.
2. When heating the inner-section it changed colour from light brown to a deep red and there was no flame it just glowed like an ember.
3.The outer shell when heated exploaded and turend a purple brown.
Not a very strong smell, slightly chemical smell maybe?
Hmm, I was thinking more about taking a teaspoonful of the soft innersection and continue from there.
You have been quite active.
Conclusions?
Mine are: not an excrement, not a tarball and not C4.
Also still not a rock, not a fossil and not a meteorite since those do not contain soft-like-clay innercores that harden.
Not volcanic either, for sure, since the region where you live has not known any volcanic activity since last Christmas.
Less destructive research could tell more about the true nature of your find, perhaps a museum can help you.
Sometimes a museum has a special day on which the public can show their finds and ask for determination.
You can inquire by telephone if such services exist, NHM first ofcourse...
I hope you will find out what it is, it certainly seems to be an odd object.
Congrats!
Now how did you find out?
Quite a link that is btw.