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What kind of rock is this?


ChrisSarahRox

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Looking for help with this one, any input is welcome. Found in Grant County NM near the Gila National Forest. 

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Looks like a branching coral or bryozoan to me. 

Edited by Tidgy's Dad
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4 minutes ago, digit said:

Though it initially resembled bone the texture in the last photo seems to show a coral polyp structure.

I was contemplating whether it could be beekite rings that caused the pattern. they seem to be at a deeper layer than the surface though.

Suppose it could be coral encrusted by bryozoan ? The first photo does kind of indicate bryozoan.

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58 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

I was contemplating whether it could be beekite rings that caused the pattern. they seem to be at a deeper layer than the surface though.

Suppose it could be coral encrusted by bryozoan ? The first photo does kind of indicate bryozoan.

I will post more photos from different angles. 

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17 minutes ago, ChrisSarahRox said:

I will post more photos from different angles. 

Although I have no basis for comparison, this piece seems to be dense for it's size. 

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You might be able to learn what geologic layer is at the surface near where you found this item using one of the geologic maps online:

 

https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/maps/interactive-map-new-mexicos-geology-and-natural-resources

 

That might help narrow down the age of the rocks and what types of fossil material might be possible at this location.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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Hi,

if you say heavy for its size do you mean heavy for  bone (not to say it was one, I agree with coral and/or bryozoan) or heavy for a rock?

Just from the look of it I would expect your find to be 2-3 times as heavy as the same volume of water.

Being lazy, I just copy what I wrote on density in another thread, (I know you are not expecting platinum, but its a short reference list of densities) :

 

"Just to be sure that you did not find a fortune, there is a simple test to rule out platinum: put your find in a measuring cup half full with water to find out its volume (measured volume after putting in the stone minus volume before). Platinum should weigh more than 21 times as much as the same volume of water, that is incredibly dense. Many rocks are bout 2-5 times as dense as water, most metals you encounter in everyday life (copper, Iron, tin, zinc and their alloys) are about 7-9 times as dense as water, lead 11x, tungsten and gold about 19 times.

 

So platinum with 21.45 kilos per liter would very probably be by far the densest material you (like anyone else) ever held in your hands, only osmium and iridium are slightly denser, except the radioactive ones. So if it was platinum, it should not only feel heavy, but ridiculously heavy."

Best Regards,

J

 

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something

Thomas Henry Huxley

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12 hours ago, Mahnmut said:

Hi,

if you say heavy for its size do you mean heavy for  bone (not to say it was one, I agree with coral and/or bryozoan) or heavy for a rock?

Just from the look of it I would expect your find to be 2-3 times as heavy as the same volume of water.

Being lazy, I just copy what I wrote on density in another thread, (I know you are not expecting platinum, but its a short reference list of densities) :

 

"Just to be sure that you did not find a fortune, there is a simple test to rule out platinum: put your find in a measuring cup half full with water to find out its volume (measured volume after putting in the stone minus volume before). Platinum should weigh more than 21 times as much as the same volume of water, that is incredibly dense. Many rocks are bout 2-5 times as dense as water, most metals you encounter in everyday life (copper, Iron, tin, zinc and their alloys) are about 7-9 times as dense as water, lead 11x, tungsten and gold about 19 times.

 

So platinum with 21.45 kilos per liter would very probably be by far the densest material you (like anyone else) ever held in your hands, only osmium and iridium are slightly denser, except the radioactive ones. So if it was platinum, it should not only feel heavy, but ridiculously heavy."

Best Regards,

J

 

I happen to be studying this very subject for an unrelated endeavor so the information was very helpful, although relating to my post it was only an observation that really had no basis for comparison otherwise. 

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