unknown metal

[shamgar]

I was given several 6X1" plates of an unknown metal. They belonged to a guy who found them, while closing his father's auto recycling yard, with the wheel weights. The brinell hardness is about 8. They ring when struck unlike lead. I was wondering if they were tin.

[shamgar]

136172

[scottfire1957]

Somebody, if they can, should call this guy. Do mods have any way to do this?


At the least, make sure he's not pulling our leg.

[bangerjim]

Either someone used this as a notepad.......or this is some real nasty stuff potentially! OMG!!!!!!

This exactly why I get all my metals from my scrap yards where they check EVERYTHING with a Geiger counter and an x-ray gun. In a large metro area where I live, anuthing could show up. They check it.

Free........is not always FREE!!!!!!!!

[scottfire1957]

Gamma emitter, bad stuff.

Hopefully, he's just pulling our legs.

[fishhawk]

Nope we got no way to "call" the person.

[scottfire1957]

Nope we got no way to "call" the person.


I was hoping you had an e-mail address or something. I couldn't remember if I gave a phone number when I joined.

Thanks for the reply.

[shamgar]

Not to worry, I borrowed a gieger counter and the metal is radioactively inert. Most likely the chemical in the container to which this was the lid held calcium cyanide, a pesticide no longer in use. Still don't know what the metal is, it is heavy and soft like lead but makes a clank or ringing sound when dropped. I live near a university town, I talked to to the physics guy who loaned me the gieger counter he examined the metal said it was safe.

[shamgar]

Either way it is radioactively inert, is there some other reason not to use the metal?

[shamgar]

Thanks Deadpool I will try your tips.