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What are these Mystery Metal Grains? Cobalt?

ichudov

Hot Rolled
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Illinois
Found a few lbs of it in an induction furnace that I bought in auction...

These are oxidized metal grains. The oxidation color is bluish and
most closely resembles blueberries, though I am somewhat color blind.

It is NOT magnetic and looks dull grey if I grind off the oxidation.


Any idea what this metal is? Could it be cobalt?
 

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Found a few lbs of it in an induction furnace that I bought in auction...

These are oxidized metal grains. The oxidation color is bluish and
most closely resembles blueberries, though I am somewhat color blind.

It is NOT magnetic and looks dull grey if I grind off the oxidation.


Any idea what this metal is? Could it be cobalt?

Looks radioactive!
 
Wild guess - molybdenum granules with an oxide variant on the surface from heating in air?

Molybdenum dioxide - Wikipedia can have a brownish-violet color, trioxide can be yellow or light blue.

If you're feeling daring, hold a large granule with pliers and try grinding a face flat to see the metal surface (presuming it is a metallic in there). Don't breath the dust...
 
Measure the density, that should solve it if it's not an alloy.
Weigh a small pile and then measure the volume by dropping them in a graduated cylinder with some water.
Afterwards, you can run around town naked shouting "eureka!"
 
Because it is blue you think cobalt?
What did this furnace process or do?
As a kid we would sprinkle cobalt in the lake, excellent at controlling weeds around the dock to have a nice swimming area.
Maybe not such a good idea overall but a very common practice not that long ago.
Right along with need to control the weeds on the driveway, a sprinkler can of gasoline works well.
Mosquito foggers a ways back in the 60s, oh my, .... Dad was trying to kill us all.
Bob
 
We scanned it at a scrap yard today. This appears to be mostly copper phosphate. 81% copper, 12% phosphorus.
 

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It’s not copper phosphate. Other than copper and phosphorus the other elements are all in the noise. Phosphorus copper is a common casting alloy. The phosphorus deoxidizes the copper. Usually about 15% phosphorus. Clearly this is what you have. See here:
Phosphorus-Copper Alloys


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