ID this rock, please.

November 8, 2008 7:32 PM

Some years ago, a friend gave me this rock but we don't know what it's called. Can you ID it?

The sample in the pic is ~2 cm square and my really bad photo of it doesn't show the spectacular rainbow colors it displays, much like an oily puddle in a parking lot. The most notable feature is its lovely rectangular formations.

Help, my barely restrained OCD-ness needs a name for this rock!

posted by jamaro to science & nature (11 comments total)

I don't think that's a rock. It looks like a metal crystal, probably grunge from a factory somewhere. I've seen things like that which are removed from smelting facilities.
posted by Class Goat at 7:42 PM on November 8, 2008

Hrmm, I have one of those, alas it's in my parent's house across the country and I can't remember what the label said. But it did say that it was man made.
posted by stray at 7:45 PM on November 8, 2008

Pyrite? Similar looking.
posted by kellyblah at 7:47 PM on November 8, 2008

Bismuth
posted by datacenter refugee at 7:50 PM on November 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I think it's a bismuth crystal from a lab. Pretty!
posted by peachfuzz at 7:53 PM on November 8, 2008

Thanks! Now I'm going to make a tiny little label...
posted by jamaro at 7:55 PM on November 8, 2008

Just because I can.
posted by ThirstyEar2 at 8:42 PM on November 8, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

Man I wanted to post that too, ThirstyEar. Here's it's memetic origin. Nothing about that link is remotely safe for work.
posted by datacenter refugee at 8:55 PM on November 8, 2008

ThirstyEar2 and Datacenter, vene though bismuth looks amazing, I don't get why people have to use expletives when posting about it?!?!!
posted by spacefire at 2:06 PM on November 9, 2008

Masterpieces of the Mineral World: Treasures from the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Look for this book in your local library. If it's not there, get it via interlibrary loan or buy it.
posted by neuron at 8:49 PM on November 9, 2008

Dammit! I knew this one!
*grumble grumble grumble.*


Fine, here's somebody's site in adoration of Bismuth.
posted by redsparkler at 11:01 PM on November 9, 2008