Lead?

[tadam84]

I was hunting on a horse pasture the other day and i kept digging these rectangular pieces of metal (soft/nonmagnetic), but i don't know what it was. It was reading around vdi = 35 in coin/jewelry mode. I think it is lead, but I am not sure...Is there a way to test this and is this the typical vdi range for lead...thanks again
Tadam84

 

[del]

Good question. Anyone know where to get a metal testing kit? Gold, silver, lead, etc. del.

 

[Hunt4Fun]

Good question about a metal testing kit. Sure hope we all get an answer to that.

Hunt4Fun

 

[Larry (IL)]

You don't need a tester for lead. It is a soft, heavy, non-magnetic silvery grey metal. It is easily scratched and a pocket knife will cut it. There is not much of anything else like it. It was commonly used for a lot of things until people started dieing from lead poisoning. Lead was used as a fuel additive, fishing sinkers, toys, pipes and thousands of other uses.

The VDI will vary with size. I found a 10 lb bar yesterday that was used as a window counterweight at an old house site. The DFX said it was a Silver Dollar.

 

[del]

Thanks, Larry, but I'm seeking a non-destructive test, perhaps with a chemical solution. I've seen one before, for gold I think where the solution turned purple which meant gold; no change meant not gold. That's more along the lines of what I'm looking for. del.

 

[boxtopp]

Sometimes melted tin will look like lead. But the weight would
be a dead give away.