So it seems every time I burn splits from this Monster Black Locust, I get colorful small clinkers. My chestnut oak doesn’t leave any at all. This is a small sample of what is there. Pretty crazy stuff.
That's wild. I've been burning black locust since 2020, cut from many different locations and never had anything like that before. I assume it's something that was in the soil where that monster tree was growing, but I'm no expert...
Pretty cool stuff there. My guess is some sort of mineral in the soil where it grew? BL is nitrogen fixing so it grows in poor soil conditions. I get colorful small clinkers too. Dr. says I need more fiber in my diet!
After some research, probably that and/or cobalt. Pretty crazy. I should keep a bunch and try to melt it further. Wonder what would come of it.
That’s crazy, never seen that before. The borough of Cobalt is part of my town. Old Cobalt mines. Stuff was worth some money back in the day. Funny story is that area and those mines are the richest gold deposits in New England. Or so I’ve read,,all State Forest now and same place all the rattlesnake dens are. They never realized back then they were tossing gold out to get at the Cobalt.
Sounds like a fun experiment. Might make some interesting jewelry fodder for crafters? See if you get more from the BL as you burn it.
My most recent shovel out found terracotta colored clinkers (from the oak). All from clean straight splits.
Keep a bunch of it and try an electrolysis cycle with it. I'm betting it might work. Worth some research anyhow.....
