harveykeefer Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 i was out on a buddy's land. it is in calaveres county. up on a hill is an old mine. there is giant quartz outcropings, i mean 10' tall. i was running my detector around some of the huge outcroppings when i got a big signal. it was in between two huge bolders. one about 10' the other about 5'. there was a crack that divided the two of them. i tried to dig out the signal but it was to far in there. i thought if i started low that i could get my hand in there and pry out a whatever it was. as i was pulling out small chunks of quartzite from the bottom this box fell right down in front of me. i gotta tell you it made me pretty excited. you never know what your going to find. i thought that there might be a nugget or two in there but when i opened it all i got is what you see. is it something for blasting? thanks harvey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hard to tell, pictures are a bit out of focus, but they look like blasting caps to me. And corroaded ones at that. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogMick Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Like Grubstake my best guess would be very old blasting caps. In a couple of your photos it looks like the paper has print on it, can you read any of it? It would be cool if you could find dates, names or any other info to identify your find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 If it was me! I wouldn't move them around anymore, and call the local Sheriff, to come and look at what you found. I know a guy that lost his hand and an eye, messing with old caps. Very un-stable, when there like that. Grubstake They have fulmate of mercury in them, not safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave wiseman Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Interesting find Harvey,glad you didn't bite the bullet,so to speak....We do have a Haz-mat outfit here in Calaveras county and a search and rescue for those buried or stranded in old tunnel drifts and shafts.I'm in Angels Camp if your looking for local info.........Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shadow Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Those sure look like old caps as well as the tin they came in a long time ago. The paper should give you some idea of how old but they ARE old and may be dangerous still. Be careful of how you approach authorities anymore on coming to get them. Sometimes they won't be too friendly about it. I think I would dispose of them myself personally. Wrap them separately in soft paper (TP) and place in a tin can with open ends up, then fill the can with lacquer thinner put the lid on and bury it somewhere deep. In a few days it will be safe and jusr continue to rot away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveykeefer Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Those sure look like old caps as well as the tin they came in a long time ago. The paper should give you some idea of how old but they ARE old and may be dangerous still. Be careful of how you approach authorities anymore on coming to get them. Sometimes they won't be too friendly about it. I think I would dispose of them myself personally. Wrap them separately in soft paper (TP) and place in a tin can with open ends up, then fill the can with lacquer thinner put the lid on and bury it somewhere deep. In a few days it will be safe and jusr continue to rot away.great responces!!! thanks for all your info guys. i can only imagine what it would of been like if one of those blew up in my hand way out there. i was alone. it could have been a bad situation. two of the casing are empty. one is full. thanks again , harvey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutwyler Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 i worked 5 years as a quarry blaster in new england. those are most defintaly blasting caps. be carefull. one can remove your hand. i heard a story about a driller that killed himself buy putting 5 in his mouth and touching them off. their was supposedly very little left of his skull. i would reccomend you hand them over to the cops, but they may hurt themselves. a better idea would be to bring them to a quarry and ask the blaster to load it into the column and consume them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whats4supper Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 the older ones, like the ones you found, are vastly more sensitive to shock and powerfully explosive, than the modern ones, which are less sensitive. The older ones used a copper or brass encasement, and the active ingredient was Mercury Fulminate. The fact that they didn't blow up when you moved or touched them probably indicates they are very deteriorated. Nevertheless, with a little heat or static electricity, they could still go off.If you have them lying around your place, call the FD or the bomb squad and have them come out to dispose of them for you. You could keep the papers and the box as a souvenir. as well as all of your fingers or hands. No kidding, I'm serious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thought I would pass on some more info.Mercury(II) fulminate, Hg(CNO)2, is a primary explosive. It is highly sensitive to friction and shock. It is mainly used as a trigger for other explosives in percussion caps and blasting caps. Mercury(II) cyanate, though its formula is identical, has a different atomic arrangement; the cyanate and fulminate anions are isomers.First used as a priming composition in small copper caps after the 1830s, mercury fulminate quickly replaced flints as a means to ignite black powder charges in muzzle loading firearms. Later, during the late 19th century and most of the 20th century, mercury fulminate and/or potassium chlorate became widely used in primers for rifle and pistol ammunition. Mercury fulminate has the distinct advantage over potassium chlorate, being non-corrosive, but it is known to weaken with time. Today, mercury fulminate has been replaced in primers by more efficient chemical substances. Those are non-corrosive, less toxic and more stable over time: lead azide, lead styphnate and tetrazene derivatives.Watch Your back & keep on beeping - Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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