Mystery metal grains? Cobalt?

Found a few lbs of it in an induction furnace that I bought for $30...
Picture:
https://www.machinerymoverschicago.com/tmp/mystery-metal.jpg

These are oxidized metal grains. The oxidation color is bluish and most closely resembles blueberries, though I am somewhat color blind.
Any idea what this metal is? Could it be cobalt?
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On 8/21/2019 6:53 PM, Ignoramus16448 wrote:

one of those chunks with a hammer ?
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Definitely not copper, when ground down they look dull grey. Not magnetic.
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message

Steel turns blue when heated. https://www.anvilfire.com/article.php?bodyName=/FAQs/temper_colors_hardness.htm
http://staff.buffalostate.edu/nazareay/che112/ex9.htm NH4SCN is ammonium thiocyanate.
A simpler test is to dissolve a little in hydrochloric acid, dry the solution over heat (acid fumes!), and see if it turns blue. You could neutralize the acid by adding garden lime or baking soda until it stops fizzing. I don't know if other metals would interfere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt (II)_chloride
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That sounds like a plan. The induction furnace is 100 kva by the way
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"Ignoramus16448" wrote in message

You really need to splurge and treat yourself to one of those handheld x-ray fluorescence machines. No more guessing on mystery alloys or things like these beads. You could even do analyses for scrapyards and pay it off even sooner :-).
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On Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 10:25:47 PM UTC-4, Carl wrote:

The hand held xrf machines cost about as much as a economy car. And the local scrap yard has one already. But if you send me one of the buttons I will try talking one of the guys into scanning it.
Dan
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On Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 7:53:20 PM UTC-4, Ignoramus16448 wrote:

Koslow Scientific https://www.koslow.com/ has all sorts of metal ID kits. You may want to check them out.
Disclosure: I do a lot of electronic design work for them, but don't make any extra money from sales.
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On Wed, 21 Aug 2019 18:53:13 -0500, Ignoramus16448 wrote:

Cobalt is ferromagnetic, so unless it is fully oxidized, it would be magnetic.
Jon
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So it is not cobalt... no attraction to magnet...
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wrote:

Perhaps the light blue color came from oxidized copper plating? https://www.skylighter.com/products/copper-carbonate
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It s a copper phosphorus alloy or compound, as foud out with xrf gun!
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On Sun, 25 Aug 2019 08:00:38 -0500, Ignoramus22058

Nice new toy? Are they under fifty grand yet?
I bought a Flir C2 for my birfday. This Old House needs work. LOL.
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It was at a scrap yard, I do not own one...
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On Wed, 21 Aug 2019 18:53:13 -0500, Ignoramus16448

Palladium beads? They're used in catalytic converters on autos and withstand high temps.
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