Rusting Metal Tank

Once rust gets under the paint of a modern vehicle, its pretty much a downhill slide to decay and destruction. The process of decay can be surprisingly quick in the thin sheet metal that modern cars are made from. Back in the early part of the last century, metal seemed to be a bit thicker in the appliances and tools that were designed for outdoor use.


Case in point: this metal tank that has been sitting out in the forest for at least 50 years.




rusting metal tank


I have no idea what it is, but it appears to be a boiler of some kind. It is part of the equipment left behind at an abandoned mine that has been taken over by the National Forest Service. I wouldn't want to pressure test it, but it seemed surprisingly hardy despite the rust that is slowly turning it into dust.