Once you've spent a good day relic hunting, the next step is the preservation of the artifacts you've recovered. The first thing you need to determine is the type of metal the artifact is made of.
All metals react differently when exposed to soil for a long time.
The tips below will help you in determining the most common types of metals. Lead will have a thick white coating of oxidation on it. Pewter will also be oxidized white but usely it will be in a more pitted state than lead because of the tin content found in it. Brass and bronze will have a brown to green protective coating found on it. Iron based ferrous materials will be in a varying rusted state.