[Aqualist] : Strange happenings with LOI

[Alison Johnston]

Hi
I am a postgrad student trying out LOI for the first time. When my first
set of samples came out of the Muffle furnace after the second heating (
at 1050), tiny flakes bounced off  the stainless steel container for the
crucibles and yes, flakes landed inside my samples.
 
Can anyone explain to me why this would be happening? The department
technicians suggested it was some kind of a reaction in the metal to the
gas coming from the sediments. ...
 
Has anyone experienced this ? Cheers Alison J.