Well, I was making bullet lube. I was melting this concoction in a pan and ran out of room. The cast iron pan was there so that's where I poured the over flow. It wasn't very good bullet lube so that's why it's been in the pan that long. I've emptied the pan. I haven't put any heat to it yet. I do have other cast iron, I just thought maybe I could save this one. It is a cheap Chinese pan with a wooden handle, but it was my sisters. I wasn't sure how much of the petroleum products would have been absorbed into the cast iron. Maybe I'll take the handle off and put it in the next campfire we have. Thanks, Ron.