Gold *and* Pyrite, or just Pyrite? [images]

[Barry-Goodknight]

These rocks are from Colorado, not exactly sure what location but someplace in or near Gilpin County.

Can't tell if the Pyrite is tarnished or stained, or if it's actually gold. Not even sure why the Pyrite would tarnish in only certain little spots but not others if they were all exposed to weather/air the same way.

 

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[Rawhide]

Theres a few test you can do. Since your asking your not aware of the test. One test is to see if the mineral flakes or bends. Pyrite flakes. You can burn a piece of it, pyrite burns easy. There is a acid test. Im not sure where to buy that stuff. You can crush and pan it, but again Im new at this also. Do you know if gold has been found there before?

 

[Barry-Goodknight]

Theres a few test you can do. Since your asking your not aware of the test. One test is to see if the mineral flakes or bends. Pyrite flakes. You can burn a piece of it, pyrite burns easy. There is a acid test. Im not sure where to buy that stuff. You can crush and pan it, but again Im new at this also. Do you know if gold has been found there before?

Yea. It's just so small it's hard to scratch.

And yes, Gilpin County was a *very* rich gold producing area. I belive it's the second highest gold producing area in Colorado.

Gilpin County, on the east slope of the Front Range in north-central Colorado about 30 miles west of Denver, ranks second among the counties of Colorado in gold production. Through 1959 it produced, in round numbers, 4,255,000 ounces of gold valued at $89,785,000. Of this production, 4,207,000 ounces was lode gold and 47,900 ounces was placer gold.

Gilpin County Colorado Gold Production

 

[lastleg]

Around Central City the early miners quickly exhausted the shallow oxidized portions of the
outcrops and encountered complex sulfide mineralization. The ore pictured is similar to rocks
I've found at Creede. Purple, with infusions of pyrite. To tell if gold is present remember that
gold will shine in the shade, pyrite will not. If you are still not sure chip off a sample, crush
and pan. Pyrite is brittle, gold is soft.

 

[dieselram94]

Around Central City the early miners quickly exhausted the shallow oxidized portions of the
outcrops and encountered complex sulfide mineralization. The ore pictured is similar to rocks
I've found at Creede. Purple, with infusions of pyrite. To tell if gold is present remember that
gold will shine in the shade, pyrite will not. If you are still not sure chip off a sample, crush
and pan. Pyrite is brittle, gold is soft.

This is good advice...

 

[hmmm]

Definitely worth testing, $50 would get you 1 or 2 "50 element icp assays".
If you could poke a pinn in a piece of the gold color , if it is pure gold, it will leave a dent.
If it does not dent, that does mean it has no gold in it.

What you do have, is chalcolpyrite.
Chalcopyrite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
chalcolpyrite is pyrite that is mixed with other metals , copper silver gold ext.
i saw a piece of bornite in picture 1713 or 1714 [blue fleck]
I call chalcolpyrite fools gold because only a fool will walk by it.

 

[DesertNuggets]

Does the gold areas shine change at different angles? If so I'd say pyritic.

 

[Barry-Goodknight]

I guess I'm gonna crush it and find out. Just not sure how I'm going to crush it thoroughly into an even powder yet.

I saw that blue metal looking specs too, had no idea what it was, there are a few of those specs.

 

[dieselram94]

I guess I'm gonna crush it and find out. Just not sure how I'm going to crush it thoroughly into an even powder yet.

I saw that blue metal looking specs too, had no idea what it was, there are a few of those specs.

Mortar and pestle...

 

[Gold007]

I believe that is pyrite. I found some rocks like that, that had a ''gold'' appearance. Where did you find that rock? in a creek bed? in bedrock? Gold doesn't embed it self in rocks. Gold is heavy and soft.

Here is an picture example... keep in mind that this rock looks just like yours. Sorry to bust your bubble but I think you have been fooled. ''Fools Gold"