Gold?

[utah mason]

Take a look a this pic, sorry I need better loop. This is from some quartz i crushed with heavy mineralization. I classified it thru a -70 mesh though most was dust. acts like gold in the pan, but is dull looking (compared to the gold I usually get in the area) There are silver mines several ridge's over. Is this a high silver content gold? Or something else. It doesn't have a cubic looking matrix, it's just not as bright as I would expect. I'll go out in the sunlight tomorrow and get some better pictures.

 

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[utah mason]

The color is a little off, this is a blue pan

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

Looks chunky like it should be in ore. The color looks right. Take a piece out and hit it with a hammer should flatten. If it flakes apart it's pyrite. Good luck

 

[austin]

What he said up above. Looks good. Not sure pyrite would have stayed there after panning. Solution---take it somewhere and try to buy something...

 

[dave wiseman]

The pics aren't the best,but it looks like the real stuff.

 

[KevinInColorado]

You win! Now go get some more my friend!

 

[utah mason]

You win! Now go get some more my friend!

It definitely looked like gold in the pan. There was just a bit more in there then I was expecting. The two rocks I crushed were just slightly smaller then golf balls. Here's a picture of the other 3 I have yet to crush. I'll try and do it today. I'll definitely go and grab some more. The creek is still covered in snow, but hillside I got these from is south facing. I'm hoping it's snow free. I'll take a drive up there tomorrow and find out.

 

[utah mason]

Here's the pic

 

[kcm]

Yep, take one of the pieces and hit it with a hammer. If it shatters, not gold. If it flattens, QUICK GO AND CLAIM THAT AREA!!

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

What he said up above. Looks good. Not sure pyrite would have stayed there after panning. Solution---take it somewhere and try to buy something...

Lol go try an buy something lol. That was funny. I can picture him going into a store and dumping it out on the counter for a 6 pack and a bag of chips.

 

[smokeythecat]

KCM is right, pyrite shatters, gold flattens.

 

[utah mason]

It's pretty darn small stuff and not much. I'm going to crush the other 3 rocks pile it together put it on sledge hammer face and give it a whack with another hammer. I'm thinking something like a single jack or something similar with some weight behind it

 

[KevinInColorado]

It's pretty darn small stuff and not much. I'm going to crush the other 3 rocks pile it together put it on sledge hammer face and give it a whack with another hammer. I'm thinking something like a single jack or something similar with some weight behind it

Yikes no!! Sounds like a way to send it flying in all directions!

Instead try pressing down on one piece with a knife blade. Shatters= pyrite. Cuts or dents = gold!!

 

[kcm]

Thanks Smokey, but I was simply repeating what HGSO stated in Post #3.


It's pretty darn small stuff and not much. I'm going to crush the other 3 rocks pile it together put it on sledge hammer face and give it a whack with another hammer. I'm thinking something like a single jack or something similar with some weight behind it
Kevin is right - the pieces would go flying. You could easily lose most of your gold. Best idea would be to take a short piece of steel pipe with a cap that is large enough for the rocks to go into 1 at a time. Use a long, steel rod to crush in the pipe. An alternative (just for a quick sampling) would be to wrap the rocks up (again, 1 at a time) in a couple layers of cloth, then smash with a hammer. There's still a chance that the cloth will rip/tear and that you'd lose material, but certainly more protection than using nothing.

The reason to smash each rock individually is so you can find out what to keep your eyes open for. Smash/crush one rock, sample, and take notes of your finds. Then move to the next rock. You'll soon learn which rocks to haul home.

 

[utah mason]

Ok sounds good thanks should have said tap instead of whack. Was thinking something heavy so I could smash without having to swing hard. I'll crush each rock separate and try to smash with knife. Knife edge or flat of knife?

 

[kcm]

In my last post, I was referring to the 3 rocks in your pan, post #8 - use a hammer

As for the tiny pieces in your pan in the OP, you can use a knife (side or back of blade), use a pair of pliers, or hit with a hammer - preferably one with a smooth face. Hitting one tiny piece, it may scatter everywhere, but you're just sampling one tiny speck. ...Maybe use pliers? That'd be easier, I'd think. Regardless which way you choose, if it flattens, it's gold. If it shatters, it's pyrite. I'll guess it's gold.