Help I think I found gold but I am to new to this....

[Ashman]

Thanks to my brother I have spent almost a year metal detecting and have had a complete blast with all of our hunts together. He has been banging on my head to join this forum and has had nothing but great things to say about treasurenet so here I am.

Recently 5 weeks ago my wife and I relocated from the Virginia Beach, Virginia to Sun City, California and it has been in experience to say the least.

I have been trying to learn about places to go and ended up in the San Bernardino National Forest talking to a ranger and learning about the laws and places I can go hunt. This is when I learned more about GOLD PANNING and just how much fun it can be.

I just joined GPA and I went to a claim that is close to where I live and thought this will be easy, dug up some dirt and started classifying it.

Holy %$#$ I think I see gold in my pan, well I was wrong so I thought. I even tested some and yep it’s gold. But the little nuggets are very dull looking not the shiny butter colored I was told they should be.

Then I also see 100’s or more tiny flakes in my pan. There is some black sand but not like I have seen on some videos.
Fool’s gold and how to tell the difference?

I have been told things like real gold color will not change when you move from side to side that fool’s gold will have color variations, well on tiny flakes and specs the colors are hard to tell for me somewhat, hell it all looks like gold, lol….

Also real gold will not float that it will stay on the bottom, ok I have seen the different flakes float to the top those are is easy to spot, but what about all those tiny specs on the bottom. Hey if its real gold specs there I want them. The way I see it at the end of the month it all adds up.

If I do have real gold how can I clean it up better and how and where can I sell it?

I am completely new to all this and I am really looking for any kind of help I can get.

Also maybe I am not testing my gold right but here is a pic of a couple flakes with the 22k acid.


Also here is short video of whats in my pan, this is after using my sucker bottle 5-6 times, as you can see there is some sand with it as well. Still learning how to separate the sand from the gold....

 

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[Goodyguy]

Check to see if you can break it under the point of a knife. Gold wont break, only bend or flatten out when struck with a hard object such as by a nail punch struck with a hammer.

 

[Ashman]

Thank you for the reply back.

Most of what is in the pan is more like flakes that are paper thin and when I press down on them they almost seem soft and I can cut the flake in half by pressing down on it but it does not really break but as thin as they are it would seem like they wouldn’t be able to break.

 

[Goodyguy]

Thank you for the reply back.

Most of what is in the pan is more like flakes that are paper thin and when I press down on them they almost seem soft and I can cut the flake in half by pressing down on it but it does not really break but as thin as they are it would seem like they wouldn’t be able to break.

Can you crush them into pieces with something blunt like a nail head?

 

[onfire]

loo when you find the real thingks like mica to me. to much movement. au seems to stay put when moving your pan But who knows All I can say you'll know

 

[Ashman]

@ Goodguy: No I tried that and when I do it just gets flatter and almost smears the gold kind of makes it look more like the picture above on the test stone.

I was looking at Mid-States Recycling who was referred from someone else. Do you know anything about them or maybe someone else, the reason I ask is I would assume you can send in a small amount for them to test or take a look at or am I way off base here?

I just hate the thought of thinking I have a few grams or more and taking all the time to keep separating it only to find I was fooled by the fool’s gold, when I could be out looking in other areas for the real stuff, lol.

@ Onfire: I agree with you on there is a lot of movement; I can almost make a line where the water stops and start from rocking back forth but that is with about 20% of the material.

I know it’s a complete guessing game when posting “Hey can anyone tell me if this real”, lol. Which is why I was wondering if there is a trust worthy company that people can send samples to have looked at.

 

[2screwed]

You could take it down to your local mining supply store or to a GPAA member that lives nearby. I'm sure they could tell you.

 

[Astrobouncer]

It really behaves like mica in the pan.

 

[Goodyguy]

I just zoomed in on your picture of the test stone......... definitely mica! sorry.

GG~

 

[Ashman]

Ah no worries glad to have a answer anyway and thanks for all your help... Now I need to go find some more to play with

 

[Goodyguy]

Once you find some real gold flakes or nuggets you will no longer be fooled .... It's that big of a difference!

Now go get the real thing and show us a photo

GG~

 

[Hickory1]

I too am new to this site. My interest is specifically gold panning...prospecting.

When you were told to move your pan side to side that is not a indicator of gold. I think what the person who told you this meant was to shadow the "find" with your hand, if it remains gold in color...this is a good sign. When you speak of gold floating this tells me that it is not gold since gold is much heavier and should if panning correctly remain with your black sands at the bottom of your pan.

Using a needle used for sewing attempt to dent or scratch your "find". If it is gold it will bend and if you scratch it it will have the scratch indented in it; gold is very soft and will show signs of any scratching or denting test you do. Pyrite will break, any fools gold will. If you have a non glazed tile (available at hardware stores), you can conduct the streak test.....if it shows white to yellow on this tile, another good indicator. Pyrites or "fools gold" will streak according to it's classification.

Take a magnet, a good one....this will help you remove the black sands since they are magnetic....gold is not and your find, if gold should remain nicely in the pan.

If you research online you will find out how to sell your "find" if it is in fact gold.

Crossing my fingers for you......

 

[Ashman]

Just wanted to post an update from my quest in finding gold, I was able to get out to east fork a couple times and yep what a difference real gold in your pan looks like from that video I posted above. I have also met a few people who have been more than willing to show me a few things and stop some bad habits I was already starting develop.

I am set back a little by the kindness I have seen in the gold prospecting world. It’s kind of funny I have been mostly metal detecting over the last year and recently since I moved to the west coast I have learned about and have got more into prospecting the old traditional ways (lot more hard labor, ouch my back).

Maybe it was just me but in metal detecting people are very tight lipped about places to go but I in gold prospecting folks are more out to share information or at least that is what I have come across while out in the wild. Hell there was even a couple guys that invited me to pull dirt from their hole they were working. I appreciated the invite but just could not do it, felt like I was intruding but neither the less it was very cool of them to make the offer and even more cool of them because I could see some color in their sluice box.

Of course I know there are plenty of spots I will never hear about because it can be what some call a money hole it has still been a great experience thus far.



Here is a pic of my recent finding can’t wait to get out and hit it again.

Also I posted this pic under "What is it ?". Still no clue what it is but looks pretty cool anyway,,,

 

[B H Prospector]

Welcome Ashman,
Glad to hear your expieriances with fellow miners has been good. They are a generous and fun group of people. A word of warning. Gold does float. The small flake gold will float due to water tension. If panning at home in a tub put a couple of drops of jet dry in the water. It will stop the water tension. Glad to see you got some real gold.

Good Luck!!

B H Prospector

 

[Ashman]

Going out to play in the river tomorrow, fingers crossed ....

 

[Bianca74]

@ Ashman.... the rock looks like pumice, maybe?

 

[TerryC]

Ashman, welcome to the Net! You did a good job on the video. Still too much brown sand and too much water to "look" for gold. Reduce the cons by snuffering up what is obviously gold then dump the sand. Do this a few times to reduce the cons/gold ratios. Also, reduce the water when checking out the stuff in the pan. "Roll" the contents of the pan round and round, slowly. The gold will tend to "lag" behind the rest of the stuff. That is to say, if you roll it around counterclockwise, the gold will be on the right. Gold will not "rise" to the top and float. But it will get up above the water tension, as others have mentioned, and get away on you. Simply "daub" it with a finger to knock it down to the bottom. One more thing, if you have very little water in the pan, with wet sides, you can get the gold to "climb" up onto the pan side by gently rapping the side of the pan, taking the gold up and out of the mess.... easier to get into the vial. Some of my tips I have learned here on the net and am passing on to you. Stick around; these guys and gals here will help you out! Good luck. TTC

 

[roymonster]

I too am new to this site. My interest is specifically gold panning...prospecting.

When you were told to move your pan side to side that is not a indicator of gold. I think what the person who told you this meant was to shadow the "find" with your hand, if it remains gold in color...this is a good sign. When you speak of gold floating this tells me that it is not gold since gold is much heavier and should if panning correctly remain with your black sands at the bottom of your pan.

Using a needle used for sewing attempt to dent or scratch your "find". If it is gold it will bend and if you scratch it it will have the scratch indented in it; gold is very soft and will show signs of any scratching or denting test you do. Pyrite will break, any fools gold will. If you have a non glazed tile (available at hardware stores), you can conduct the streak test.....if it shows white to yellow on this tile, another good indicator. Pyrites or "fools gold" will streak according to it's classification.

Take a magnet, a good one....this will help you remove the black sands since they are magnetic....gold is not and your find, if gold should remain nicely in the pan.

If you research online you will find out how to sell your "find" if it is in fact gold.

Crossing my fingers for you......

Word of wisdom: put the magnet inside a zip lock bag. Remove magnet from bag onece OUTSIDE of bag gets full of Black sand .
Hope it helps.
(Rare earth magnets work best BUT WATCH YOUR FINGERS!! )

 

[roymonster]

Thanks to my brother I have spent almost a year metal detecting and have had a complete blast with all of our hunts together. He has been banging on my head to join this forum and has had nothing but great things to say about treasurenet so here I am.

Recently 5 weeks ago my wife and I relocated from the Virginia Beach, Virginia to Sun City, California and it has been in experience to say the least.

I have been trying to learn about places to go and ended up in the San Bernardino National Forest talking to a ranger and learning about the laws and places I can go hunt. This is when I learned more about GOLD PANNING and just how much fun it can be.

I just joined GPA and I went to a claim that is close to where I live and thought this will be easy, dug up some dirt and started classifying it.

Holy %$#$ I think I see gold in my pan, well I was wrong so I thought. I even tested some and yep it’s gold. But the little nuggets are very dull looking not the shiny butter colored I was told they should be.

Then I also see 100’s or more tiny flakes in my pan. There is some black sand but not like I have seen on some videos.
Fool’s gold and how to tell the difference?

I have been told things like real gold color will not change when you move from side to side that fool’s gold will have color variations, well on tiny flakes and specs the colors are hard to tell for me somewhat, hell it all looks like gold, lol....

Also real gold will not float that it will stay on the bottom, ok I have seen the different flakes float to the top those are is easy to spot, but what about all those tiny specs on the bottom. Hey if its real gold specs there I want them. The way I see it at the end of the month it all adds up.

If I do have real gold how can I clean it up better and how and where can I sell it?

I am completely new to all this and I am really looking for any kind of help I can get.

Also maybe I am not testing my gold right but here is a pic of a couple flakes with the 22k acid.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=625566"/>

Also here is short video of whats in my pan, this is after using my sucker bottle 5-6 times, as you can see there is some sand with it as well. Still learning how to separate the sand from the gold....
Video Link: http://youtu.be/QKlfmQR44sU

Great video. Be careful getting it out of the sand gold pool float right away!

 

[Jack Hamilton]

Hi Ashman. I live in Wildomar, just across the valley from you. First, just want to congratulate you on finding your first real gold. Its a great feeling. Also, wanted to give you a heads up. If you would like to meet more people and learn from a variety there is a local club that is a GPAA chapter. Free to join as well. They meet the second saturday of each month and have outings the third saturday. Club is called the Temecula Valley Prospectors. Honestly there are a bunch of clubs in so-cal but this one is free and close to home. Real nice folks.Anyways- Best of luck out there, maybe we'll meet up some day.