How to handle this gold ore sample

[KevinInColorado]

So yesterday I dropped a bunch of cool rocks off at a friend's house. Like many of us (I bet), I bring home petrified wood and other cool stuff I spot in the course of prospecting. My friend has 20 inch diamond saw to cut slabs and he also makes points (arrows, spears, etc) via traditional means.

Anyway, as a surprise thank you, he gave me some elk steaks and a cool ore sample from a hard rock mine in AZ.
View attachment 1267704
...this is the chunk with its nice smooth surface from the rock saw.
View attachment 1267705
...here's an iPhone close-up where you can see the gold crystals!
View attachment 1267706
...and here's one using a macro lens.

I'd like some advice on what to do with this rock. I'm inclined to soak it in an acid to expose more gold but that might lead to just having a little pile of tiny individual crystals. Thoughts?

 

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[rockbar]

Kevin, sounds like a great friend and that's a cool specimen.
By the looks of it, it isn't something you would slab and cab for jewelry. I don't think it would be a piece to do the acid treatment to, either.
Although I haven't messed with hydrofluoric, it's usually done with specimens that have large concentrations of crystalline gold.

That piece is a nice cabinet size specimen and has value for that reason. If it were mine, I'd get the small gold to "pop" a little more by firmly placing the cut face on a flat lap with a 100-220 grit diamond wheel a couple times, just for a few seconds. This just smears that fine gold a little and makes it easier to see.
Then, I'd create a little label for it and display it. Since someone gave it to you, you might consider using a trim saw and cutting the piece in half and send half of it back to your buddy for him to enjoy.
Just ideas. I love rocks… especially if they have some yellow in them.

 

[TAKODA]

To me .... if a piece has enough show on it for me to not crush it out I just clean
it up good and leave it be . The acid etch work can make for some nice looking stuff
no doubt , but it can ruin stuff too . Your piece don't look like one I would try the
acid work on myself ....... but that's just my opinion , I'm certainly no expert on the
etching technique .

 

[Oakview2]

If the gold were bigger I would cab it, or just keep it as a conversation piece after cleaning. I really like the idea of cutting it in half and sending such a good buddy a keepsake

 

[njcommercialdiver]

id leave it as is, its a nice specimen rock

 

[hvacker]

I might want to go back and scoop up your friend and go back to where ever that rock came from.