Is’t GOLD...

[theEmmaPearl]

I’ve posted a few pics in “What’s This” thread. This “rock” is HEAVY. Gold to Yellowish brass type color. A few have said chalcopyrite, but I cannot find anywhere any samples of such mineral in such size and weight. It’s well over 5 pounds. The color is brighter inside (I broke off a small piece to confirm it wasn’t manmade). It was found in Mt. Vernon, Ny in a demolished garden wall. It was the only stone of its kind in a 2 ton pile that was discarded. I’ve also got many other off stones / or possible fossils I’ll be posting soon. I’d love to get some insight on this first. Any help is greatly appreciated... pics coming now.

 

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[theEmmaPearl]

 

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[fuss]

First of all, congrats on the awesome finds! what a great group of interesting items. All of these came from the same location? wow if so. I think that the large rock is massive pyrite which though not as valuable as gold is still a nice treasure. You can do a few basic tests on it to confirm, scratch, streak, specific gravity etc..

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

That looks like Pyrite to me as well...just a HUGE piece of it. Very cool find!

 

[stdenis_jd]

if you do a streak test it should show up black on a streak - rub it on unglazed porcelain or the underside of a toilet tank lid and it will produce a streak. Actual gold will leave a gold streak, pyrite/chalcopyrite will leave a black-grey streak. Many minerals will leave a color different from what you expect, like black hematite will streak red for instance.

But yeah it's either pyrite or chalcopyrite

 

[theEmmaPearl]

Thanks guys!!! It’s made me a bit nuts since I’ve had it. I carry the smaller stone on me for “luck” when I go out picking.. And it’s always been a good day since!!! No joke.
I just cannot for the life of me find an example of pyrite or chalco that is this large and 100% the SAME ROCK throughout.. If this is out of a vein of pyrite or chalcopyrite, it would be a vein of MASSIVE size. I would think a vein of stunning rock like this would be a well known place and have many more known examples?... I brought it to my jeweler once to look at and had to PAY HIM!!! It cracked the fargin showcase!!

 

[theEmmaPearl]

He also still thinks I spray painted it very well... But that for certain is not the case! Lol... I’ve learned to believe it is pyrite and or chalcopyrite, I just can’t find an example such as this anywhere!!
If one wanted to purchase a 7.5 lb solid piece of pyrite/chalcopyrite, where would one acquire such a piece?...

 

[theEmmaPearl]

Streak is dark dark grey to blackish.
I have my own acid test kit and I ruled gold out long ago... (via the scratch test) But, is it possibly an ore of Gold?

 

[3xflyfisher]

Many times gold is associated with pyrite/chalcopyrite. The gold typically is finely disseminated through out the sulfide minerals (the pyrite and chalcopyrite) and thus is not visible to the naked eye. It gave the old time miners many headaches trying to recover the gold!

 

[meMiner]

Thanks guys!!! It’s made me a bit nuts since I’ve had it. I carry the smaller stone on me for “luck” when I go out picking.. And it’s always been a good day since!!! No joke.
I just cannot for the life of me find an example of pyrite or chalco that is this large and 100% the SAME ROCK throughout.. If this is out of a vein of pyrite or chalcopyrite, it would be a vein of MASSIVE size. I would think a vein of stunning rock like this would be a well known place and have many more known examples?... I brought it to my jeweler once to look at and had to PAY HIM!!! It cracked the fargin showcase!!

FYI Examples of massive pyrite are in this video:

 

[Eagleone1025]

Hit the small piece with a hammer. Put a towel over it first just in case. If it shatters. it's possibly pyrite. if it concaves (smooshes) it most likely is gold. However, if it is gold, you will have to turn it in to the Museum of New York due to the laws concerning ownership of all precious metals being that of the peoples of New York ( meaning the state). Confirm your findings first. I am in Putnam County and work through out Westchester and the city.

 

[Eagleone1025]

This guy is MeMiner. he has a lot of you tube videos on rock tumbling and such. Like most you tube videos he is kind of boring but he is very educational. it stinks that it is in Ontario and not New York. Just saying.