So all you self taught or real geologists out there. Been running into some research issues, Is it uncommon to find cinnabar with copper ore?? Been looking and cant get much. Tia
Question about Geology
- Thread starter Doc4261
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Matthew Roberts
Bronze Member
Doc4261,
Yes and no. It all depends on the percentage of mercury in the cinnabar. Cinnabar can contain up to almost 90% mercury. Low grade cinnabar will contain calcite, pyrite, silica, bitumen but rarely be found with other, metallic minerals. The higher the grade the more likely it will be associated with sulphur, bismuth, arsenic, silver, gold and copper.
Yes and no. It all depends on the percentage of mercury in the cinnabar. Cinnabar can contain up to almost 90% mercury. Low grade cinnabar will contain calcite, pyrite, silica, bitumen but rarely be found with other, metallic minerals. The higher the grade the more likely it will be associated with sulphur, bismuth, arsenic, silver, gold and copper.
- Thread starter
- #3
Here is a pic of some out in the Sups. Epithermal. But the copper had me. Will get some better pics, but some gold also.
View attachment 1871136View attachment 1871139
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Matthew Roberts
Bronze Member
Doc4261,
This looks like a redeposit, the original episode in place then was altered by subsequent vulcanism. That is why the minerals appear scrambled, the second episode cooled quickly not allowing the minerals to complete percipitation. Yes there is some rich gold in that sample. I would guess any cinnabar associated would be very rich also, 70% Hg or better.
This looks like a redeposit, the original episode in place then was altered by subsequent vulcanism. That is why the minerals appear scrambled, the second episode cooled quickly not allowing the minerals to complete percipitation. Yes there is some rich gold in that sample. I would guess any cinnabar associated would be very rich also, 70% Hg or better.
Matthew Roberts
Bronze Member
Doc4261,
Very nice sample. You certainly have fairly rich cinnabar HgS, a sulfide. And Au native gold and copper malachite. What I would be most interested in however would be the quantity of Au2S gold sulfide which you may not realize is present. The gold sulfide would be in the process of degrading to Au and could be the most valuable mineral in the deposit. I would get it analyzed. Not assayed, ...... analyzed.
Very nice sample. You certainly have fairly rich cinnabar HgS, a sulfide. And Au native gold and copper malachite. What I would be most interested in however would be the quantity of Au2S gold sulfide which you may not realize is present. The gold sulfide would be in the process of degrading to Au and could be the most valuable mineral in the deposit. I would get it analyzed. Not assayed, ...... analyzed.
- Thread starter
- #7
So is the dark crystals just sulfide with whatever it bonded to? I thought it was all copper sulfide but the cinnebar. Thanks for your invaluable knowledge. Helps me understand the location I've been chasing. Understand why there would be a mine there ,just haven't found it yet. Ps. Any good place to get them analyzed? Know of one in Prescott, not cheap tho.
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i would do it for you but i don't analyze mercury ores...i know another guy in phoenix with an xrf...i'll see if i can find his number for you
Matthew Roberts
Bronze Member
Doc4261,
CRM Industries in Mesa is good but works mostly with fire assay. May be the cheapest and willing to work with you on specific requests.
Copper State Lab in Prescott good also and will do detailed analysis to your specs.
Skyline Lab in Tucson also good and will analyze to requested specifications.
CRM Industries in Mesa is good but works mostly with fire assay. May be the cheapest and willing to work with you on specific requests.
Copper State Lab in Prescott good also and will do detailed analysis to your specs.
Skyline Lab in Tucson also good and will analyze to requested specifications.
- Thread starter
- #10
Thanks, Copper State Lab in Prescott is the one I knew. Couple hundred bux a piece. Not really up to spend that for a deposit I cant claim. Have about 10 different samples from different outcroppings in same area. So u can see would be expensive. But might get one or 2 to just get some answers anyways. I had thought of fire assay as they are cheaper, but glad u informed me not to go that route.
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Matthew Roberts
Bronze Member
All sulfides are sulfer, S, compounded with the copper, silver, gold, mercury, etc. So the dark black you see is its own mineral, probably zinc or lead again compounded with its own sulfide. In a metallic mineral like gold the sulphide, sulfer, will decay and degrade to native gold Au.
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- #12
Again your knowledge is invaluable, I would of expected where this is located to be the top of the epithermal deposit, as how high up it is. But knowing the base metals are below the gold and silver zone. Have to rethink this, or it really is an anomaly. I thought the other 3 mines expected below would be in the gold and silver zone. More to ponder.. Thanks again my friend. Truly awesome info. Ps. The jumbled mess on your one reply makes sense now as it is in an area I believe to be a fault line.
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wrmickel1
Bronze Member
mick...what is Gun.crieto.com?
wrmickel1
Bronze Member
Ohh my mistake, Fatfingered
Gum.crieto.com
Its usually a locked website. That’s where the pic’s come from.
There not Doc’s Pic’s The guy who own’s the pic’s is a dashing fellow from North Dakota.
Me
Babymick1
still goes to the same site..some dating site
- Thread starter
- #18
There right here. If ya want them send me your address Babymick1. I'll give them to ya as long as u promise to stick them up yo azz. I can always get more...View attachment 1871322
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