Shiny Rock in Quartz

[Spartan7MM]

So I'm new to the Forum, so far it seems great! I need help identifying this strange rock. The story: So I live in Australia and I went Metal Detecting around an old Tin Mine, while looking around I came across a small group of really shiny rocks around lots of Quartz. They are quite flaky but the one I collected was hard and in Quartz, or maybe the other way around, there is heaps of really small flakes of whatever it is, in the soil too, looking forward to finding out what it is!

Thank you!
Spartan

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

Try and take some pictures in natural light the flash is reflecting too much.

 

[Spartan7MM]

Sorry about that, here it is in natural light, I also included a flake from another rock

 

[Indian Steve]

Looks like mica to me. Break a piece off and hit it with a hammer. If it breaks into pieces, most likely mica. Gold will flatten out when hit. Good Luck.

 

[bigfoot1]

agreed...looks like muscovite mica.They use it as an abrasive in powdered cleaners like comet.another test is to apply saliva to a flake,if it turns dark its mica.brittle mineral

 

[kcm]

agreed...looks like muscovite mica.They use it as an abrasive in powdered cleaners like comet.another test is to apply saliva to a flake,if it turns dark its mica.brittle mineral

Learn something new every day here.

 

[Spartan7MM]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Glad I now know what it is. Doe's Mica indicate other minerals in the ground? Or is it something you'll find here and there?

 

[kcm]

Mica is found in many places in the world and sadly, is not an indicator of PM's.

Check out this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mica

There's a lot of info here - has been a real eye-opening day for me!

 

[austin]

There probably is pyrite(fool's gold) too as you mention a harder mineral...

 

[Spartan7MM]

Thanks for the link and info guys, helps heaps!