Swift Silver??

[PirateLabs]

I had these 2 pieces tested at work today with the electronic gun that shows the % of each element present. We had talked about this earlier and I finally tracked the right guy down.
The large 11 oz piece showed 80% Lead, 12% Antimony, 6% Silver and less than 1% Zinc.
The 3 oz piece shows 79% Zinc, 19% Silver, 1% Antimony.

What do yall think this suggests, I had never heard of Antimony, and have heard of Zinc but dont know anything about it. Gonna do some research but Im excited to see where these unexpected results lead me.

Antimony is used as a lead replacement in fishing weights and it has been around for years in this application. I have seen fellows growing antimony crystals in Youtube videos but I have no idea what other forms, if any, it appears in nature.

Bill

 

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[KY Hiker]

I wonder if its used in other lead applications like wheel balancing weights or toy soldier / metal figures ? Fishing weights makes sense with the lake nearby where it was found. But why would there be silver and zinc in fishing weights?

 

[franklin]

I wonder if its used in other lead applications like wheel balancing weights or toy soldier / metal figures ? Fishing weights makes sense with the lake nearby where it was found. But why would there be silver and zinc in fishing weights?

Most of those metals are by-products of coal burning or the making of coke for making steel. And some of it comes arsenic in the coal. But finding that much in weighing amounts is difficult to explain?

 

[Brushy Bandit]

May never know but I believe that at some point time in history or at different points lead has been mined in this area, a smelter set up and these pieces were left behind. There is silver in the lead/antimony/zinc ore but not at a profitable level. It all goes together with the storys I've heard locally. There is for sure mines there seems pretty safe at this point to say they're lead mines. As is often the case there are small amounts of silver in the lead.

 

[KY Hiker]

May never know but I believe that at some point time in history or at different points lead has been mined in this area, a smelter set up and these pieces were left behind. There is silver in the lead/antimony/zinc ore but not at a profitable level. It all goes together with the storys I've heard locally. There is for sure mines there seems pretty safe at this point to say they're lead mines. As is often the case there are small amounts of silver in the lead.

I know this is not anything anyone wants to hear, but in the context of time, back then salt, lead and powder were the most valuable things to keep you alive. As a pioneer with creeks everywhere water was easy to get. Food was plentiful at first with game, buffalo especially. But to get that food required powder and lead AND to know where the licks were because that is where the game would go. Silver would be secondary (a bi-product) to finding sources for lead. The silver only had value back East, but when you have to eat and defend yourself, lead had more value or usefulness. No one was making silver bullets! Until the settlements became larger most people probably traded on the frontier.

 

[PirateLabs]

I know this is not anything anyone wants to hear, but in the context of time, back then salt, lead and powder were the most valuable things to keep you alive. As a pioneer with creeks everywhere water was easy to get. Food was plentiful at first with game, buffalo especially. But to get that food required powder and lead AND to know where the licks were because that is where the game would go. Silver would be secondary (a bi-product) to finding sources for lead. The silver only had value back East, but when you have to eat and defend yourself, lead had more value or usefulness. No one was making silver bullets! Until the settlements became larger most people probably traded on the frontier.

Excellent point! The same could probably be said for gold in the early days. If you are a long way from civilization, what good is it? You needed survival items first. Water, food, shelter, etc. After that, then some gold would be great for when you get back to civilization, but you have to be alive to do that.

 

[rgb1]

hope i can shed some light on this subject / ? sterling silver is 10% cu not pure if this has been properly tested it will show the cu i have found three of swift silver mines guess what the silver is very pure with very little impurities i know i will be laughed at and criticized however after 65 years of educating my self i have learned a lot . i totally agree it is rare to find silver in a near pure state however under the circumstances of eastern geology it is a fact all geology is based on western geology the east is basickly the same it is very different unless you have the knowledge you would not understand . rgb1

 

[franklin]

hope i can shed some light on this subject / ? sterling silver is 10% cu not pure if this has been properly tested it will show the cu i have found three of swift silver mines guess what the silver is very pure with very little impurities i know i will be laughed at and criticized however after 65 years of educating my self i have learned a lot . i totally agree it is rare to find silver in a near pure state however under the circumstances of eastern geology it is a fact all geology is based on western geology the east is basickly the same it is very different unless you have the knowledge you would not understand . rgb1

Sterling silver is 92.5 silver the other 7.5 is mostly copper but it can be at least four or five other metals to make the silver metal harder. All sterling today is marked 92.5 to show it is sterling silver. As far as you finding three of Swift's mines? After 65 years then you should be very rich.

 

[KY Hiker]

hope i can shed some light on this subject / ? sterling silver is 10% cu not pure if this has been properly tested it will show the cu i have found three of swift silver mines guess what the silver is very pure with very little impurities i know i will be laughed at and criticized however after 65 years of educating my self i have learned a lot . i totally agree it is rare to find silver in a near pure state however under the circumstances of eastern geology it is a fact all geology is based on western geology the east is basickly the same it is very different unless you have the knowledge you would not understand . rgb1

Then you would certainly have pictures to back up your claim? Maybe even pictures of the silver found and/or the mines themselves?

 

[rgb1]

you think its easy first you need a title search back to the land grant then you need a lease or clear title to the land if you finally get this then you can start your mining it has been a long journey im about there if my health holds out not only will start mining i will share with everyone on treasure net all information my biggest hurdle has been funds to do the the things ineeded to do

 

[franklin]

That is always the biggest problem. You can be poor and find treasure but you have to be already rich to recover them. I wish you luck. I have been in the poor house for so long waiting on my rich uncle to show up.

 

[KY Hiker]

you think its easy first you need a title search back to the land grant then you need a lease or clear title to the land if you finally get this then you can start your mining it has been a long journey im about there if my health holds out not only will start mining i will share with everyone on treasure net all information my biggest hurdle has been funds to do the the things ineeded to do

A title search can be down by any decent title company (law firm) for a few hundred dollars. I would think you would need mineral rights as well.

 

[KY Hiker]

That is always the biggest problem. You can be poor and find treasure but you have to be already rich to recover them. I wish you luck. I have been in the poor house for so long waiting on my rich uncle to show up.

You'll notice that, almost all the time, people pursue there dreams and find wealth. Wealth rarely finds people.

 

[Brushy Bandit]

You guys got any other ideas about the 2 silver pieces? What do y'all think bout meteorite?

 

[franklin]

You guys got any other ideas about the 2 silver pieces? What do y'all think bout meteorite?

I would rule out meteorite. I believe you have some slag from some worked silver ore in the area. Check it out you should be able to find the source.

 

[KY Hiker]

You guys got any other ideas about the 2 silver pieces? What do y'all think bout meteorite?

Most meteorite is black in color and has a high iron content. Some of the metals contained in your samples would not survive entering the atmosphere. They would have burned off before they hit the ground.

 

[rgb1]

my 2 cents worth what appears as yellow coloration appears to as possible au in swift times au and ag were seperated by rabbleing in sodium chloride [salt] chlorine will unite with silver and skimmed off top of gold as a chloride gold does not combine with chlorine thus puerifacation takes place both for the gold and silver then gold poured and silver resmelted with less impurites rgb1

 

[rgb1]

it could easily be done with forced air and charcoal under these conditions it burns around 2900 degrees rgb1

 

[rgb1]

looks like a mule shoe not open enough for horse rgb1

 

[Brushy Bandit]

About to get laid off for the fall and first part of winter. I'm gonna hit it hard guys. Coppermocasins will all be holed up and I've lots of places on my list, but 2 that keep popping out at me. Hopefully they'll reveal some answers or maybe more questions.