# "GoldBug University". Ore photo's, tips, hints, etc.



## Richard36

By reading the landscape it is possible to locate enriched areas of economic minerals.

These enriched areas are always in a zone that has gone through some grade of Hydrothermal alteration, 
Which is the process of magmattic gasses mixing with the water present within the melt to create acidic solutions that dissolve all metallic, and nonmetallic minerals at depth, and redeposit them close to the surface by precipitating out from solution as the pressure and temperature decreases. Oxides form toward the end of the cooling cycle, and sulfides form early while water is still present. 

Indicator minerals to look for will be those that have a melting point + or - 500F of the melting point of gold, if hunting gold, or of platinum, if you are hunting Pt.

With that being said,
Stream drainage patterns are directly related to the underlying rock of any given region, and reflect the type of geologic activity that took place there in the disstant past.

I will focus on one.
That pattern is the "Dendritic Stream/River Drainage Pattern".

Here are a few photo's.




These river drainage patterns are associated with compression created by folliation in the mountain building process, as is the case with the Cascade and Rocky Mountain Ranges.

These ranges were created by Uplift, and Compression as the Continental Plate slid over the Oceanic Plate.
This process generates great heat at depth which melts all material Subducted as it gets close to the Upper Mantle.

This Crustal Material is a wet material full of water.

This water is converted to steam, which then combines with the gasses within the melt to create various acids that dissolve all minerals within the melting Crustal Material, and the overlying rock as it makes its way to the surface, which redeposits its mineral load as it makes its way upward as stated earlier.

This Meteoric Water is also necessary for the magma to differentiate into the various Rock Types, Which are the Host Rock(S) for the various minerals, some of which are magmatic, forming within the melt itself, while others form from Hydrothermal solutions Created by the pressence of water within the melt.

I will focus on those minerals created by Hydrothermal solutions.

These minerals are often associated with Granitic Rocks, and differentiation products thereof, because the intruding maggma supplies the heat, and the water necessary for overlying enriched deposits to have formed.
These Granitic Rocks are offten associated with Dendritic Stream Drainage Patterns, and therefore can be found simply by looking at a Topographic Map of the area that you intend to prospect. 

Pick areas with a Dendritic Drainage Pattern, and you will be in the correct zone to find Economicly Feasable Deposits of Metallic, and NonMetallic Minerals.

The remaider of this page is dedicated to Hard Rock Ores.
Page 2 Starts the explanation regarding locating, and working Various Placer Deposits.

Here are a few photo's of Granite, and related Field Structures to Look in.


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## Richard36

Here are a couple photo's of a closely related Rock Type.


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## Richard36

Here are few Field features to look in.


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## Harold_V

Richard36 said:


> Indicator minerals to look for will be those that have a melting point + or - 500F of the melting point of gold, if hunting gold, or of platinum, if you are hunting Pt.


Thanks for that bit of information. It helps me understand why certain elements are commonly found with others. 

Harold


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## Richard36

Metallic Ores produce various Colors as they oxidize, and therefore stain the Host Rock(s) that contain them.
These stains are called Gossans.

The following is a list of the various Gossan Colors.

Yellows, Browns, Maroons, and Reds = ... Various Iron Oxides.
Black = ........................................ Manganese Oxides.
Green = ....................................... Nickel
Greens and Blues = ........................... Copper Sulfides, Oxides, Carbonates, Etc.
Bright Yellow = ................................ Molybdenum
Waxy Green = ................................. Native Silver, or Silver Chloride.
Oranges and Yellows = ....................... Arsenic
Pinks and Purples = ........................... Cobalt

Here are a couple of Outcrop Photo's.
One showing Gossan Colors, and One without.





The following is a list of Rock Types, and Metal Associations.

Granite = ........................... Gold and Silver. 
Olivine Gabbro = ................... Platinum, Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt and Iron.
Dunite = ............................. Platinum and Chromium.
Peridotite/Peridotite Dunite = ... Nickel, Chromite, and Platinum.
Serpentinite = ...................... Platinum

The Following is a list of Gemstone, and Rock Type Associations.

Almandine = ......... Diorite, Hornfels, and Schist.
Andradite = .......... Granite Pegmatites, Carbonates, Hornfels, and Skarn.
Grossular = .......... Skarn, Marble, and Hornfels
Pyrope = .............. Peridote Dunite, and Gabbro.
Spessartine = ........ Granite Pegmatites, and Blue Schist.
Uvarovite = .......... Serpentinite, and Peridote Dunite.
Corundum = .......... Syenite, Nepheline Syenite Pegmatite, Hornfels, and Gneiss.
Beryl = ................ Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
Tourmaline = ......... Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
Spinel = ............... Hornfels, Marble, and Gabbro.
Topaz = ............... Granite pegmatites.
Zircon = ............... Granite Pegmatites, Diorite, Nepheline Syenite, and Carbonatite.


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## 2002valkyrie

Great post!


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## Richard36

Richard36 said:


> Here are few Field features to look in.


 
I missed a few of my Photo's. 
Here are a few more structures to look in.






Here are a few more photo's of Granite.


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## Richard36




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## Oz

Is it just me? The pictures do not expand when I click on them.


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## g_axelsson

Richard36 said:


> Indicator minerals to look for will be those that have a melting point + or - 500F of the melting point of gold, if hunting gold, or of platinum, if you are hunting Pt.



Which minerals have a melting point +/- 500F from platinum?

My experience is that not only the temperature of the mineralization is important but even more the chemistry of surrounding rock.
One gold mine (Björkdalsgruvan) close to where I live have a mineralization that consisted of hydrothermal veins with scheelite and gold. The gold was more or less confined to the quartz veins running in a certain direction while crossing quartz veins were totally barren of gold.
The interesting part is that the gold bearing veins only contains gold where they pass through a zone with dark, high iron content rock (biotite-altered granodiorite). In the underlying zone with lighter rock with lower iron content there were no gold. The distance between barren and gold bearing in the same vein could be as close as tens of meters. Obviously the temperature couldn't differ so much but the chemistry did.

One of the geologists of Boliden AB once told me that gold was one of the more tricky ores to hunt, it appeared in so many different geological settings and environments and that there is a lot more we can learn about the geology of gold.

Btw, the Björkdal mine is the biggest gold mines in Northern Europe with a production of circa 1 ton of gold per year. Here is a sample of gold in quartz that I found there, picture width 6 cm.






/Göran


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## Richard36

g_axelsson said:


> Richard36 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Indicator minerals to look for will be those that have a melting point + or - 500F of the melting point of gold, if hunting gold, or of platinum, if you are hunting Pt.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which minerals have a melting point +/- 500F from platinum?
> 
> My experience is that not only the temperature of the mineralization is important but even more the chemistry of surrounding rock.
> 
> One of the geologists of Boliden AB once told me that gold was one of the more tricky ores to hunt, it appeared in so many different geological settings and environments and that there is a lot more we can learn about the geology of gold.
> /Göran
Click to expand...


Nickel, and Chromium minerals are associated with Platinum.
These minerals have high melting, and solidification temperatures.

Yes, 
The chemistry of the surounding rock often does play a part in where Gold Forms.
The high Iron content probably reacted with Sulfuric acid in the Hydrothermal fluids to produce Ferrous sulfate, Which is a precipitant for Gold, Thus causing it to drop out of solution.

On the other hand, 
Sulfur has to be present for for Coarse Gold to form, so the production of ferrous sulfate by the action of sulfuric acid with the Iron within the surounding rock created a situation where a sulfur compound was available for gold to collect.



Oz said:


> Is it just me? The pictures do not expand when I click on them.



Sorry Oz, This as good as it gets. They won't expand for me either.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Palladium

Great post Rick.


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## Richard36

The following is a list of Precious metal Ores, their Chemical Formulas, and Photo's of a few of them.

Acanthite ............................. Ag2S, 
Calaverite ............................ AuTe2, 
Sylvanite ............................. AuAgTe4, 
Pyrargyrite ........................... Ag3SbS3, 
Proustite ............................. Ag3AsS3, 
Chlorargyrite (cerargyrite) ......... AgCl, 
Polybasite ............................ (Ag,Cu)16Sb2S11, 
Boleite ................................ Pb9Ag3Cu8Cl21(OH)16*H2O, 
Moschellandsbergite ................. Ag2Hg3, 
Allargentum .......................... Ag1-xSbx, 
Dyserasite ............................ Ag3Sb, 
Hessite ................................ Ag2Te, 
Aguilarite ..............................Ag4SeS, 
Argyrodite ............................. Ag8GeS6, 
Stromeyerite .......................... AgCuS, 
Jalpaite ................................ Ag3CuS2, 
Freibergite ............................ (Ag,Cu,Fe)12(Sb,As)4S13, 
Sternbergite ........................... Ag2FeS3, 
Argentopyrite .......................... Ag2FeS3, 
Miargyrite .............................. AgSbS2, 
Nagyagite ............................... Pb5Au(Te,Sb)4S5-8, 
Krennerite .............................. AuTe2, 
Aurostibite ............................. AuSb2, 
Xanthoconite ........................... Ag3AsS3, 
Pyrostilpnite ............................ Ag3SbS3, 
Samsonite .............................. Ag4MnSb2S6, 
Pearceite ............................... Ag16As2S11, 
Andorite ................................ PbAgSb3S6, 
Stephanite .............................. Ag5SbS4, 
Freieslebenite .......................... AgPbSbS3, 
Diaphorite .............................. Pb2Ag3Sb3S3, 
Iodargyrite ............................. AgI, 
Sperrylite ............................... PtAs2, 
Geversite ............................... Pt(Sb,Bi)2,
Insizwaite ............................... Pt(Bi,Sb)2, 
Laurite .................................. RuS2, 
Erlichmanite ........................... OsS2, 
Gaotaiite ............................... Ir3Te8, 
Mayingite .............................. IrBiTe


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## Richard36

Here are a few more photos.


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## Richard36

Enjoy!


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## Richard36

Photo's ...


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## Richard36

More photo's.


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## Richard36

More Photo's.


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## Richard36

More photo's.


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## Richard36

More Photo's.


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## Richard36

More Photo's.


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## Richard36

Placer Prospecting.

Dendritic Drainage Pattern areas are also the areas to prospect for Placer Deposits of Native Gold, and Platinum.
Not just Hard Rock Ores.

For simplicity, I will refer to Gold only, but the same rules apply to prospecting for Placer Deposits of Platinum.

The ores containing Native Gold errode due to weathering, and as the encasing rock breaks down, it produces Eluvial Placer Deposits (Bench Placer). These deposits form on the slopes of hillsides where a depression or wide level spot occurs downslope of the erroding In Situ (In Place) Hard Rock Deposit from which the gold is erroding from.

Gold that works its way down slope to an area that is wide and flat produces an area known as an Aluvial Placer.
Dessert Areas are places where this type of deposit can be found, as well as areas that are predominantly Dry, whether hot or cold. They are most common in mild temperate areas with moderate rainfall that washes the gold down slope concentrating it in wide shallow depressions that fill with sediment washed into it by Runoff Water created by rainstorms.

The GoldFields of Ca. are a prime example of these two types of deposits. 

From this point, whether or not Eluvial Deposits, and/or Aluvial Deposits form, if a Hard Rock source of Gold exists upslope, the Gold is washed into WaterSheds (Runoff Water Drainage Systems), where it forms Stream or River Placers.

The following is an explanation on how to work these deposits.

When working gravel bars, 

Concentrate on those on the inside of a bend in a river. 
Bends at an angle of 45 - 75 degrees are the most productive. 
Of these types of bends, the ones flowing over bedrock, or over compacted clay, or clay and gravel Conglomerate are the best types of underlying ground for holding, and concentrating particles & nuggets of Gold, Silver, Platinum, and native Copper. 

Look for Quartz, Agates, and other silicate minerals, as well as Tire weights, fishing sinkers, nails, wire, Buckshot, etc. mixed in with the black sand within these bends. 

They are prime indicators that conditions are correct for precious metals to have been concentrated there. 
Sluice, pan, or dredge from the surface down in these areas. If you wish to dig, then do so, but make sure that you work all gravel from about 14 inches above the "Hardpan" (Rock or Clay soil River or stream bottom). 

Dig out Whirl Holes (Pot Holes) in the BedRock Bottoms of Stream Beds.
Pan, Sluice, or Dredge the material out of these depressions.
This material will often contain fine gold, and nuggetts, if Coarse Gold can be found in the region being prospected.

Cracks, and Crevices are a good place to look for Gold as well.
Dig, Break Open, Scratch or Scrape out the sediment from these, and pan it.

Cracks, and Crevices Parralell to the flow of water are the best to look in, as they seem to catch more Gold than Cracks, and Crevices that cross the flow of water.

I have never found any that cross the flow of water at an angle, but would like to. The down stream 1/3 of a crevice like that would contain concentrated values that fell into it, then aggitated along the bottom of the Crack, or Crevice untill it reached the down stream end, and lodged there.

RootWadds from Grass, and other Vegatation growing on BedRock is also prime material to Break Apart, then Pan, Or Sluice.

Areas that widen out within a flow of water where the sand gravel, and rocks are dropped out, and concentrate, are good places to Pan, Sluice, or Dredge as well.

In these areas, keep a lookout for streatches of ground that have an abundance of tummbled somewhat round rocks above the current water flow. These areas are places where water once flowed, and are now exposed chuncks of ancient river channell. 

This material can be screened, then Panned, Sluiced, HighBanked, or Drywashed.

After you have panned, sluiced, highbanked or drywashed your Paydirt, 
You will be left with an abundance of Black Sand and mostly fine Gold, unless you are realy lucky, (and some people are).

The best method that I know of for recovering your Gold from the Black Sand would be to put your sand into a Rock Tumbler, or a modified concrete mixer with steel balls and a small amount of mercury. Turn the unit on, and let it operate untill all the sand has been crushed flour fine to recover all the visible fine gold, as well as any encapsulated gold bound up in solid solution with the black sand into the mercury. 

Once the sand has been crushed flour fine, carefully pour off the water. The remaining sand can be ran through a "Blue Bowl", "Spiral Concentrater", such as a "Gold Wheel", or carefully panned in order to recover your mercury. 

Place a piece of cotton, or filter paper inside a 500cc or larger syringe, then carefully pour your mercury into the syringe, then replace the plunger and depress it, forcing the free mercury out through the tip into a container. 

The "Gold Amalgam" will be left inside the syringe against the cotton, or filter paper. Carefully Remove the cotton or filter paper with the gold, and place it into a pyrex dish, and cover with a solution of one prt nitric acid, and 4 prts water. Place the dish on a hot plate from an electric coffee maker, and let gently heat up. The remaining mercury will go into solution, and the gold will remain. Place a coffe filter in a plastic funnel, and then place the funnel into a glass dish in order to support it , and act as a resivior for the solution containing the mercury. Pour the solution from the dish with the gold into the funnel, and let filter. Rinse the dish with some extra water to make sure that all the gold has been removed from the dish, and is now into the filter. Spritz the filter and gold with clean water to remove any remaining nitric solution containing mercury, and let drip, as well as sit untill dry.

Once dry, The filter and gold can be melted with Borax to produce a single mass of gold.

Place a piece of copper plate into the nitric solution, and let sit overnight. The mercury will drop out of solution as free mercury within the solution, with some adhereing to the copper plate, which can be scraped off, and the solution filtered to recover the rest.

I hope that this has been of some help to you and others.
Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome, and appreciated.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Richard36

Here are a few links that I thought were worth checking out, and reading.

http://www.minelinks.com/alluvial/deposits.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00461/site.htm

http://www.mdpub.com/prospecting/index.html

http://www.gorpstew.com/archives/4524


Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Richard36

Here is a link to a Mineral Marketplace where you can list your ore for sale, as well as view photos of various ores. 
All ores are for sale here, short of Uranium, and Thorium.
Of all the ore's, Iron seems to have the Highest demand, with China being the largest consumer.
Antimony, Bismuth, Manganese, and a few others seem to be in high demand as well.
Precious metal ores are bought and sold here, but the more common base metals have the highest demand.
That is something to think about, and consider when you are out prospecting.
Base Metal ores with a concentration of 15% to 20% of whatever metal the ore contains seem to have a constant market value of anywhere from $200 to $900 a ton. For a simple volume to weight ratio, a Yard (A 3ft by 3ft box full) of 3/4 minus Basalt gravel will weigh 2600 lbs. Finer grinds, and concentrates will weigh even more per yard.

Anyway, here is the link. http://importer.alibaba.com/buy_leads/cid/904c1p/Ore.html
I hope that it helps you to be able to sell the ores that you find.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## aflacglobal

You know looking thru the listing rick I started to remember something in the back of my mind. You’re knowledgeable on the distribution of minerals within the crust of the earth. Not only minerals, but resources such as oil, Nat gas and methane. Has any one read about the frozen methane deposits on the ocean floor? http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051107083255.htm
Amazing resource. Your next big monopoly. There are all kinds of natural resources that are exclusive to certain geographic regions of the earth. If you just happen to find yourself in a region without a resource then you’re screwed. Can anybody answer where the uranium for the first nuclear bomb came from and the story behind it ?

Anyway Rick can you explain this distribution a little better maybe ?


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## Richard36

aflacglobal said:


> You know looking thru the listing rick I started to remember something in the back of my mind. You’re knowledgeable on the distribution of minerals within the crust of the earth. Not only minerals, but resources such as oil, Nat gas and methane. There are all kinds of natural resources that are exclusive to certain geographic regions of the earth. If you just happen to find yourself in a region without a resource then you’re screwed. Can anybody answer where the uranium for the first nuclear bomb came from and the story behind it ?
> 
> Anyway Rick can you explain this distribution a little better maybe ?




Hello aflacglobal,

You ask some good questions. I like it.

Minerals are scattered diversely throughout the crust of the Earth due to continental drift, and the resulting sea floor speading, which in turn creates uplift and mountain building where oceanic plates collide with continental plates.
The subducted soil and rock with its metallic and non metallic elements are compressed, then melt due to extreme heat generated by compression. This mineral rich melt is a water rich melt from subducted sea floor material, which differentiates into maggma plumes with various chemical formulas, and accessory minerals, which in turn are dissolved by the water reacting with the various gasses within the melt to produce acidic solutions that dissolve the metallic, and non metallic elements from within the melt. This solution rises upward and deposits it's mineral load within the cracks, crevices, and spaces between mineral grains within the overlying rock strata as the pressure and temperature decrease, as well as in accordance with each minerals solubility, and solidification temperature. Sulfides below the water table, and oxides above the water table.

This process being what creates mineral deposits, for any area to have anything worth mining, it has to have a zone that has had some sort of volcanic activity. Not necessarily an explosive type as in MT. St. Hellens, or a passive type as those found in Hawii, but some sort of maggmatic upwelling below the crust had to take place to supply the heat, and gasses necessary for acidic solutions to have formed, and striped the melt of values, as well as the overlying rock, and redeposited its mineral load close to the surface.

What metallic and non metallic minerals are emplaced is just a matter of the luck of the draw.
Rock types of any given region have alot to do with what metallic, and non metallic minerals will be found.
There is such a thing as "Rock Type and Metal Associations". 
I have listed a few in my varrious posts.
Such as Granitic rocks, 
Granite, Monzonite, Diorite, Syenite, Granophyre, Tonalite, Carbonatite, and Skarn for Gold, Silver, Copper, Antimony, Bismuth, Tin, Lead, and Zinc. 
Compressed and metamorphosed Basaltic sea floor for Peridotite, Dunite, and Serpentine for Platinum.

I have read much about the Methane Hydrate deposits on the sea floor.
For those unaware, it is a Geologic bomb waiting for a chance to go off.
I have read about the deposits off our East Coast.
10,500 years ago several of those deposits violently erupted in a massive cloud of methane gas, which was dumped into our Atmosphere. Methane is a very serious Greenhouse gas, it makes Carbon Dioxide seem rather insignifigant in comparison.
In short, it is one hell of a heat trapping gas. This gas release is what caused the melt down of the ice from the last Ice Age, and created the rare stable zone in our climate that the Earth has enjoyed for the last 10,000 years.
As the oceans warm, this frozen methane sublimates to a gas, rises into the atmosphere, and further warms the planet, causing more Glacial melt, sea levels to rise, more methane hydrate melt, and a runaway green house effect, at least untill evaporation, and condensation reach a state of homeostasis, where at such point, the climate will stabilize, though much warmer, and with very different weather patterns.

I do not want to get into a speach concerning Global Warming, but I am qualified to speak on that subject as well.
Some is man made, but just as much is natural, and it is the natural sources that are extremely scary.

Oil, Gas, and Coal are produced by Peat Boggs,and Algae rich waters that have been covered over, and compressed, thereby cooking them in an oxygen deficient environment, and reducing them to carbon as in coal. This process also produces Petroleum, and Methane by driving off the liqiud Hydrocarbons within these plants. These organic materials are covered further by maggma flows, which cooks the organic matter, driving out the voltile liquid constituents of the matter covered and cooked. These voltile gasses must be contained by a solidified, or some what solidified maggma as the organic matter is being cooked so that the hydrocarbons are not gassed off to the atmosphere, but trapped so that they condense into a liquid, as in oil. Methane remains a gas, and most commonly is found in pockets over deposits of oil formed in pockets of porous material surounded by impervious rock. Faulting, and folding of crustal material produces traps of organic material that can be compressed, heated, and thereby disstilled into Methane, and oil as well. The Traps in the Middle East are of this varriety.

I do not know for sure where the Uranium was mined exactly, but it was mined somewhere here in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. The western states are the only areas that contain mineable concentrations of Uranium.
The metal extracted was used in a proto type reactor in which bricks containing Uranium were stacked into a square with dowl rod holes throughout it for Graphite control rods to absorb some of the Neutrons so that the fission reaction could be controlled. This reactor was called "The Manhattan Project".

After successfully demonstrating that fission could be accomplished, the Uranium was extracted from those bricks, and refined, seperating the more explosive U 235 isotope from the less explosive U 238 isotope.
This material was used to produce the "Fat Man", and "Little Boy" bombs that were used on Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.
"Little Boy" used the "Gun System" of Detonation, and "Fat Man" used the "Implossion System" of Detonation.
That is probably all I should say about that. Might have some Fedaral Agency Freak out.
If I say much more, They will.

Anyway, thanks for the questions.
I hope that I have answered them.

Further Questions, Comments, and Suggestions are Welcome, and Appreciated.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## allanwcoty

Just got through reading a book with some references to gas explosions from the 1900's drift miners here in Alaska. Going down through frozen muck, some 100' thick, they would pick into a pocket of gas and many were killed when their hard hat candle lamps ignited the gas. Some shafts burned for hours before being depleted of gas. Only to have another pocket found at a later date.


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## aflacglobal

Einstein and the atomic bomb 

'Politics is for the moment. An equation is for eternity.' 
In 1905 Einstein had published his revolutionary equation showing that matter and energy were equivalent and interconvertible. There was much speculation by scientists on how that atomic power might be released, and, once released, sustained (by what is called a 'chain reaction', on which ordinary fuels and explosives rely). During the 1920s and 1930s many physicists struggled with the problem. Einstein was right: science was international. American, Australian, British, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, New Zealand, Russian, Swiss and Yugoslav scientists between them made the various research breakthroughs needed to show that an atom of uranium could be split by a neutron beam and would readily produce a chain reaction - thus releasing enormous amounts of energy. It only remained to put it to the test.

The Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard tried hard to stop publication of the news (which broke in January 1939) that atomic fission was possible: he was afraid that Germany might try to make an atomic bomb if it knew. But the principle that scientific information should be shared was a matter of pride; it was released. 

Then news came that Germany had forbidden exports of uranium ore from Czechoslovakia (which it had recently invaded). Szilard panicked: Germany must be making a bomb already. The only other stocks of good uranium were in Belgium - they had to be protected, thought Szilard, from falling into German hands. He went to America to get help from Einstein: Einstein was someone people would listen to. Szilard remembered that visit well: 'The possibility of a chain reaction in uranium hadn't occurred to him, but as soon as I began to tell him about it he saw what the consequences might be.' A letter, signed by Einstein, was sent to the American president, Franklin Roosevelt. 

It began: 'Some recent work leads me to expect that the element uranium may be turned into a new and important source of energy in the immediate future. Certain aspects of the situation seem to call for watchfulness and, if necessary quick action....This new phenomenon would also lead to the production of bombs, and it is conceivable that extremely powerful bombs of a new type may be constructed....Some of the American work on uranium is now being repeated in the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut in Berlin.' Roosevelt replied: 'I found this data of such import that I have convened a board to investigate.'

Apart from a second letter written when the advisory board seemed to be dragging their feet, Einstein took no other part in the UK/US study of uranium fission or in the USA's Manhattan Project which created the first atomic bombs. In fact, before Szilard's visit Einstein had not been convinced that nuclear fission was likely, at least in his lifetime; he was reported to have likened it to 'shooting birds in the dark in a country where there are few birds'. His response to Szilard's news was prompted by different belief: that if 'the enemies of mankind' were developing an atomic bomb, the only deterrent was for America to make one first. 'If I had known that the Germans would not succeed in constructing the bomb, I would never have lifted a finger.' 

Einstein also believed that the USA would treat the discovery with respect and would resist actually using the bomb. He was not the sort of cynical realist who would foresee that America's atomic research would now be managed by the military. (When it was found that Germany had no bomb, someone said, 'That's wonderful; we won't have to use ours'. A US army officer retorted, 'Of course you understand that if we have such a weapon we are going to use it'.) 

In April 1945 Leo Szilard came to Einstein again, this time to share his deep fear that the USA would start an atomic arms race. Once again Einstein wrote to the President, enclosing a strong warning (written by Szilard) against using the atomic bomb. But the letter was still unopened on Roosevelt's desk when he died. The new president, Harry Truman, was too busy taking office to be accessible, though the scientists tried hard to get through.

In a letter to the New York Times in 1945, Einstein quoted recent words of Franklin Roosevelt: 'We are faced with the pre-eminent fact that if civilisation is to survive we must cultivate the science of human relationship - the ability of peoples of all kinds to live together and work together in the same world, at peace.' Well, Einstein continued, 'we have learned, and paid an awful price to learn, that living and working together can be done in one way only - under law. Unless it prevails, and unless by common struggle we are capable of new ways of thinking, mankind is doomed.'


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## Richard36

Thanks for the posts.

Methane deposits are quite a hazard for underground miners in a region where it exists.
Nuclear technology is also quite lethal, when used as a weapon.

If anyone has any questions, post them and I will reply.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## gorfman6154

aflacglobal said:


> Can anybody answer where the uranium for the first nuclear bomb came from and the story behind it ?



Aflac, the ore came from a Canadian company called Eldorado, which operated the Great Bear Lake Mine.

Here is a link about the history and timeline of the Canadian Uranium. :arrow: 

http://www.ccnr.org/uranium_events.html

Gorfman


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## Richard36

gorfman6154 said:


> aflacglobal said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can anybody answer where the uranium for the first nuclear bomb came from and the story behind it ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aflac, the ore came from a Canadian company called Eldorado, which operated the Great Bear Lake Mine.
> 
> Here is a link about the history and timeline of the Canadian Uranium. :arrow:
> 
> http://www.ccnr.org/uranium_events.html
> 
> Gorfman
Click to expand...


Thanks.

I did not know for sure where the metal was mined.
I thought that it was mined here in the western U.S.

Sincerely; Rick.


----------



## manorman

To see larger pictures you can go to your tool bar ( top right hand side of your browser ) and click on page then click on zoom, and that will enable you to see up to 400% larger pictures, thanks for the great post Rock Man.
Mike


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## Richard36

manorman said:


> To see larger pictures you can go to your tool bar ( top right hand side of your browser ) and click on page then click on zoom, and that will enable you to see up to 400% larger pictures, thanks for the great post Rock Man.
> Mike



Thanks Mike.

I hope that the photos are helpful. 
Here are a few other photos of commercial grade ore, not just mineral collection grade samples. 



Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Richard36

More Photos.


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## Richard36

More Photos.


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## Richard36

More Photos.


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## Palladium

That's why he's the rock man.

Good pics Rick.


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## Richard36

More Photos.


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## Richard36

More Photos.


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## Richard36

Palladium said:


> That's why he's the rock man.
> 
> Good pics Rick.



Thanks.

I hope that these photos have helped to make you, and others aware of what to be looking for while out prospecting.
There are allot of ores out there for metals aside from Gold, Silver, and the PT Group.
I will add more Photos as they become available.

Here is a listing of the books that I have in my library.

Recovery and Refining of Precious Metals.
By C.W. Ammen
ISBN 0-412-72060-4
Deep Rock Resources Inc.
P.O. Box 3258
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5L 4J1 http://www.deeprock.ca


How To Smelt Your Gold & Silver
By Hank Chapman Jr.
Mineral Recovery Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 400
Wells, NV. 89835



Here are some books I suggest that you, and others get to study with, as well as look up and read in concerning anything that I have posted about "Minerals and Geology".

National Audubon Society
Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. To order by phone, (800) - 733 - 3000
ISBN 0-394-50269-8

Simon & Schuster's guide to
Rocks and Minerals http://www.SimonSays.com
ISBN 0-671-24417-5

Dorling Kindersley Handbooks
Rocks and minerals http://www.dk.com
ISBN 1-56458-061-x

REBO PRODUCTIONS
Minerals Encyclopaedia http://www.rebo-publishers.com [email protected]
ISBN 184 0134 046
ISBN 1-84053-163-0

David & Charles
Minerals & Gemstones of the World
ISBN 0-7153-0197-7

I hope that these books help.



Here are a couple of books that I recommend for those wishing to process "Black Sands".
Good information, and well worth reading for those who intend to do this.

Simplified Black Sand Recovery
By Clark Sable
Hulette Mining Company
P.O. Box 364
Reseda, CA. 91337

How to Process your Black Sand Concentrates
By Vern H. Ballantyne
ISBN 1-877700-07-X
Mountain Publications
P.O. Box 8008, Suite 252
Gloucester, MA. 01931

I hope that these books help, and they should.
I have used the methods described within them.




For those wishing to get a full understanding of "Structural Geology" of the landscape of any given region, 
I recommend the following books.

The Field Guide To Geology
By David Lambert and The Diagram Group
ISBN 0-8160-3823-6
Checkmark Books
An imprint of Facts On File, Inc.
132 West 31st Street
New York, NY. 10001 http://www.factsonfile.com

Discover Nature in the Rocks
By Rebeca Lawton, Diana Lawton, and Susan Panttaja
ISBN 0-8117-2720-3
STACKPOLE BOOKS
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA. 17055

WINDOWS INTO THE EARTH
The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
By Robert B. Smith and Lee J. Siegel
ISBN 0-19-510597-4
Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY. 10016 http://www.oup.com

INTERPRETING THE LANDSCAPE
Recent and Ongoing Geology of Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks
By John M. Good and Kenneth L. Pierce
ISBN 0-931895-45-6
Grand Teton Natural Histroy Association in cooperation with The National Park Service

The Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field of Wyoming, Idao, and Montana
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 729-G
By Robert L. Christiansen
ISBN 0-607-95346-2
USGS Information Services
P.O. Box 25286
Denver, CO. 80225 http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/prof-paper/pp1623/
1-888-ASK-USGS http://www.usgs.gov/

Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone Country
By William J. Fritz
ISBN 0-87842-170-X
Mountain Press Publishing Co.
P.O. Box 2399
Missoula, MT. 59806 .... Phone # 406-728-1900 ...1-800-234-5308 http://www.mountain-press.com [email protected]




The following are various other books within my library that I figured might be of interest.

Gold Diggers Atlas
By Robert Neil Johnson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

GOLD! GOLD!
By Joseph F. Petralia
ISBN 0-88839-118-8
Hancock House Publishers
1431 Harrison Avenue, Box X-1
Blaine, WA. 98231 ... Phone # (206) - 354 - 6953

Sam Radding's Book of Plans -volumes 1 & 2
By Sam Radding
Sam Radding / Butterknife Publishing
6104 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA. 92115 ... Phone # (619) - 582 - 0722

Western Gem Hunters Atlas
By H. Cyril Johson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

N.W. Gem Fields and Ghost Town Atlas
By Robert Neil Johnson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

Gem Trails of Oregon
By James R. Mitchell
ISBN 0-935182-99-3
Gem Guides Book Company
315 Cloverleaf Drive, Suite F
Baldwin Park, CA. 91706

Hoffmans Rockhound Guide
By Charles Hoffman
ISBN 0-936738-00-6
WEBB RESEARCH GROUP PUBLISHERS
P.O. Box 314
Medford, OR. 97501 ... http://sharplink.com/pnwbnooks

Standard Catalog of Gem Values
By Anna M. Miller & John Sinkankas
ISBN 0-945005-16-4
Geoscience Press, Inc.
Tucson, AZ.

The Nature Companions Rocks, Fossils, and Dinosaurs
Rocks and Fossils section by Arthur B. Busbey 3rd, Robert R. Coenraads, David Roots, Paul Willis
Dinosaurs section By Christopher A. Brochu, John Long, Colin McHenry, John D. Scanlon, Paul Wills
ISBN 1 877019 02-X
Fog City Press
814 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA. 94133


I hope that these books help you and others to find something interesting, and valuable.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Richard36

More Photos.


----------



## Richard36

Here are a few photos of outcrops and mines.


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## Richard36

A few more ore photos.


----------



## Richard36

I made the following post on a different thread, and thought that it had application here as well.

The following reactions take place with high grade ore.

Aqua regia (Neutralized) + Stanous Chloride = Purple to Black for Au. [Relevant to gold content]
--------------------------------------------------- = Yellow for Pt.
--------------------------------------------------- = Blue-Green for Pd.
---------------------------- + Potassium Iodide = Red Solution for Pt.
---------------------------- + Potassium Iodide = Black Solution for Pd.
---------------------------- + Acetone or Ethanol = Black precipitate for Rh.

Nitric acid + Hydrochloric Acid = A white precipitate of Silver Chloride.

Hydrochloric Acid = Orange Solution, + Nitric Acid = Black Precipitate for Ru.
(Precipitate redissolves quickly unless the HCL has been neutralized.)

This will get you started, lol!

I hope that this has been helpful.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Richard36

This is a site that I just found.
It is full of all sorts of information related to all aspects of mining,
and a multitude of economic minerals are covered, not just Gold, Silver, and PGM's.
From what I could see, most ores are covered in this site.
This is truly a one stop resource for a great variety of info.

Here's the link.
http://www.mining.com/

Check it out, and enjoy.
Sincerely; Rick."The Rock Man".


----------



## Richard36

Here's another really cool site on mining related information.
It will take me at least six months to go through all that is presented there.

Here's the link.
http://www.infomine.com/

Check it out, and enjoy.

Sincerely, Rick."The Rock Man".


----------



## g_axelsson

Richard36 said:


> This process being what creates mineral deposits, for any area to have anything worth mining, it has to have a zone that has had some sort of volcanic activity. Not necessarily an explosive type as in MT. St. Hellens, or a passive type as those found in Hawii, but some sort of maggmatic upwelling below the crust had to take place to supply the heat, and gasses necessary for acidic solutions to have formed, and striped the melt of values, as well as the overlying rock, and redeposited its mineral load close to the surface.



Aren't you forgetting about sedimentary deposits? Alluvial deposits?
For example banded iron ores which are a sedimentary deposit, zirconium mining in Australia. Lithium mining in the salt flat of Bolivia.
I also have a memory of reading about the gold fields of South Africa and that it was created by biological concentration of gold from sea water, forming large sedimentary gold ores, but I haven't found any reference to that yet.

/Göran


----------



## g_axelsson

Richard36 said:


> More Photos.
> 
> Nickel_Ore # 2.jpg



Hey! That picture is from my website!
http://www.geology.neab.net/minerals/annaberg.htm

If you copy pictures from other websites, at least acknowledge it to the proper owner.
You are not the only rockman on this forum.

For any rock you suspect contains ore minerals, hit it with a hammer and take a chip off, then you can observe the fresh surface and not the weathered outside. This is a better example of nickel ore, you have the fresh pale copper colored nickeline to the left and the weathered surface altered to annabergite to the right.






... or just look at my site
http://www.geology.neab.net/minerals/nickelin.htm
http://www.geology.neab.net/index.htm

/Göran


----------



## Richard36

g_axelsson said:


> Richard36 said:
> 
> 
> 
> More Photos.
> 
> Nickel_Ore # 2.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey! That picture is from my website!
> http://www.geology.neab.net/minerals/annaberg.htm
> 
> If you copy pictures from other websites, at least acknowledge it to the proper owner.
> You are not the only rockman on this forum.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ... or just look at my site
> http://www.geology.neab.net/minerals/nickelin.htm
> http://www.geology.neab.net/index.htm
> 
> /Göran
Click to expand...


Sorry if I hijacked a photo of yours.
My only interest was to make photos of "High Grade Ores" available here for all to see.
That Nickel ore photo was a good one. 
If you know rocks as well, then I am definitely interested in chatting with you.

As for the sedimentary Deposits that you have mentioned, 
I haven't even began to start covering them here yet. 
At least not in the Geologic Emplacement Process that you mentioned.
Anyway, thanks for the reply.

Sincerely; Rick."The Rock Man".


----------



## g_axelsson

Hey Rick!

You can use pictures from my website when posting to the forum. Just add credits and a link to where you found it.

Regards, Göran


----------



## Richard36

g_axelsson said:


> Hey Rick!
> 
> You can use pictures from my website when posting to the forum. Just add credits and a link to where you found it.
> 
> Regards, Göran



Thanks Göran.

The photo that I used is the only one that I currently needed as an example.
I have as of yet to fully explore your site though. 

Sincerely; Rick."The Rock Man".


----------



## Richard36

Hello Everyone,

I just thought that I would post this here as well. This is a cut and paste document of my better posts in this thread combined with a few posts from my other threads pasted in where they fit to form a fairly complete thought, and post regarding the formation of mineral deposits, both hardrock and placer. Some discussion on working placer deposits, and processing Blacksand is covered as well.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By reading the landscape it is possible to locate enriched areas of economic minerals.

These enriched areas are always in a zone that has gone through some grade of Hydrothermal alteration, Which is the process of magmatic gasses mixing with the water present within the melt to create acidic solutions that dissolve all metallic, and nonmetallic minerals at depth, and redeposit them close to the surface by precipitating out from solution as the pressure and temperature decreases. Oxides form toward the end of the cooling cycle, and sulfides form early while water is still present.

Minerals are scattered diversely throughout the crust of the Earth due to continental drift, and the resulting sea floor spreading, which in turn creates uplift and mountain building where oceanic plates collide with continental plates.

The subducted soil and rock with its metallic and non metallic elements are compressed, then melt due to extreme heat generated by compression. This mineral rich melt is a water rich melt from subducted sea floor material, which differentiates into magma plumes with various chemical formulas, and accessory minerals, which in turn are dissolved by the water reacting with the various gasses within the melt to produce acidic solutions that dissolve the metallic, and non metallic elements from within the melt. 

This solution rises upward and deposits it's mineral load within the cracks, crevices, and spaces between mineral grains within the overlying rock strata as the pressure and temperature decrease, as well as in accordance with each minerals solubility, and solidification temperature. Sulfides below the water table, and oxides above the water table.

This process being what creates mineral deposits, for any area to have anything worth mining, it has to have a zone that has had some sort of volcanic activity. Not necessarily an explosive type as in MT. St. Hellens, or a passive type as those found in Hawaii, but some sort of magmatic upwelling below the crust had to take place to supply the heat, and gasses necessary for acidic solutions to have formed, and striped the melt of values, as well as the overlying rock, and redeposited its mineral load close to the surface.

What metallic and non metallic minerals are em-placed is just a matter of the luck of the draw. Rock types of any given region have a lot to do with what metallic, and non metallic minerals will be found.

There is such a thing as "Rock Type and Metal Associations".
I have listed a few in my various posts.

Such as Granitic rocks,
Granite, Monzonite, Diorite, Syenite, Granophyre, Tonalite, Carbonatite, and Skarn for Gold, Silver, Copper, Antimony, Bismuth, Tin, Lead, and Zinc.

Compressed and metamorphosed Basaltic sea floor for 
Peridotite, Dunite, and Serpentine (Serpentinite) for Platinum.

Indicator minerals to look for will be those that have a melting point + or - 500F of the melting point of gold, if hunting gold, or of platinum, if you are hunting Pt.

With that being said,
Stream drainage patterns are directly related to the underlying rock of any given region, and reflect the type of geologic activity that took place there in the distant past.

I will focus on one.
That pattern is the "Dendritic Stream/River Drainage Pattern".

These river drainage patterns are associated with compression created by foliation in the mountain building process, as is the case with the Cascade and Rocky Mountain Ranges.

These ranges were created by Uplift, and Compression as the Continental Plate slid over the Oceanic Plate. This process generates great heat at depth which melts all material Subducted as it gets close to the Upper Mantle.

This Crustal Material is a wet material full of water.

This water is converted to steam, which then combines with the gasses within the melt to create various acids that dissolve all minerals within the melting Crustal Material, and the overlying rock as it makes its way to the surface, which redeposits its mineral load as it makes its way upward as stated earlier.

This Meteoric Water is also necessary for the magma to differentiate into the various Rock Types, Which are the Host Rock(S) for the various minerals, some of which are magmatic, forming within the melt itself, while others form from Hydrothermal solutions Created by the presence of water within the melt.

I will focus on those minerals created by Hydrothermal solutions.

These minerals are often associated with Granitic Rocks, and differentiation products thereof, because the intruding magma supplies the heat, and the water necessary for overlying enriched deposits to have formed.

These Granitic Rocks are often associated with Dendritic Stream Drainage Patterns, and therefore can be found simply by looking at a Topographic Map of the area that you intend to prospect.

Pick areas with a Dendritic Drainage Pattern, and you will be in the correct zone to find Economically Feasible Deposits of Metallic, and Non-metallic Minerals.


Dendritic Drainage Pattern areas are also the areas to prospect for Placer Deposits of Native Gold, and Platinum.

Not just Hard Rock Ores.

For simplicity, I will refer to Gold only, 
but the same rules apply to prospecting for Placer Deposits of Platinum.

The ores containing Native Gold erode due to weathering, and as the encasing rock breaks down, it produces Elluvial Placer Deposits (Bench Placer). These deposits form on the slopes of hillsides where a depression or wide level spot occurs downslope of the eroding In Situ (In Place) Hard Rock Deposit from which the gold is eroding from.

Gold that works its way down slope to an area that is wide and flat produces an area known as an Alluvial Placer.

Dessert Areas are places where this type of deposit can be found, as well as areas that are predominantly Dry, whether hot or cold. They are most common in mild temperate areas with moderate rainfall that washes the gold down slope concentrating it in wide shallow depressions that fill with sediment washed into it by Runoff Water created by rainstorms.

The GoldFields of Ca. are a prime example of these two types of deposits.

From this point, whether or not Elluvial Deposits, and/or Alluvial Deposits form, if a Hard Rock source of Gold exists up-slope, the Gold is washed into Watersheds (Runoff Water Drainage Systems), where it forms Stream or River Placers.

The following is an explanation on how to work these deposits.

When working gravel bars,

Concentrate on those on the inside of a bend in a river.
Bends at an angle of 45 - 75 degrees are the most productive.
Of these types of bends, the ones flowing over bedrock, or over compacted clay, or clay and gravel Conglomerate are the best types of underlying ground for holding, and concentrating particles & nuggets of Gold, Silver, Platinum, and native Copper.

Look for Quartz, Agates, and other silicate minerals, as well as Tire weights, fishing sinkers, nails, wire, Buckshot, etc. mixed in with the black sand within these bends.

They are prime indicators that conditions are correct for precious metals to have been concentrated there.

Sluice, pan, or dredge from the surface down in these areas. If you wish to dig, then do so, but make sure that you work all gravel from about 14 inches above the "Hardpan" (Rock or Clay soil River or stream bottom).

Dig out Whirl Holes (Pot Holes) in the Bedrock Bottoms of Stream Beds.
Pan, Sluice, or Dredge the material out of these depressions.
This material will often contain fine gold, and nuggets, if Coarse Gold can be found in the region being prospected.

Cracks, and Crevices are a good place to look for Gold as well.
Dig, Break Open, Scratch or Scrape out the sediment from these, and pan it.

Cracks, and Crevices Parallel to the flow of water are the best to look in, as they seem to catch more Gold than Cracks, and Crevices that cross the flow of water.

I have never found any that cross the flow of water at an angle, but would like to. The down stream 1/3 of a crevice like that would contain concentrated values that fell into it, then agitated along the bottom of the Crack, or Crevice until it reached the down stream end, and lodged there.

RootWadds from Grass, and other Vegetation growing on Bedrock is also prime material to Break Apart, then Pan, Or Sluice.

Areas that widen out within a flow of water where the sand gravel, and rocks are dropped out, and concentrate, are good places to Pan, Sluice, or Dredge as well.

In these areas, keep a lookout for stretches of ground that have an abundance of tumbled somewhat round rocks above the current water flow. These areas are places where water once flowed, and are now exposed chunks of ancient river channel.

This material can be screened, then Panned, Sluiced, High-banked, or Dry-washed.

After you have panned, sluiced, high-banked or dry-washed your Pay-dirt,
You will be left with an abundance of Black Sand and mostly fine Gold, unless you are really lucky, (and some people are).

The best method that I know of for recovering your Gold from the Black Sand would be to put your sand into a Rock Tumbler, or a modified concrete mixer with steel balls and a small amount of mercury. Turn the unit on, and let it operate until all the sand has been crushed flour fine to recover all the visible fine gold, as well as any encapsulated gold bound up in solid solution with the black sand into the mercury.

Once the sand has been crushed flour fine, carefully pour off the water. The remaining sand can be ran through a "Blue Bowl", "Spiral Concentrator", such as a "Gold Wheel", or carefully panned in order to recover your mercury.

Place a piece of cotton, or filter paper inside a 500cc or larger syringe, then carefully pour your mercury into the syringe, then replace the plunger and depress it, forcing the free mercury out through the tip into a container.

The "Gold Amalgam" will be left inside the syringe against the cotton, or filter paper. Carefully Remove the cotton or filter paper with the gold, and place it into a Pyrex dish, and cover with a solution of one prt nitric acid, and 4 prts water. 

Place the dish on a hot plate from an electric coffee maker, and let gently heat up. 
The remaining mercury will go into solution, and the gold will remain. 

Place a coffee filter in a plastic funnel, and then place the funnel into a glass dish in order to support it , and act as a resivior for the solution containing the mercury. 

Pour the solution from the dish with the gold into the funnel, and let filter. 
Rinse the dish with some extra water to make sure that all the gold has been removed from the dish, and is now into the filter. 

Spritz the filter and gold with clean water to remove any remaining nitric solution containing mercury, and let drip, as well as sit until dry.

Once dry, The filter and gold can be melted with Borax to produce a single mass of gold.

Place a piece of copper plate into the nitric solution, and let sit overnight. The mercury will drop out of solution as free mercury within the solution, with some adhering to the copper plate, which can be scraped off, and the solution filtered to recover the rest.

There are 3 minerals that make up the bulk of all black sands. 
Magnetite Fe Fe2 O4, Hematite Fe2 O3, and Ilmenite Fe Ti O3. 

Magnetite & Hematite form during the magmatic stage as well as during hydrothermal, and metamorphic processes. Ilmenite forms during the magmatic stage, as well as during metamorphic processes.

Magnetite is associated with Andradite Garnet, Epidote, and Apatite. 
It sometimes contains small amounts of Manganese, Nickel, Chromium, Titanium, Vanadium and Phosphorus. 

It is a common constituent in many igneous rocks, 
including Diorite, Gabbro, Monzonite, and Nepheline Syenite. 

It occurs more specifically associated with Hedenbergite and Andradite in Hornfels; 
With Almandine, Talc, and Andradite in Talc Schist; 
With Calcite, Andradite, and Chlorite in Skarn; 
and with Barite, & Fluorite in Hydrothermal Replacement Deposits.

Hematite occurs with Biotite, Albite, and Barite in Carbonatites; 
with Diopside & Epidote in Hornfels; 
With Quartz & Siderite in Mesothermal & Epithermal veins; 
with Fluorite, Barite and Calcite in Lode and Disseminated Replacement Deposits.

Ilmenite occurs with Magnetite, Labradorite, and Hornblende in Gabbro. 
Also occurs in Pegmatites, Nepheline Syenites, Gneiss, Chlorite Schist, and Diorite.

The reason that Gold is associated with these minerals is that they have mutual emplacement as minerals created by hydrothermal processes within fractures of overlying rock that has been intruded by magma, usually of Granitic composition. 

Ground Water at great temperature and pressure mixes with Sulfur and Chlorine from the magma to produce solutions that dissolve all minerals, even Quartz, if Fluorine is present within the gasses that mix with the water. 

As this super heated solution makes its way toward the surface through cracks, fractures, and spaces between the grains of overlying rock, the solution begins to cool, and pressure is relieved. 

As this begins to happen, the dissolved minerals begin to drop out of solution by depositing on the cooler surface of the surrounding rock through which this solution is flowing. 

Deposition takes place in accordance to each minerals solidifying temperature, 
and solubility within the solution. 

This is the process that produces Mesothermal, and Epithermal vein systems, which in turn are the same vein systems that we all strive to find when hunting Gold, Silver, and other economically valuable concentrations of metallic ores. 

To put all this in a simple statement, the process that creates concentrations of Gold and Silver is the same process that creates the black sand minerals, and that is why they often contain Precious Metals. They formed together at the same time, from the same solution, in the same place. 

The following is a list of Precious metal Ores, and their Chemical Formulas.

Acanthite ............................. Ag2S,
Calaverite ............................ AuTe2,
Sylvanite ............................. AuAgTe4,
Pyrargyrite ........................... Ag3SbS3,
Proustite ............................. Ag3AsS3,
Chlorargyrite (cerargyrite) ......... AgCl,
Polybasite ............................ (Ag,Cu)16Sb2S11,
Boleite ................................ Pb9Ag3Cu8Cl21(OH)16*H2O,
Moschellandsbergite ................. Ag2Hg3,
Allargentum .......................... Ag1-xSbx,
Dyserasite ............................ Ag3Sb,
Hessite ................................ Ag2Te,
Aguilarite ..............................Ag4SeS,
Argyrodite ............................. Ag8GeS6,
Stromeyerite .......................... AgCuS,
Jalpaite ................................ Ag3CuS2,
Freibergite ............................ (Ag,Cu,Fe)12(Sb,As)4S13,
Sternbergite ........................... Ag2FeS3,
Argentopyrite .......................... Ag2FeS3,
Miargyrite .............................. AgSbS2,
Nagyagite ............................... Pb5Au(Te,Sb)4S5-8,
Krennerite .............................. AuTe2,
Aurostibite ............................. AuSb2,
Xanthoconite ........................... Ag3AsS3,
Pyrostilpnite ............................ Ag3SbS3,
Samsonite .............................. Ag4MnSb2S6,
Pearceite ............................... Ag16As2S11,
Andorite ................................ PbAgSb3S6,
Stephanite .............................. Ag5SbS4,
Freieslebenite .......................... AgPbSbS3,
Diaphorite .............................. Pb2Ag3Sb3S3,
Iodargyrite ............................. AgI,
Sperrylite ............................... PtAs2,
Geversite ............................... Pt(Sb,Bi)2,
Insizwaite ............................... Pt(Bi,Sb)2,
Laurite .................................. RuS2,
Erlichmanite ........................... OsS2,
Gaotaiite ............................... Ir3Te8,
Mayingite .............................. IrBiTe

Here's a site where the above minerals can be looked at.
http://www.fabreminerals.com/fine-mineral-specimens.php

All high grade mineral specimens can be sold there.
The prices asked on specimens for sale by mineral collectors will shock you.


Metallic Ores produce various Colors as they oxidize, 
and therefore stain the Host Rock(s) that contain them.
These stains are called Gossans.

The following is a list of the various Gossan Colors.

Yellows, Browns, Maroons, and Reds = ... Various Iron Oxides.
Black = ........................................ Manganese Oxides.
Green = ....................................... Nickel
Greens and Blues = ........................... Copper Sulfides, Oxides, Carbonates, Etc.
Bright Yellow = ................................ Molybdenum
Waxy Green = ................................. Native Silver, or Silver Chloride.
Oranges and Yellows = ....................... Arsenic
Pinks and Purples = ........................... Cobalt

The following is a list of Rock Types, and Metal Associations.

Granite = ........................... Gold and Silver.
Olivine Gabbro = ................... Platinum, Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt and Iron.
Dunite = ............................. Platinum and Chromium.
Peridotite/Peridotite Dunite = ... Nickel, Chromite, and Platinum.
Serpentinite = ...................... Platinum

The Following is a list of Gemstone, and Rock Type Associations.

Almandine = ......... Diorite, Hornfels, and Schist.
Andradite = .......... Granite Pegmatites, Carbonates, Hornfels, and Skarn.
Grossular = .......... Skarn, Marble, and Hornfels
Pyrope = .............. Peridote Dunite, and Gabbro.
Spessartine = ........ Granite Pegmatites, and Blue Schist.
Uvarovite = .......... Serpentinite, and Peridote Dunite.
Corundum = .......... Syenite, Nepheline Syenite Pegmatite, Hornfels, and Gneiss.
Beryl = ................ Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
Tourmaline = ......... Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
Spinel = ............... Hornfels, Marble, and Gabbro.
Topaz = ............... Granite pegmatites.
Zircon = ............... Granite Pegmatites, Diorite, Nepheline Syenite, and Carbonatite.

The following reactions take place with high grade ore.

Aqua regia (Neutralized) + Stanous Chloride = Purple to Black for Au. [Relevant to gold content]
--------------------------------------------------- = Yellow for Pt.
--------------------------------------------------- = Blue-Green for Pd.
---------------------------- + Potassium Iodide = Red Solution for Pt.
---------------------------- + Potassium Iodide = Black Solution for Pd.
---------------------------- + Acetone or Ethanol = Black precipitate for Rh.

Nitric acid + Hydrochloric Acid = A white precipitate of Silver Chloride.

Hydrochloric Acid = Orange Solution, + Nitric Acid = Black Precipitate for Ru.
(Precipitate redissolves quickly unless the HCL has been neutralized.)


Here is a listing of the books that I have in my library.

Recovery and Refining of Precious Metals.
By C.W. Ammen
ISBN 0-412-72060-4
Deep Rock Resources Inc.
P.O. Box 3258
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5L 4J1 http://www.deeprock.ca


How To Smelt Your Gold & Silver
By Hank Chapman Jr.
Mineral Recovery Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 400
Wells, NV. 89835

Here are some books I suggest that you, and others get to study with, as well as look up and read in concerning anything that I have posted about "Minerals and Geology".

National Audubon Society
Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. To order by phone, (800) - 733 - 3000
ISBN 0-394-50269-8

Simon & Schuster's guide to
Rocks and Minerals http://www.SimonSays.com
ISBN 0-671-24417-5

Dorling Kindersley Handbooks
Rocks and minerals http://www.dk.com
ISBN 1-56458-061-x

REBO PRODUCTIONS
Minerals Encyclopaedia http://www.rebo-publishers.com [email protected]
ISBN 184 0134 046
ISBN 1-84053-163-0

David & Charles
Minerals & Gemstones of the World
ISBN 0-7153-0197-7

I hope that these books help.

Here are a couple of books that I recommend for those wishing to process "Black Sands".
Good information, and well worth reading for those who intend to do this.

Simplified Black Sand Recovery
By Clark Sable
Hulette Mining Company
P.O. Box 364
Reseda, CA. 91337

How to Process your Black Sand Concentrates
By Vern H. Ballantyne
ISBN 1-877700-07-X
Mountain Publications
P.O. Box 8008, Suite 252
Gloucester, MA. 01931

I hope that these books help, and they should.
I have used the methods described within them.

For those wishing to get a full understanding of "Structural Geology" of the landscape of any given region, I recommend the following books.

The Field Guide To Geology
By David Lambert and The Diagram Group
ISBN 0-8160-3823-6
Checkmark Books
An imprint of Facts On File, Inc.
132 West 31st Street
New York, NY. 10001 http://www.factsonfile.com

Discover Nature in the Rocks
By Rebeca Lawton, Diana Lawton, and Susan Panttaja
ISBN 0-8117-2720-3
STACKPOLE BOOKS
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA. 17055

WINDOWS INTO THE EARTH
The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
By Robert B. Smith and Lee J. Siegel
ISBN 0-19-510597-4
Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY. 10016 http://www.oup.com

INTERPRETING THE LANDSCAPE
Recent and Ongoing Geology of Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks
By John M. Good and Kenneth L. Pierce
ISBN 0-931895-45-6
Grand Teton Natural Histroy Association in cooperation with The National Park Service

The Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field of Wyoming, Idao, and Montana
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 729-G
By Robert L. Christiansen
ISBN 0-607-95346-2
USGS Information Services
P.O. Box 25286
Denver, CO. 80225 http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/prof-paper/pp1623/
1-888-ASK-USGS http://www.usgs.gov/

Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone Country
By William J. Fritz
ISBN 0-87842-170-X
Mountain Press Publishing Co.
P.O. Box 2399
Missoula, MT. 59806 .... Phone # 406-728-1900 ...1-800-234-5308 http://www.mountain-press.com [email protected]

The following are various other books within my library that I figured might be of interest.

Gold Diggers Atlas
By Robert Neil Johnson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

GOLD! GOLD!
By Joseph F. Petralia
ISBN 0-88839-118-8
Hancock House Publishers
1431 Harrison Avenue, Box X-1
Blaine, WA. 98231 ... Phone # (206) - 354 - 6953

Sam Radding's Book of Plans -volumes 1 & 2
By Sam Radding
Sam Radding / Butterknife Publishing
6104 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA. 92115 ... Phone # (619) - 582 - 0722

Western Gem Hunters Atlas
By H. Cyril Johson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

N.W. Gem Fields and Ghost Town Atlas
By Robert Neil Johnson
Cy Johnson & Son
Box 288 - 435 N. Roop Street
Susanville, CA. 96130

Gem Trails of Oregon
By James R. Mitchell
ISBN 0-935182-99-3
Gem Guides Book Company
315 Cloverleaf Drive, Suite F
Baldwin Park, CA. 91706

Hoffmans Rockhound Guide
By Charles Hoffman
ISBN 0-936738-00-6
WEBB RESEARCH GROUP PUBLISHERS
P.O. Box 314
Medford, OR. 97501 ... http://sharplink.com/pnwbnooks

Standard Catalog of Gem Values
By Anna M. Miller & John Sinkankas
ISBN 0-945005-16-4
Geoscience Press, Inc.
Tucson, AZ.

The Nature Companions Rocks, Fossils, and Dinosaurs
Rocks and Fossils section by Arthur B. Busbey 3rd, Robert R. Coenraads, David Roots, Paul Willis
Dinosaurs section By Christopher A. Brochu, John Long, Colin McHenry, John D. Scanlon, Paul Wills
ISBN 1 877019 02-X
Fog City Press
814 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA. 94133


I hope that these books help you and others to find something interesting, and valuable.

Sincerely; Rick. "The Rock M


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## DarkspARCS

Thanks for all the work you put into this thread Rich.

I too have an interest in mineralogy, gemology, and geologic pocesses such as volcanism and techtonics.

I've tried to contribute to the mining forums here with my own research as well as shared imagery of mining formations containing examples of what to look for, so we have alot in common, Probably alot to talk about too.

You mentioned an interest on one of these threads in propecting for a mine, staking a claim, and working it. I'd like to invite you to venture down from Oregon and join me in discovering future posibilities on a claim prospect that will be right dab smack in the middle of two mining giants who have bought claims around this propect that are over 10,000+ acres of exploratory reserves each.

Speculation over this mining district have reached the point to where it's said this area will become the next Bingham Canyon... so timing on your part to get here is of the essence... let me know if you are interested.

P.S.: you've already seen the ore samples :twisted:


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## Richard36

I'd love to hop state and help out, 
but that doesn't look all that possible at the moment.

Thanks for the offer.

Sincerely, Rick. "The Rock Man"


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## Richard36

Hello Everyone,

I just thought I'd make an additional post to this thread with a few more photos of outcrops and Gossan (Iron Hat) colors. 
Spring is here, and the prospecting/mining season has begun, so here I go again with my posts in hopes of helping others out by showing some examples of what to be looking for.

So, here we go...

The photos below are of an out crop that I found out prospecting with Roy, a member here on the forum.
The Orange and yellow colors are produced by Iron (other metals as well) and Sulfur eating bacteria feeding on those elements within the Sulfide minerals present. This action converts ground water to weak sulfuric acid, which leaches the sulfides, thereby releasing the metals contained, thus allowing the metals to oxidize. 

These oxidized metals produce various stains on the surrounding rock, and are the equivalent of a "Neon Sign" revealing the fact that there is some sort of metallic mineral deposit underneath the stain. Each metal has it's own distinct stain color. I don't know them all, but any stain color should be investigated. 


The following is a list of the various Gossan Colors that I'm currently aware of.

Yellows, Browns, Maroons, and Reds = ..... Various Iron Oxides.
Black = ......................................... Manganese Oxides.
Green = ........................................ Nickel
Greens and Blues = ........................... Copper Sulfides, Oxides, Carbonates, Etc.
Bright Yellow = ................................ Molybdenum
Waxy Green = ................................. Native Silver, or Silver Chloride.
Oranges and Yellows = ....................... Arsenic
Pinks and Purples = ........................... Cobalt

The following is a list of Rock Types, and Metal Associations.

Granite = ........................... Gold and Silver.
Olivine Gabbro = ................... Platinum, Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt and Iron.
Dunite = ............................. Platinum and Chromium.
Peridotite/Peridotite Dunite = ... Nickel, Chromite, and Platinum.
Serpentinite = ...................... Platinum

The matrix rock in these photos is Skarn and Quartz.


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## Richard36

Here are few photos of a similar deposit a forum member found in Idaho.


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## Richard36

Here are a few other outcrop photo's.




View attachment 3


View attachment 2


View attachment 1


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## Richard36

Here's a short video that I created about what to be looking for when out prospecting.
I hope that it helps.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlxUID49bys[/youtube]

Enjoy.
Comments & suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Sincerely, Rick. "The Rock Man".


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## Rick & Carrie

We just got through reading what all has been posted on this thread and smiled.

We hope that many have learned from what all I posted here back in the day under my old profile.

We may well have more to add to this thread in the near future. 

Videos of "in situ" ore deposits and vein systems will be the emphasis of our future posts on this thread.

Sincerely; Rick, "The Rockman" a.k.a Prospectors; Rick & Carrie


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## Rick & Carrie

IOCG,VMS, & Volcanic Epithermal Ores of The Oregon Cascades.



This what the Old Timers of The American Old West were looking for and Mining.


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## Rick & Carrie

What The Old Timers were looking for and mining.

Parts 2 & 3





Ore Deposit Charts


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## Junior2021

Richard36 said:


> Metallic Ores produce various Colors as they oxidize, and therefore stain the Host Rock(s) that contain them.
> These stains are called Gossans.
> 
> The following is a list of the various Gossan Colors.
> 
> Yellows, Browns, Maroons, and Reds = ... Various Iron Oxides.
> Black = ........................................ Manganese Oxides.
> Green = ....................................... Nickel
> Greens and Blues = ........................... Copper Sulfides, Oxides, Carbonates, Etc.
> Bright Yellow = ................................ Molybdenum
> Waxy Green = ................................. Native Silver, or Silver Chloride.
> Oranges and Yellows = ....................... Arsenic
> Pinks and Purples = ........................... Cobalt
> 
> Here are a couple of Outcrop Photo's.
> One showing Gossan Colors, and One without.
> 
> View attachment 3687
> View attachment 3688
> 
> 
> The following is a list of Rock Types, and Metal Associations.
> 
> Granito = ......................... Ouro e Prata.
> Olivina Gabro = ................... Platina, Cromo, Níquel, Cobalto e Ferro.
> Dunita = .................................. Platina e Cromo.
> Peridotita/Peridotita Dunita = ... Níquel, Cromita e Platina.
> Serpentinita = ........................ Platina
> 
> A seguir está uma lista de Associações de Pedras Preciosas e Tipos de Rochas.
> 
> Almandina = ......... Diorito, Hornfels e Xisto.
> Andradita = .......... Granito Pegmatitos, Carbonatos, Hornfels e Skarn.
> Grossular = .......... Skarn, Marble e Hornfels
> Pyrope = .............. Peridoto Dunite e Gabro.
> Spessartine = ........ Pegmatitos de Granito e Xisto Azul.
> Uvarovita = .......... Serpentinita e Peridoto Dunita.
> Corindo = .......... Sienito, Nefelina Sienito Pegmatito, Hornfels e Gnaisse.
> Berilo = ................ Pegmatitos de Granito e Xisto.
> Turmalina = ......... Granito Pegmatitos e Xisto.
> Espinélio = ............... Hornfels, Mármore e Gabro.
> Topázio = ............... Pegmatitos de granito.
> Zircão = ............... Pegmatitos de Granito, Diorito, Nefelina Sienito e Carbonatito.


Parabéns pela postagem , estou praticamente dentro de uma montanha de granito no Brasil e tenho recolhido pedras e feito testes. Existe uma caverna no meio da montanha de granito. Essa abertura na rocha foi feito para fazer uma contenção. Através de testes já identifiquei ouro, vou continuar com os testes e vou postar rochas da abertura . Obrigado.


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## Rick & Carrie

Junior2021 said:


> Parabéns pela postagem , estou praticamente dentro de uma montanha de granito no Brasil e tenho recolhido pedras e feito testes. Existe uma caverna no meio da montanha de granito. Essa abertura na rocha foi feito para fazer uma contenção. Através de testes já identifiquei ouro, vou continuar com os testes e vou postar rochas da abertura . Obrigado.


Speak English when you reply to me.


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## goldshark

Just for the record, Americans speak American English. Very different from the Queens English.


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## Rick & Carrie

Parts 3 - 6


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## stoneware

Rick what is your take on this outcrop, thanks.


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## Rick & Carrie

stoneware said:


> Rick what is your take on this outcrop, thanks.
> 
> View attachment 49342


Hello stoneware, 

The host rock appears to be a silica and feldspar rich variety of Rhyolite.

The gray sections are most likely lead and zinc rich with some percentage of Silver, and possibly Gold.

The yellowish to greenish hues in the Rhyolite are indicators of the presence of lead and zinc.

Thanks for posting the outcrop photo and the question.

We hope that we have been helpful.

Sincerely; Rick & Carrie.
Geotech Anlytical


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## stoneware

Rick & Carrie said:


> Hello stoneware,
> 
> The host rock appears to be a silica and feldspar rich variety of Rhyolite.
> 
> The gray sections are most likely lead and zinc rich with some percentage of Silver, and possibly Gold.
> 
> The yellowish to greenish hues in the Rhyolite are indicators of the presence of lead and zinc.
> 
> Thanks for posting the outcrop photo and the question.
> 
> We hope that we have been helpful.
> 
> Sincerely; Rick & Carrie.
> Geotech Anlytical


Thanks Rick & Carrie, the outcrop is located in this pit from which the placer deposited gravel is hauled into town then washed.

Here's an XRF shot from a wash plant sampling, during the summer I'll take a couple of drill core samples from the outcrop and have a proper assay done.

Again thank you, I'm very happy for you and Carrie coming together with common interests.


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## Rick & Carrie

stoneware said:


> Thanks Rick & Carrie, the outcrop is located in this pit from which the placer deposited gravel is hauled into town then washed.
> 
> Here's an XRF shot from a wash plant sampling, during the summer I'll take a couple of drill core samples from the outcrop and have a proper assay done.
> 
> Again thank you, I'm very happy for you and Carrie coming together with common interests.
> 
> View attachment 49348
> 
> View attachment 49349


Thanks for the compliments and the post.

The pgm content wasn't expected, but way cool. 

Keep us all posted on your results. 

Fire assays for gold and silver we can do, but will refrain from PGM group assays at this time.


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## Rick & Carrie

Phyto-Prospecting plant/Metal Associations.


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## Rick & Carrie

Plants associated with Nickel deposits.


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## Rick & Carrie




----------



## Rick & Carrie




----------



## kjavanb123

Hi

Someone sent me a video of this rock and wanted to know what mineral this is. 
I took some screen shot from the video and it looks like calcite to me. 









Your comments are appreciated.


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## Rick & Carrie

It appears to be Brucite; a manganese rich variety of Calcite.

So yes, you were on target for thinking Calcite.

Thanks for the question, photos, and the post.


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## kjavanb123

Thanks Rick


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## Rick & Carrie

kjavanb123 said:


> Thanks Rick


You're welcome.


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## kjavanb123

Hi

I was off roading today and came across this spot in the mountains. 

The color looks like limonite



Got closer, it looks like debris from digging a small well. 



I did a little digging for a sample, and the color of soil went from yellow to rusty brown as I got deeper. 



My plan is to sift following smelting to see if there is any gold.


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## Rick & Carrie

Way cool find. Keep us posted on your results.


kjavanb123 said:


> Hi
> 
> I was off roading today and came across this spot in the mountains.
> 
> The color looks like limonite
> View attachment 50563
> 
> 
> Got closer, it looks like debris from digging a small well.
> View attachment 50564
> 
> 
> I did a little digging for a sample, and the color of soil went from yellow to rusty brown as I got deeper.
> View attachment 50565
> 
> 
> My plan is to sift following smelting to see if there is any gold.


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## kjavanb123

Hi

Some updates on concentrate from coarse and fine parts of that yellow soil limonite. 

Smelting and cupeling it didn't produce any beads. 


So hopefully tommorow I will smelt and cupel a sample from the yellow soil without concentrating it to see if gold is bounded with limonite.


----------



## stoneware

A question for Rick, the quartz came from an area known for Arsenopyrite, after milling I roasted it.

With the gas's escaping from the milled quarts the heavies settled out in layers, top tan then brick red, next we have a light colored black before running in the dark black.

I've passed neither of the blacks are magnetic, curious what it might be.

This morning brought a small sample up to red heat, no change on the black material


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## kjavanb123

kjavanb123 said:


> Hi
> 
> Some updates on concentrate from coarse and fine parts of that yellow soil limonite.
> 
> Smelting and cupeling it didn't produce any beads.
> 
> 
> So hopefully tommorow I will smelt and cupel a sample from the yellow soil without concentrating it to see if gold is bounded with limonite.


Hi

This smelting the gravel from that yellow soil also didn't produce any beads from cupeling so that yellow soil is limonite without any PMs. 

Here is a shot of cupel after it was done 



More gravel sample from dried rivers smelting and cupeling coming up.


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## stoneware

stoneware said:


> A question for Rick, the quartz came from an area known for Arsenopyrite, after milling I roasted it.
> 
> With the gas's escaping from the milled quarts the heavies settled out in layers, top tan then brick red, next we have a light colored black before running in the dark black.
> 
> I've passed neither of the blacks are magnetic, curious what it might be.
> 
> This morning brought a small sample up to red heat, no change on the black material
> 
> View attachment 50769
> 
> View attachment 50772
> 
> View attachment 50771
> 
> 
> View attachment 50774


Incinerated the black material, its a sulfide.


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## kjavanb123

Hi

I collected 2kg of soil from drainage right below the main quartz vein that were mined before. 

Smelting and cupeling the coarse part produced a bead which confirmed the existence of gold and silver in that soil. 

Here is a shot of that silver bead. 



Since soil sample collected from the drainage on the far right side of the quartz vein didn't produce any beads therefore one can tell about placer gold in the down stream by looking at the quartz vein on the upper levels. 

Thanks 
KJ


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## goldshark

After looking at a few of your pictures, I pose a couple of questions;
1. Did you periodically stir your roast, to a complete dead roast?
2. Did you add any collector metal to your "assay", including proper fluxes?
3. Did you try to assay and cupel at the same time?
Please give a description of your assay technique and steps taken.


----------



## Junior2021

Richard36 said:


> Metallic Ores produce various Colors as they oxidize, and therefore stain the Host Rock(s) that contain them.
> These stains are called Gossans.
> 
> The following is a list of the various Gossan Colors.
> 
> Yellows, Browns, Maroons, and Reds = ... Various Iron Oxides.
> Black = ........................................ Manganese Oxides.
> Green = ....................................... Nickel
> Greens and Blues = ........................... Copper Sulfides, Oxides, Carbonates, Etc.
> Bright Yellow = ................................ Molybdenum
> Waxy Green = ................................. Native Silver, or Silver Chloride.
> Oranges and Yellows = ....................... Arsenic
> Pinks and Purples = ........................... Cobalt
> 
> Here are a couple of Outcrop Photo's.
> One showing Gossan Colors, and One without.
> 
> View attachment 3687
> View attachment 3688
> 
> 
> The following is a list of Rock Types, and Metal Associations.
> 
> Granite = ........................... Gold and Silver.
> Olivine Gabbro = ................... Platinum, Chromium, Nickel, Cobalt and Iron.
> Dunite = ............................. Platinum and Chromium.
> Peridotite/Peridotite Dunite = ... Nickel, Chromite, and Platinum.
> Serpentinite = ...................... Platinum
> 
> The Following is a list of Gemstone, and Rock Type Associations.
> 
> Almandine = ......... Diorite, Hornfels, and Schist.
> Andradite = .......... Granite Pegmatites, Carbonates, Hornfels, and Skarn.
> Grossular = .......... Skarn, Marble, and Hornfels
> Pyrope = .............. Peridote Dunite, and Gabbro.
> Spessartine = ........ Granite Pegmatites, and Blue Schist.
> Uvarovite = .......... Serpentinite, and Peridote Dunite.
> Corundum = .......... Syenite, Nepheline Syenite Pegmatite, Hornfels, and Gneiss.
> Beryl = ................ Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
> Tourmaline = ......... Granite Pegmatites, and Schist.
> Spinel = ............... Hornfels, Marble, and Gabbro.
> Topaz = ............... Granite pegmatites.
> Zircon = ............... Granite Pegmatites, Diorite, Nepheline Syenite, and Carbonatite.


Muito obrigado, sensacional um ótimo aprendizado.


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## kjavanb123

goldshark said:


> After looking at a few of your pictures, I pose a couple of questions;
> 1. Did you periodically stir your roast, to a complete dead roast?
> 2. Did you add any collector metal to your "assay", including proper fluxes?
> 3. Did you try to assay and cupel at the same time?
> Please give a description of your assay technique and steps taken.




Hi goldshark

Please see my response as following;

" After looking at a few of your pictures, I pose a couple of questions;" 


"1. Did you periodically stir your roast, to a complete dead roast?" 

No roasting was conducted.


"2. Did you add any collector metal to your "assay", including proper fluxes?"

Yes, I always add lead oxide produced from previous smelting along with equal volume parts of flour. 

For Flux I use 2 parts soda ash, 1 part borax and 0.5 part silica sand. 

Flux and lead oxide flour are mixed prior to smelting.



" 3. Did you try to assay and cupel at the same time?" 

No, they are done separately. I clean up the lead button from any slags before cupel. 


" Please give a description of your assay technique and steps taken."

As I described in my previous post, I start the furnace with an empty crucible in it till it is yellow hot, then I add the concentrates, then flux/lead oxide/flour mix is added. 


I wait for the bubbles in the melt to seize then pour the melt into a conical mold. 

Thanks and best regards 
KJ


----------



## goldshark

Please accept my apologies, I was looking at Stoneware's roast, and then combining with the pics of your assay, my fault. I have never seen a cupel finish like in your pics though. Is that a pre made cupel, or some other home made type?


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## kjavanb123

goldshark said:


> Please accept my apologies, I was looking at Stoneware's roast, and then combining with the pics of your assay, my fault. I have never seen a cupel finish like in your pics though. Is that a pre made cupel, or some other home made type?


No problem. I make my cupels with cement in a steel bowl. Here is another cupeling from smelting one more sample.


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## bfloyd4445

all greek to me


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## stoneware

stoneware said:


> Incinerated the black material, its a sulfide.



After roasting.


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## dkbinco

wow dude, I dont know if you are still around, but I live in the mineing districts in CO. I collect samples form different gold bearing areas here. I went through a big time mine tour recently and the veins they were chaseing are purple in colour, some went 3 ft. some a mile long., some 1 in wide and some a foot or wider, but all they collected was that dark purple looking rock. I was 1000 ft. down and there is 36 sq. miles of tunnels. 10 levels put out 2 mill in 70 yr. stopped in 1961 when gold went to $35 an oz. HA! so anyone have a comment anyhow.


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