# Help identifying what im looking at



## Illicit (Mar 25, 2017)

I found these rocks was just wondering if anyone can tell me what it is. Im still new so not sure if this is just pyrite?
Thanks in advance for any help


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 25, 2017)

Looks like pyrite but I'm certainly no expert.


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## Topher_osAUrus (Mar 25, 2017)

Pyrite is hard and brittle. Scratch it with some copper, if it scratches, its gold. If it marks the copper, its pyrite. Gold is also very malleable, and will deform if struck, pyrite will shatter.

Website I plagiarized for this information 
:arrow: https://www.homegrownfun.com/difference-real-gold-fools-gold/


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## FrugalRefiner (Mar 25, 2017)

Illicit, rickbb gave you an answer in your last thread that would serve you well in this case as well. The first Topic in this section of the forum is Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore. If you're going to pursue hard rock prospecting, you should really spend some time studying that thread. It includes tests for nearly any metal you may encounter.

Dave


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## Illicit (Mar 25, 2017)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Illicit, rickbb gave you an answer in your last thread that would serve you well in this case as well. The first Topic in this section of the forum is Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore. If you're going to pursue hard rock prospecting, you should really spend some time studying that thread. It includes tests for nearly any metal you may encounter.
> 
> Dave


 
Thanks dave, i have been studying it, but i must admit i been getting a bit anxious. Problem is i dont have access to alot of the materials in that list to be able to prepare myself, i havent even been able to find nitric or hydrochloric or sulfuric acids locally. As much i like to do leg work and learn from the basics, is there any where i can purchase sucu tests already made? Or can someone provide me with a website i can order this stuff from. Not sure why here in ontario its so hard to find these materials


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## FrugalRefiner (Mar 25, 2017)

Illicit said:


> Thanks dave, i have been studying it, but i must admit i been getting a bit anxious. Problem is i dont have access to alot of the materials in that list to be able to prepare myself, i havent even been able to find nitric or hydrochloric or sulfuric acids locally. As much i like to do leg work and learn from the basics, is there any where i can purchase sucu tests already made? Or can someone provide me with a website i can order this stuff from. Not sure why here in ontario its so hard to find these materials


Yeah, they have quite an extensive list of reagents that allow you to test pretty much anything. But you probably don't need to test everything, so you don't really need everything in that list. If you have cars where you live, there are probably car batteries. I can buy sulfuric acid at an auto parts store for use in the batteries. If I can't find that, I might check at the hardware store for drain cleaner that's also sulfuric acid. Hydrochloric acid is sold at swimming pool supply companies, at masonry suppliers as a brick/concrete cleaner, etc. Nitric is usually the hardest for most members, but as you keep reading you'll pick up some tips on where to look.

It's become harder to find many of these supplies everywhere because stupid people can use some of them to cause harm to themselves or others.  

Dave


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## Illicit (Mar 25, 2017)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Illicit said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks dave, i have been studying it, but i must admit i been getting a bit anxious. Problem is i dont have access to alot of the materials in that list to be able to prepare myself, i havent even been able to find nitric or hydrochloric or sulfuric acids locally. As much i like to do leg work and learn from the basics, is there any where i can purchase sucu tests already made? Or can someone provide me with a website i can order this stuff from. Not sure why here in ontario its so hard to find these materials
> ...


 
Well i had a friend hat had the chemical test for jewellery, he gave me some 18k test kit which is nitric acid and muriatic acid. I put a lil drop on the rock and nothing happened??? Also i had a small one so i crushed it and its acting like gold being very heavy in my pan. Heres a pic but the flash is messing up the colour


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## Reno Chris (Mar 25, 2017)

the acid mix for testing Karat purity is made to test metals, not rocks. You have chunks of pyrite. Pyrite is also heavy in the pan, weighing about double your typical rock minerals. You were given a good piece of advice:

*Gold is also very malleable, and will deform if struck, pyrite will shatter.*

You crushed this stuff to make fines to pan. Pyrite is brittle and crushes up. Gold is malleable and mashes and deforms. Also, pyrite is found in many rocks and is millions of times more common than actual gold. Pyrite has a kind of metallic yellow -greenish cast that I can see plainly in your pan. 

Here is a photo of some real gold I found in Alaska a couple years ago.


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