False Iridium finds

[Golddigger76]

With all of this being said, is there a simple way to test for arsenic either in the field or at your home/ laboratory that would confirm arsenic ?
I'm a rock guy too but most of my rocks are either ore that I have collected from mines or specimens that I have purchased.
Just asking because I have some rocks from Colorado that I suspect are arsenic pyrite.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Take a look at the tests in Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore.

Dave

 

[orvi]

With all of this being said, is there a simple way to test for arsenic either in the field or at your home/ laboratory that would confirm arsenic ?
I'm a rock guy too but most of my rocks are either ore that I have collected from mines or specimens that I have purchased.
Just asking because I have some rocks from Colorado that I suspect are arsenic pyrite.

Arsenopyrite, if scratched or smeared on something has very distinct smell. Not recommending it as analytical procedure of course
Dave gave you very good advice on how to proceed.

 

[ATM Promining]

Humble perspective: If you see Ir and Osmium 1 - 10 times as much as Ir the Os is from the left and right wing of the As curve and Ir from 2 points on the right side of the As curve. 99 out of a 100 I would say. The Spectra tabel is useless for PGM in all modes except you actually analyse alloys in which precious metals are already dominant. In mining mode PGMs are basically only detected a bit more reliably if its concentrate >40%. Beforw that PGM usually.dont show except in form of false reading. Only useful feature is Spektrum view and a lot of zooming in besides other corroborating methods of determining PGMs.

These faulty readings even appear when usinf EDX XRF. Its so consistent that there are people prepping As to be nice and shiny, sell it as Os or Os Ir mix and "provide proof" with XRF false readings. Nasty.

Delta Pro.
Vanta M Series.

 

[Lou]

Yes. And if no one here has figured it out yet, there is no such thing as iridium ore without the other PGMs present. Insofar as Ir containing material, it must have Os with it because Ir and Os occur as osmiridium together in various alluvial deposits. That mineral is also insoluble in aqua regia, infusible, and more or less toxic to process.