Identification (must see!)
- Thread starter Jimdeveney
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kurtak
Well-known member
looks like another rock - with lots of mica in it
Kurt
Kurt
Hi Jim,
I also would say it's mica.
Do you think it‘s something special because it's glittering?
I also would say it's mica.
Do you think it‘s something special because it's glittering?
While I like to encourage people in the art/science of precious metal refining, we seem to have a large influx of people showing off their rock collections. Please take your rocks to be properly assayed and go from there. If you have a good assay, stake your claim and mine away. This is not a mining forum, this is a precious metal recovery forum. (Apologies if this comes off as offensive, that's not the intent.) They are nice rocks though, just not sure what you want us to do besides look at them.
Elemental
Safety Note: Do not use precious metal refining techniques on raw ore. This is the fastest way to generate poisonous/toxic gases, many of which are deadly.
Elemental
Safety Note: Do not use precious metal refining techniques on raw ore. This is the fastest way to generate poisonous/toxic gases, many of which are deadly.
Here in NJ, we have all mutated to require such toxic gasses for our very survival! ;D (So many Superfund sites!)
Test it for Tellurides.
Cheers Wal
Cheers Wal
I think I've found some of those. Some old crushed gravel in my grandparents yard was full of quartz with 'pyrite', but the pyrite never turned rusty from exposure to air, not even after 60 years of weathering!
Unless you can see fine crystal structure where crystal lattice is clearly visible, or fire assay the material (or at least hitting it with some XRF beam) you cannot be sure about "shiny sulfide" stuff. There is immense possibilities what it can be. For example finely crystalline tertradymite is easily mistaken with galena or arsenopyrite, if you haven´t seen dozens of the samples beforehand. And even than, I wouldn´t be sure about staking some claims.
From the photos it look like some schist. Here, metamorphic granite-type/composition rocks do not hold much values, espetially schists. But I seen some deposits abroad.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2013
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Looks like much schist to me. I would not pay for an analysis unless there was some reason beyond what is readily apparent from its appearance.
Interesting advice here, XRF is inconsistent on ores at best, assays on some ore types will miss things unless they are tailored for the ore type and I find that learning to chemically test and assay yourself will remove the potential of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
I test everything in an area I'm looking at.
Just my thoughts..
Cheers Wal
I test everything in an area I'm looking at.
Just my thoughts..
Cheers Wal
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There is a saying, " If it looks like gold, it probably isn't ".It is good to see you have an enthusiasm for rocks, they hold some interesting facts. Just because you get some attention on this site, please don't over whelm this site with asks every other day. Please get a book on basic geology, and read it. When you find something along the lines of metals, and refining, then by all means ask away. Asking geology questions about geology here, only clouds and overwhelms the serious refiner looking for educational posts. Info that could be found easier if one doesn't have to wade through thousands of posts relating to other subject matter. Just my opinion.
While you cannot rely exactly on the given percentages or ppm´s, XRF is perfect qualitative tool for ores. If it is properly calibrated and able to run geochem mode of course. Set of 10 independent measurments averaged together could give you pretty fair result of what you have in your hand. Maybe it will be a bit off with some values but it could do amazing and quick job elucidating things out.
michelegray25
Michele
It looks like schist and mica. It can be very pretty. We have a lot of that in Colorado.
CampbellShaw
Member
Thank you everyone, you have all been so helpful!!
Quick question… So I crushed up a small rock, with my rock crusher I ordered from amazon, now I am panning it. How long should it take me to pan it down?
Quick question… So I crushed up a small rock, with my rock crusher I ordered from amazon, now I am panning it. How long should it take me to pan it down?
A lot less time than it took to crush it to powder. A few tablespoons of powder can be panned in minutes.
Don't forget to add a few shavings of lead if you are new to panning, they will help you if your panning technique has too much shakin goin on.
CampbellShaw
Member
Thank you for telling me. Because I have panned that rock way to long!!! But it’s not getting any smaller since I have started getting just clear water, like it’s not murky anymore. I still have crumbles that wouldn’t crush and wont wash away. Is it likely I’m not aggressive enough with my panning?
First off you need to crush the rock to fines. And the lead will tell you if you are too aggressive with your panning. Lead is a dense metal, like gold, if when you are done panning you have washed out the lead shavings you have been too aggressive. If there is gold in the crushed sample, all that should be in your pan will be gold, lead, and possibly black sands.
Ohiogoldfever
Well-known member
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Lots of great how too videos on you tube. Helps me to see someone doing something I’m trying to learn.
Panning takes some skill to get proficient at but it’s also not difficult really. Just need the feel of it.
I've got it down to being able to find the single tiny flakes which appear now and then in almost any NJ stream gravels. It's all about watching how the sediments move and stratify when you shake it in different speeds and directions. I practiced with sand from a sandpit and a few flecks of lead until I could get it down to nothing but black sand and the lead.
