First off, Congratulations! Everyone here hopes you have found something awesome! Hopefully something very valuable! Hopefully something not XRF'ing as rhodium, or worse, iridium on a handheld analyzer...
There is a tremendous amount of knowledge of a variety of kinds and fashions here on the goldrefiningforum, but that said, you're not quite in the right place...yet! We at the GRF are firm believers that every bit of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium and ruthenium and osmium was once in or on the ground until some intrepid explorer discovered it. We focus mostly on secondary materials, but many members have considerable experience and expertise in ore dressing, ore processing, assaying, and the recovery of materials from ore prior to subsequent refining.
While we welcome newcomers of all kinds, when we say you're not in the right place if you just came here to talk about rocks, it means that we actually are not a place to talk about rocks being worth lots of money or having "crazy mineralization" or assayed with a handheld XRF instrument. Believe us when we say that the administrators, moderators, kind fellow forum members and whomever all want nothing more than to help you with turning your rocks into swimming pools full of cash. We just require that you, yes YOU, dear reader/rockhound/exploration geologist/future billionaire do a few reasonably simple things first. Let's call it due diligence. After all, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. We even settle for just plain ol' scientific evidence here at the GRF.
BEFORE you post about having XYZ rocks found in XYZ complex ores from wherever patented/secret/extraterrestrial location worth over 1 X 10^nth USD/metric ton, the forum community at large wants YOU to follow this simple questionnaire/worksheet designed to help you with your rocks and help us with managing time and server space:
1.) Do you have rocks that you believe/think/hypothesize/insist are valuable, perhaps so valuable that your discovery is likely to upend the whole market for, say iridium or rhodium?
-->If yes, congratulations! We are thrilled and can't wait to have rhodium-plated iridium forks and spoons but we ask that you immediately proceed to question #2 which will determine how thrilled we shall remain!
If no, please enjoy your stay here and proceed right away to posting about refining and recovery!
2.) Do/did you 1. have an advanced degree in geology from an accredited institution of higher education, 2. acquire the materials from districts or locations known for precious metals, 3.) want to find out where and how to process these because your business is rocks, not separation science/chemical refining?
-->If yes to all three above questions, wow! we love having experts here! Please post your degree/qualifications, your location, roughly where the rocks came from (depth/alluvial/hardrock core) and all data (powder diffraction, mineralogy, gravity concentration results, fire assays, historical geological surveys, jar rolling tests, instrumental neutron activation analyses, blow pipe pictures, specific gravity readings). Now we can all talk about the content in g/ton and where to go with the material and approaches based on science!
If no, kindly stop right there and don't post yet--let's proceed to question #3!!
3.) Have you consulted a qualified (as in actual) geologist who is an expert in the geology of the precious metal-producing district where you found your rocks?
-->If yes, good you're on the right path! Get his/her/their permission to post their correspondence here for us to see as proof and please proceed to question 4 before posting here! Remember, an expert is someone who other people call an expert and typically has academic and industry experience as proven by their publications, patents, demeanor, and occupation (i.e. "Department of Geology chair" or "exploration geologist, 20 years experience Barrick Gold"
If no, kindly go to another forum focused on ores, rocks, post high resolution photos of your find, figure out what it is, then contact the local university geology department and ask them to confirm what the internet told you. After you can confidently say Yes to question 3 and prove it, please see question #4!
Here are some forums/sites that may be able to help you with your rocks: The lists are not comprehensive, but they should get you off to a good start. You can search for additional Geological Surveys, Mining Associations, Clubs, Shows, etc. in your area.
Rock and Ore Identification
Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore
United States Geological Survey
Mindat.Org
National Mining Association
Identifying Minerals
How to Identify Gold Ore Rocks: Tests, Characteristics, & Types
How to Effectively Identify the Gold Ore?
Rockhound Resource how-to-test-your-rock-for-gold-7-simple-methods
State Geological Surveys
Arizona Geological Survey
Idaho Geological Survey
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Mining Associations
American Exploration and Mining Association
Arizona Mining Association
Colorado Mining Association
Idaho Mining Association
Montana Mining Association
Nevada Mining Association
Utah Mining Association
Women In Mining USA
Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration
Prospecting Clubs and Organizations
Gold Prospectors of the Rockies
Alabama Gold Camp
Gold Prospectors of Colorado
Colorado Prospector
Finding Gold in Colorado
Colorado Gold Camp
Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Shows
Rock & Mineral Shows by State
Colorado Mineral and Fossil Shows
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
4.) Having consulted an expert (in addition to the aforementioned websites), have you had temptations to, or have you already put your rocks into a mixture of acids and possibly generate(d) toxic wastes/gases/untold rich mother liquors?
-->if yes, stop right there! We highly suggest you reach out to a reputable assay house and let them do that for you. It's their day to day. If you can't afford an assay it is probably best to walk away now or else save up for a proper assay!
Here are some labs that do great work that you might consider:
Alfred H Knight International
ALS Global International
Bureau Veritas International
SGS International
American Analytical Services, Inc. Osburn, ID
American Assay Laboratories NV
Axium Scientific Sparks, NV
Clark Testing PA, IL, WV, MI
Hazen Research, Inc. Golden, CO
Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, NV
Ledoux & Company Teaneck, NJ
McClelland Laboratories, Inc. Sparks, NV
Phoslab Testing Laboratories Lakeland, FL
Reed Laboratories Carlsbad, CA
Skyline Assayers & Laboratories Tucson, AZ
Actlabs Ontario, Canada
Many of these labs also have convenient locations nearby all of the major precious metal mining/ore districts so be sure to check their website thoroughly.
If no, congrats! you passed the trick question but kindly still stop there and go get a minimum of a fire assay for gold, silver; or an Instrumental Neutron Activation analysis. Don't put random rocks into acids. Feel free to post and ask us for a lab that one of the members has good personal experience with, and if another member agrees with the other member, perhaps consider sending it there! After having done so, come back here and post up the results! Everyone here is in fact really and truly awaiting your return with actual data!
Some questions to ask yourself, possibly before the questionnaire above:
"why would I have such valuable rocks when the world is literally full of rocks and people? What makes my rocks special?"
"do I have the knowledge and maturity to comprehend when I do not know something and should seek a second opinion?"
"Do I know the difference between opinions and facts?"
"Is my assay from an assay house that has ISO 17025 accreditation and uses traceable standards that go back to a major standards governing body (i.e. NIST/ASTM/ISO)?"
"are my assays consistent or is there evidence of the nugget affect?"
"do my assays show all of the PGMs in varying amounts?"
"is my ore heavy?"
"if the earth is mostly mineralized by meteorite bombardment, is it appropriate to relate my rocks to "meteoritic origins"?"
"is an XRF instrument really a substitute for tried and true methods like fire assay?"
"should my rocks be soft, smelly, and contain organic matter?
If your assay has proven you have an economically viable source of precious metals, here are some additional resources to help you capitalize on your find.
Consultants and Contract Geologists
Alaska Earth Sciences
DMC Mining Services
Geopros, Inc.
Hard Rock Consulting, LLC
Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, NV
Nasco Industrial Services and Supply
The Redpath Group
Small Mine Development
Thyssen Mining
Mining, Milling, Smelting and Geology Supplies
Atlas Mine & Mill Supply, Inc.
CGS Mule Complete Geological Supplies
F&H Mine Supply, Inc.
Legend, Inc.
Mount Baker Mining and Metals, LLC
Northwest Mine Supply
Other
911 Metallurgist
The Diggings
There is a tremendous amount of knowledge of a variety of kinds and fashions here on the goldrefiningforum, but that said, you're not quite in the right place...yet! We at the GRF are firm believers that every bit of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium and ruthenium and osmium was once in or on the ground until some intrepid explorer discovered it. We focus mostly on secondary materials, but many members have considerable experience and expertise in ore dressing, ore processing, assaying, and the recovery of materials from ore prior to subsequent refining.
While we welcome newcomers of all kinds, when we say you're not in the right place if you just came here to talk about rocks, it means that we actually are not a place to talk about rocks being worth lots of money or having "crazy mineralization" or assayed with a handheld XRF instrument. Believe us when we say that the administrators, moderators, kind fellow forum members and whomever all want nothing more than to help you with turning your rocks into swimming pools full of cash. We just require that you, yes YOU, dear reader/rockhound/exploration geologist/future billionaire do a few reasonably simple things first. Let's call it due diligence. After all, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. We even settle for just plain ol' scientific evidence here at the GRF.
BEFORE you post about having XYZ rocks found in XYZ complex ores from wherever patented/secret/extraterrestrial location worth over 1 X 10^nth USD/metric ton, the forum community at large wants YOU to follow this simple questionnaire/worksheet designed to help you with your rocks and help us with managing time and server space:
1.) Do you have rocks that you believe/think/hypothesize/insist are valuable, perhaps so valuable that your discovery is likely to upend the whole market for, say iridium or rhodium?
-->If yes, congratulations! We are thrilled and can't wait to have rhodium-plated iridium forks and spoons but we ask that you immediately proceed to question #2 which will determine how thrilled we shall remain!
If no, please enjoy your stay here and proceed right away to posting about refining and recovery!
2.) Do/did you 1. have an advanced degree in geology from an accredited institution of higher education, 2. acquire the materials from districts or locations known for precious metals, 3.) want to find out where and how to process these because your business is rocks, not separation science/chemical refining?
-->If yes to all three above questions, wow! we love having experts here! Please post your degree/qualifications, your location, roughly where the rocks came from (depth/alluvial/hardrock core) and all data (powder diffraction, mineralogy, gravity concentration results, fire assays, historical geological surveys, jar rolling tests, instrumental neutron activation analyses, blow pipe pictures, specific gravity readings). Now we can all talk about the content in g/ton and where to go with the material and approaches based on science!
If no, kindly stop right there and don't post yet--let's proceed to question #3!!
3.) Have you consulted a qualified (as in actual) geologist who is an expert in the geology of the precious metal-producing district where you found your rocks?
-->If yes, good you're on the right path! Get his/her/their permission to post their correspondence here for us to see as proof and please proceed to question 4 before posting here! Remember, an expert is someone who other people call an expert and typically has academic and industry experience as proven by their publications, patents, demeanor, and occupation (i.e. "Department of Geology chair" or "exploration geologist, 20 years experience Barrick Gold"
If no, kindly go to another forum focused on ores, rocks, post high resolution photos of your find, figure out what it is, then contact the local university geology department and ask them to confirm what the internet told you. After you can confidently say Yes to question 3 and prove it, please see question #4!
Here are some forums/sites that may be able to help you with your rocks: The lists are not comprehensive, but they should get you off to a good start. You can search for additional Geological Surveys, Mining Associations, Clubs, Shows, etc. in your area.
Rock and Ore Identification
Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore
United States Geological Survey
Mindat.Org
National Mining Association
Identifying Minerals
How to Identify Gold Ore Rocks: Tests, Characteristics, & Types
How to Effectively Identify the Gold Ore?
Rockhound Resource how-to-test-your-rock-for-gold-7-simple-methods
State Geological Surveys
Arizona Geological Survey
Idaho Geological Survey
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Mining Associations
American Exploration and Mining Association
Arizona Mining Association
Colorado Mining Association
Idaho Mining Association
Montana Mining Association
Nevada Mining Association
Utah Mining Association
Women In Mining USA
Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration
Prospecting Clubs and Organizations
Gold Prospectors of the Rockies
Alabama Gold Camp
Gold Prospectors of Colorado
Colorado Prospector
Finding Gold in Colorado
Colorado Gold Camp
Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Shows
Rock & Mineral Shows by State
Colorado Mineral and Fossil Shows
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
4.) Having consulted an expert (in addition to the aforementioned websites), have you had temptations to, or have you already put your rocks into a mixture of acids and possibly generate(d) toxic wastes/gases/untold rich mother liquors?
-->if yes, stop right there! We highly suggest you reach out to a reputable assay house and let them do that for you. It's their day to day. If you can't afford an assay it is probably best to walk away now or else save up for a proper assay!
Here are some labs that do great work that you might consider:
Alfred H Knight International
ALS Global International
Bureau Veritas International
SGS International
American Analytical Services, Inc. Osburn, ID
American Assay Laboratories NV
Axium Scientific Sparks, NV
Clark Testing PA, IL, WV, MI
Hazen Research, Inc. Golden, CO
Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, NV
Ledoux & Company Teaneck, NJ
McClelland Laboratories, Inc. Sparks, NV
Phoslab Testing Laboratories Lakeland, FL
Reed Laboratories Carlsbad, CA
Skyline Assayers & Laboratories Tucson, AZ
Actlabs Ontario, Canada
Many of these labs also have convenient locations nearby all of the major precious metal mining/ore districts so be sure to check their website thoroughly.
If no, congrats! you passed the trick question but kindly still stop there and go get a minimum of a fire assay for gold, silver; or an Instrumental Neutron Activation analysis. Don't put random rocks into acids. Feel free to post and ask us for a lab that one of the members has good personal experience with, and if another member agrees with the other member, perhaps consider sending it there! After having done so, come back here and post up the results! Everyone here is in fact really and truly awaiting your return with actual data!
Some questions to ask yourself, possibly before the questionnaire above:
"why would I have such valuable rocks when the world is literally full of rocks and people? What makes my rocks special?"
"do I have the knowledge and maturity to comprehend when I do not know something and should seek a second opinion?"
"Do I know the difference between opinions and facts?"
"Is my assay from an assay house that has ISO 17025 accreditation and uses traceable standards that go back to a major standards governing body (i.e. NIST/ASTM/ISO)?"
"are my assays consistent or is there evidence of the nugget affect?"
"do my assays show all of the PGMs in varying amounts?"
"is my ore heavy?"
"if the earth is mostly mineralized by meteorite bombardment, is it appropriate to relate my rocks to "meteoritic origins"?"
"is an XRF instrument really a substitute for tried and true methods like fire assay?"
"should my rocks be soft, smelly, and contain organic matter?
If your assay has proven you have an economically viable source of precious metals, here are some additional resources to help you capitalize on your find.
Consultants and Contract Geologists
Alaska Earth Sciences
DMC Mining Services
Geopros, Inc.
Hard Rock Consulting, LLC
Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, NV
Nasco Industrial Services and Supply
The Redpath Group
Small Mine Development
Thyssen Mining
Mining, Milling, Smelting and Geology Supplies
Atlas Mine & Mill Supply, Inc.
CGS Mule Complete Geological Supplies
F&H Mine Supply, Inc.
Legend, Inc.
Mount Baker Mining and Metals, LLC
Northwest Mine Supply
Other
911 Metallurgist
The Diggings
Last edited by a moderator:
