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Looking For Some Wisdom


Zincoln

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Thank you GB.  I do have an ohm meter, and hadn't considered that.

As for more, not sure if this was a random dump during the gold mining days, or possibly part of some more modern dirt moving fill....or was disturbed from its source when heavy equip came through.  This was not a hard rock mining location.

The day I found this, I gave up on a large piece that was deeper...before I had any idea of what I might have.  It will probably take me a day or two to get a coil over it again as I didn't commit the exact spot to memory,  but I have a roughly 100 yard diameter area to search.  If this proves to be good (Still have the biggest piece of the sample that is full of this stuff), I'll certainly go back and spend some time locating that target.

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1 hour ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Zincoln, A couple pics looks pretty gold to me.  I hunt Eastern Oregon quite a bit and we find pocket specimens and placer nuggets.  Were you detecting Ore Dump piles?  The pic with the red background looks pretty assuring as well as the pic with the dime.  There's a Geologist in Baker City (if he's still around) who will verify or your next trip to Boise and I can verify.  Yes they sometimes have a silver look to them.DSCN8777.thumb.JPG.1511e9866e410bcb126e83e2394ffb0d.JPG

Thank you Gerry.  I think you have at least given me high confidence I have something good here.  Your darker examples are almost dead ringers for mine before i put them through the acid bath.  

This wasn't an ore dump...though i can't say it wasn't brought here from nearby hard rock mining, or wasn't part of some fill brought in from other nearby mines.

You and I haven't met, but we share some common acquaintances, and I'm quite certain we've both put boots on some of the same ground.  Could easily be that your samples and mine come from the same area.

Think I'll head over to our local coin dealer this next week and have them give me a spectrum analysis.  I have some other items to have them look at, so gives me an excuse to ask for a test.  I'd take you up on your offer, but we've got about 300+ miles between us right now!

Your response is much appreciated!

 

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50 minutes ago, hawkeye said:

Several of the pictures seem to have a Copper colored hue in some areas.  It may be a Gold/Copper alloy.  I have seen Gold rings with some copper added that have a similar color 

“Black Hills Gold” jewelry makes jewelry with a mix like that. People don’t realize they’re buying a gold alloy with it.

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8 hours ago, GotAU? said:

“Black Hills Gold” jewelry makes jewelry with a mix like that. People don’t realize they’re buying a gold alloy with it.

I do believe many people think it comes out if the ground like that....rather alloys of Cu for Rose, and Silver for green.  Always liked the accents.

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If it flattens out, good sign. Some of the pictures do look like alloyed gold, some look like a purer form. My son always takes anything he's not sure of to a pawn shop for analysis (XRF) and they always do it for free. Best to know for sure before you head back to dig up that big one. . . .

(Not sure if this counts as wisdom as it's pure speculation after looking at your pictures and reading your posts, but the XRF will let you know, if you can get to one.)

All the best,

Lanny

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5 hours ago, Lanny said:

If it flattens out, good sign. Some of the pictures do look like alloyed gold, some look like a purer form. My son always takes anything he's not sure of to a pawn shop for analysis (XRF) and they always do it for free. Best to know for sure before you head back to dig up that big one. . . .

(Not sure if this counts as wisdom as it's pure speculation after looking at your pictures and reading your posts, but the XRF will let you know, if you can get to one.)

All the best,

Lanny

Thank you Lanny.  Should be able to get this done on Monday, and i'll let the readers know what i learned.  Everything feels right, but the color isn't what one is used to.  Crossing my fingers.  Had a nice ore crusher made at the local iron works shop for just this occasion, so would be nice to pay it off!  Pulled about 4g of material from a piece about 1/15th of the full sample.  Panned out the fines after picking the 'nuggets'.  Will feel silly if this ends up being something all together different.....but you gotta have hope!  Did find a few little pyrite crystals that powered up when crushed in with pliers....the the bulk of this material is soft and malleable (not lead soft) and looks nothing like pyrite.  

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Well, I said I'd provide an update!  Turns out it looked silver....because it is silver ore.  The samples we ran through the XRT were 99% pure silver.  So, very high grade silver ore.

Funny thing is that there weren't any silver mines I know of anywhere near by.  Guessing an old gold miner had that w/ them in the old village for some reason, and eventually tossed it out.  Would be fun to have them run a trace and find out where it came from....but not worth the effort.

Anyway, now I know what I have....and am better educated the next time I run across anything similar!

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56 minutes ago, Zincoln said:

Well, I said I'd provide an update!  Turns out it looked silver....because it is silver ore.  The samples we ran through the XRT were 99% pure silver.  So, very high grade silver ore.

Funny thing is that there weren't any silver mines I know of anywhere near by.  Guessing an old gold miner had that w/ them in the old village for some reason, and eventually tossed it out.  Would be fun to have them run a trace and find out where it came from....but not worth the effort.

Anyway, now I know what I have....and am better educated the next time I run across anything similar!

Thats a cool find though! Curious, how much was the analysis for you?

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