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Area is about 3/8 inch square. The gold from this area went 78% Au 22% Ag. Base material is limestone almost marble. No quartz in location of find. This is a small specie I kept for its uniqueness. As I have not got specialist macro gear this is best I could do, but you can see it is as if the gold replaced organic material, sort of a mineral fossil.

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A little story from this area. Originally mined in 1933, the miner got quiet excited about the amount of gold he got out of this mine(only shallow but rich) from folklore he flew over Cooktown at that time and threw out 10 shilling notes.

 

10 shillings can be equated to $1 OZ, of course in those days it would have bought many beers today for $1 you`d get a sip. I detected a fair quantity of gold from the tailings and a number of pieces in creek below. Is a small isolated mine that I must visit area with GPZ as always felt there would be undiscovered reefs in area. Did the tailings and area originally with RB7 and got a few larger pieces, sure got a pleasant surprise when I revisited with a GM2. The GM2 got the piece in photo, further uniqueness of this small area is there is no quartz which is probably why it was found 50 years plus after original rush.

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Norvic, That is an interesting image. i have a theory abt golds relationship to sulfur bearing organic material. was this rock seperated to reveal this inside or was it exposed already. Perhaps it wasnt yet grown 50 years ago.

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"A Journey Through Stone" by Ian Plimer, whilst about the area I live in, is a top read about the formation of mineral deposits through hundreds of millions of years. Written by a geologist who has the ability to write of such a complex subject in a easy to read and understand manner. It is out of print but obtainable snd/ hand on the net. 

He starts the journey off, 500 million years ago, writes of the 7 volcanoes that erupted here some 250million years ago, they "spewed" out an estimated 2000 cubic miles of material and how since than further movements of the earth through continental drift and other forces, formed the mineral deposits we see today.

 

A book I find rereading over and over by a very controversial character, his more recent books are about the conflicting evidence that his lifetime study of geology goes against the evidence of todays AGW. His writings just makes you think way outside the square, I recommend "A Journey Through Stone" might not get you more gold but I believe it will have questioning a lot of conventional thinking and have you looking in new places, thus increasing your chances.

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The books author brings in comparisons of world wide geology to explain mineral formation, St Helens as an example, I think AjR you`ll find it a great ref book. Imagine Amazon would have it, think I got it from Fishpond came from UK. 2nd hand  and well read but all there.

Spencer@wy if you break into the stone there is more inside, I`d imagine the original miner found many lb size lumps as he broke open the reef. Only a very small mine, probably 30ft deep 5ft diameter. Must have been a real jewellery shop, haven`t found any geologist reports on it, just passing references. Think the gold was deposited in a hot water solution, the area has a few hot springs that are slightly radioactive, good to ease the aches but as yet haven`t glowed in the dark. :) . Long gone Uncle of mine reckoned you could put steel cans in the springs and over years would convert the steel to copper, dunno about that.

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Norvic that is certainly and interesting tale and I appreciate the references.  The alchemy might not work so well though I bet joints will appreciate the heat ;)

Not all gold is associated with quartz.  Its just a common theme.  The main theme to gold formation tends to be hydrothermal activity and associations with other heavy metals.  Its a very nice specimen and I would be interested to know what the base rock is if you ever get it identified.  Looks to me to be granitiod. 

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Very fine grained even almost no grain, shears off in flat thin flakes, with a slight gloss. I`m fairly geology impaired, marble is mined in close vicinity to mine today, also fluorspar back a bit. I`ll put my money on sedimentary slightly metamorphised, limestone almost marble. Imagine granitoid is not immediately soluble in acid, think this is maybe, will try a flake in acid. But must look further for a geological report of mine.

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