A Long Forgotten Speci

[phoenix]

About 3 or 4 years ago I ran a post about a specimen I got at Tarnagulla at about 6" with pretty well no visible gold, and the sg for quartz said there was maybe 1½ ozs of gold in it, but because there was rock other than quartz, I really don`t know how much gold there actually is.      At the time, I dropped it in acid and then promptly forgot about it till I came across it today.  ?               The main body of it is about half the size it started and there is now gold and gravel in the bottom of the jar.       I`ve taken this photo of the biggest bit remaining, renewed the acid and dropped it back in.         I wont forget it again (I hope).
Sorry Mitchel, back to the dime   ?

[Gerry in Idaho]

That one could turn into a really nice doozy.

Here is one I had etched and it's value went 10X.  Before pic and most folks would have said, good job.  After etching, they are shocked.

Don't forget it this go around.

[phoenix]

Gerry what a stunning piece  ?                I don`t think there is any chance mine will end up looking like yours because it seems to me that 99% of the gold in mine is in the brown rock, not on the quartz.   Dave

[GB_Amateur]

11 hours ago, phoenix said:

...I dropped it in acid....

Hydrofluoric?  What concentration?

 

[phoenix]

No GB.  This one I dropped it in hydrochloric acid. I don`t play around with hydrofluoric acid. Bad stuff,  but there is the tiniest trace of hydrofluoric in the Ali Brite I mostly use.

[geof_junk]

17 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Hydrofluoric?  What concentration?

 

In the early 1980 we got many tons Hydrofluoric Acid for internal cleaning of mill scale on newly constructed 375 MW Brown Coal boiler. It was shipped via road in steel tanks it concentration was 35%. I can't remember what it was diluted to. It was continuously circulated in a closed vessel for a couple of days. Most people would expect it to eat through the steel tanks at 35% Conc. but that is the normal process.

The big problem with a Weak Hydrofluoric Acid is that it burns into the skin and attacks the bone with very little warning in pain till it very serious.Vapours into the lung is very serious.

https://ehs.princeton.edu/book/export/html/197

 

[phoenix]

I worked for a dangerous goods transport company up to about 10 yrs ago and during a safety meeting we were told about a chemist in WA that spilt Hydrofluoric on himself in a lab and I remember we were told, within minutes this man immersed himself in a swimming pool, and the poor man still died.   The day I heard that story I decided I would never work with Hydrofluoric and if anybody had insisted I work with it, I would have quit.
I always wondered whether that was a true story or something they made up to scare us so I googled it today and found an article on the incident.
https://www.fluoridealert.org/wp-content/pesticides/fluoride.poisoning.1996.pap.htm

[geof_junk]

Great post phoenix. The case of the boiler was a Health and Safety Team major project.

[Gerry in Idaho]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 8:56 AM, GB_Amateur said:

Hydrofluoric?  What concentration?

 

Mine was in HF and I recommend you let the experts do it.  Hydrofluoric is a bad nasty.  Not sure what % they use, it is a Chemical Specialty Shop in Oregon.

[GoldEn]

Nice one Phoenix

 

Hmmm next time i am Down Under might offer we do spring clean of the house.Bet there will be few nuggets and species around.

Looking nice.Good luck there.

Stay safe and take care.

and you know my saying....

Dig everything ?

 

GoldEN