Monster Copper? Nugget Found

[Jim in Idaho]

I just got home from a 3 day Nevada trip. Went back down to the drywash where I found the multi-oz nuggets in June. Boy, was I in for a surprise. The 6 x 10 coil on my GM24K is bad, and I really wanted at least a 10" coil, so hauled out the old GM3. It rewarded me with a multi-pound hunk of copper....or at least it's got copper in it. Same grayish metal clear through. Weighs just over a kilogram. I sent the bigger nugget I found in June to an assay lab. Should, know what the metal is in a couple of weeks. This nugget, along with another golfball-sized nugget were found about 100 yards up the wash from the last one I found in June. This morning I covered the area carefully with the 6" coil on the GM3, but found zero gold, or other nuggets. I think this one is close to it's origins. I can't see something this hefty moving very far in a relatively dry climate. I need to go back and do some digging, but just can't manage it in this heat. Going to have to wait for late fall.

Jim

[Skull diver]

This is what I love of prospecting.

Really inspiring to see the effort, the clues research and the patience looking for gold and it's source..

I still take fists on my face multiple times when I'm wrong with plans in the beach after over a decade but when gold appear, every wound is canceled and everything is like the first time again...

[rexhavoc]

Hey Jim, great work! 

Looking forward to the assays of what you've found. 

And of course those Wilfley table plans while you are waiting for cooler weather 😉

 

 

[Jim in Idaho]

2 hours ago, rexhavoc said:

Hey Jim, great work! 

Looking forward to the assays of what you've found. 

And of course those Wilfley table plans while you are waiting for cooler weather 

 

Hey Jon, Hope all has been going well. I'm so busy with projects I don't know if I'm coming, or going...LOL. I do have some shaker table plans available. I got the Wilfley-copy of the driver finished, and have a video of it operating, but not connected to a table. I'm waiting on another machinist who is working on an aluminum table design which will use my driver.

Jim

[rexhavoc]

Great to hear it Jim. In case I miss it, will you shoot me a link to your plans when they are dialled in? I hope you still have my email.

Jon

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Will do, Jon. I've got your email, so we're good.

Jim

[Chris Ben]

Congratulations great find!!

[speedman2049]

Nice find!

I was out the day before yesterday taking some samples and found this greenish rock that seemed brittle and layered. Turns out it may be Serpentine rock which contains asbestos!

I wasn't to happy when I found that out as I was digging out a bunch of dirt and fine gravel where there was nothing but this stuff as was bringing back a bucket to pan at home. Now I'm worried about all that dust I was around, just great....

[GB_Amateur]

This looks like a decent description of serpentine asbestos.

It's certainly important from a safety standpoint to take hazards seriously.  However, like any hazardous material, it's the amount of exposure, and to a lesser extent, how that exposure is spread over time.  From the article:  Heavy and frequent occupational exposures are more likely to cause disease than are nonoccupational exposures; however, a lifetime of exposure to low levels is also recognized as a potential hazard.

It's good that you've become aware of the hazards of handling serpentine, and your activity around it going forward should be one of caution.  However, if I were you, I wouldn't fret about a few hours spent collecting panable material in the conditions you describe.  Easy for me to say, but I've been in related situations with regards to ionizing radiation.  Knowledge is your first and most important line of defense.  All others follow from there.

[speedman2049]

11 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

This looks like a decent description of serpentine asbestos.

It's certainly important from a safety standpoint to take hazards seriously.  However, like any hazardous material, it's the amount of exposure, and to a lesser extent, how that exposure is spread over time.  From the article:  Heavy and frequent occupational exposures are more likely to cause disease than are nonoccupational exposures; however, a lifetime of exposure to low levels is also recognized as a potential hazard.

It's good that you've become aware of the hazards of handling serpentine, and your activity around it going forward should be one of caution.  However, if I were you, I wouldn't fret about a few hours spent collecting panable material in the conditions you describe.  Easy for me to say, but I've been in related situations with regards to ionizing radiation.  Knowledge is your first and most important line of defense.  All others follow from there.

Thanks, makes me feel a little better lol!