Identification help!

I've been collecting rocks for a while with no knowledge, more because I I like the look of them or find them interesting. However I am pretty keen to get into prospecting and would love to learn how to identify rocks and mineral as well as where and how to find them, as well as getting some help to identify my large rock collection I know nothing about ?
I will post some photos of some of the ones I'm most interested in however if someone living or visiting the pratten area would like to come take a look and help give me and ID or wouldn't mind me tagging along to teach me a few things I'd be very grateful. ickshovel:

Could anyone please Id this vein that was on a rock I crushed up?

Click to expand...

More of the same rock

The whole rock after being broken, for rough idea of the size

Could this have gold in it? Worth crushing or not?

Can you explain a bit more about its situational location? Ie from a vein in a mine or quarry or just laying around on the side of the road or in the bush. Im refering to the first series of 4 pics. As far as the above. Crush it and find out. You wont know until you do it :Y:

Both rocks found in pratten, one found in a gully at the rear of my house I believe may have been a man made gully and the second rock posted was found around the top of an open mine shaft

Id crush the second rock you found near an open shaft. Just looking at it wont tell you what may be worth further investigation. ickshovel: :goldpan:

First is very weathered and material may have been removed (eg sulphide in a carbonate vein, carbonate itself)? Some cherts? Last some sort of spar?
There are photos of gold nuggets up to 8 oz from Pratten on the net.