I'm trying to find the source of the rough gold that I'm collecting. Iv moved up hill out of the creek and started to find more and more galena. The amount of gold I'm collecting isn't increasing but the galena is. Just want to know if galena is associated with gold.
Galena
- Thread starter Bluecurrant
- Start date
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Galena is apparently an important source of silver, but gold doesn't get a mention:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galena
Dam it !.
Have you got a picture of the Galena? Are you sure its not arsenopyrite. which is a good gold indicator.
Hi Bluecurrant,
Yep Galena does have a good association with nuggety gold ore types but it's usually only in trace amounts. So if you're finding a lot of it that'd be really unusual.
As jethro asks, are you sure it's not arsenopyrite?
If it's galena and you scratch it, the powder will look grey. But don't eat it. Too much can kill you.
If it's arsenopyrite and you scratch it, the powder will look black. Don't eat it either - you guessed it - too much will kill you. Haha
A clear photo would be handy to pick which one you've got.
Yep Galena does have a good association with nuggety gold ore types but it's usually only in trace amounts. So if you're finding a lot of it that'd be really unusual.
As jethro asks, are you sure it's not arsenopyrite?
If it's galena and you scratch it, the powder will look grey. But don't eat it. Too much can kill you.
If it's arsenopyrite and you scratch it, the powder will look black. Don't eat it either - you guessed it - too much will kill you. Haha
A clear photo would be handy to pick which one you've got.
I'll try and get a better photo tomorrow here a couple. It has tiny crystals on it. Its hard aswell.
and this is some of the gold iv found with it.
. Iv been leaving it in the bush in a hollow log in case it's of importance. Thanks again for your help. With out this forum I'd still be scratching my head.
the first photo looks like pyrite from the 2 crystal like structures may be wrong though, either way if you find a nice size bit it can look good in the garden bed
every prospector out this week will be on the hunt for the hollow log
Bluecurrant said:
every prospector out this week will be on the hunt for the hollow log
SWright
Steve Wright
Hi Bluecurrant
Yes Galena is often associated with gold. It is common together with sphalerite, a zinc sulphide, in epithermal gold deposits throughout eastern NSW and is some WA greenstone deposits. I also found large amounts of galena with gold when working at Wattle Gully in Victoria. The galena is most likely to be shedding from the same vein system as the gold, depending on where you are, but the gold within the vein would occur in distinct shoots, not all along the vein. I suggest you also traverse the hill slope to home on on where the gold may be shedding from the vein, or locate the vein and sample along it.
Geological advice - free, lemonade an extra 5 cents.
Araluen
Yes Galena is often associated with gold. It is common together with sphalerite, a zinc sulphide, in epithermal gold deposits throughout eastern NSW and is some WA greenstone deposits. I also found large amounts of galena with gold when working at Wattle Gully in Victoria. The galena is most likely to be shedding from the same vein system as the gold, depending on where you are, but the gold within the vein would occur in distinct shoots, not all along the vein. I suggest you also traverse the hill slope to home on on where the gold may be shedding from the vein, or locate the vein and sample along it.
Geological advice - free, lemonade an extra 5 cents.
Araluen
That's what I wanted to read. I thought my days of wandering around the mountain was a complete waste of time. There's still hope for my searching efforts then. Also I did check to see weather it arsonpyrite or galena. And yes it was black to rub. But the other peice is galena so my neighbor tells me. He does lapidary and said I had both minerals. Thanks for the info :Y:
Both arsenic and galena!?
Looking good! :Y:
Looking good! :Y:
Went back today two separate pans. Had two walk back to creek each time for water. It's hard not to spill the pan on the way down. But I'm happy with my efforts.
second pan
it's even harder as the soil is covered in a foot of mulch. The golds coming from somewhere.
Goooood work :Y:
Mmmm I wonder where that 'Hollow Log' is.... ] ] Nice finds Bluecurrant.. :Y:
LW...
] Nice finds Bluecurrant.. :Y: LW...
I decided not to give up on this spot that i worked a while back. I found some more rough gold and a little specimen up above where i previously dug. Im thinking a quartz vein must be around the area for this rough gold to be up so high above the creek. Im wondering if the quartz vein needs to be exposed above the ground surface for the gold to become dislodged.
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Bluecurrant, I don't think you're too far from the source. My understanding is as the rocks decompose the gold is released, if by above the ground you mean in the air then not necessarily. The decomposing/weathering can take place under the soil line I believe, with the heavy bits of gold sitting on the bedrock. Get the book Loaming for Gold by Sam J Cash, it's well worth a read. I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me can point you in the right direction. BTW great work so far!
Bluecurrant said:
start trenching across the strata/country see if you can pick up a reef of it if its in sharp unworn quartz you cold find a nice payable reef nearby if the hill is steep and rocky its easy to follow the traces down to the exact source if its a low hill with heaps of clay and top soil trenching is the only way to find where it is.
If the weather is good ill venture back out there on the wend. Also i found a few of these pink worms in the creek when i was panning. Has anyone ever seen these worms before.
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Bluecurrant said:
Worm's? That's a freak.
StoneTheCrows
Neil Mulvaney
RM Outback said:
Geez I think I had those for dinner last night with some meatballs
