First find - first metal detector - first post

[Bazz]

Hi
I could be a bit nervous, but I'll muddle through, I hope this is the right place for this post, sorry if it needs to be elsewhere (I expect to be told

Had my new and trusty Exterra 705 out a few times and recently turned up a golf ball size quartz with veins of yellow stuff (gold). It's very heavy (I think) but also has pyrities (I think) on one side.

Question : once crushed do the metal components separate when panned or is there some other process to follow - I seem to remember reading that there is an issue

Thanks in advance

Bazz

 

[headbut]

Hi Bazz , if you crush the rock to powder , the gold will separate , so can be panned off. I have found gold in quartz schist & recovered no problem

Cheers Paul

 

[Bazz]

Hey Paul

Thanks for the quick answer

Cheers
Bazz

 

[trashmagnet]

well done mate
just crush and pan your speci and you will get the gold.
I'd pan into something that will catch all the waste so you can recheck that you have it all.

some people use mercury after crushing, but I would not bother unless you have micro gold.

having said that if it's a nice looking speci it might pay to leave it whole,just give it a good clean.
maybe even put in hcl acid just for a short time to make the gold look brighter if it's not already.
any pics?
regards trashy

nevermind I see someone just answered, i type slow :lol:

 

[Bazz]

Thanks Trashy, I feel the hammer of fate.......

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Any pics? Hope its not crystalline gold - don't crush if it is! :lol:
http://www.themineralgallery.com/goldroom.htm

 

[Bazz]

Hey mbasko

Thanks for the information and the link, Yes I have crushed the quartz and fortunately it was not crystalline but not enough to make my fortune but I have enough to take a very small step forward.

Thanks again.

Bazz

 

[bindy]

my first nugget was 5 grams found with a mine lab FT1600 at Talbot central Vic boy how the diggings have changed now so quite out there no shoe tacks or nails, back into it again with new GPX5000 but not sure on how quite it's supposed to run. anyway the pic on the right is my first nugget I just had it put on a chain for my daughters birthday.

 

[gavfromoz]

Mbasko that is fascinating reading, I love the sight of gold in it's most natural form, so many different textures, just love it