Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
Latest activity
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
Charts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Gold Prospecting
Alluvial Gold Prospecting
Loaming for Gold information and questions
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="SWright" data-source="post: 51898" data-attributes="member: 1541"><p>G'Day Hare_Twigga</p><p></p><p>The photograph is not all that good, however your description of "Heavy metallic Flakes" is informative. Suphide minerals are common in quartz veins and in some mines can be a indicator of gold. Quartz veins with Galena (lead sulphide) and Sphalerite (zinc sulphide) are particularly indicative of gold bearing veins. Both of these minerals can when crushed appear to be bright and silvery depending on the type of impurities in the minerals. Galena will generally break into small cubes while sphalerite can be anything from silvery to redish-metallic.</p><p></p><p>Bright silvery flakes sounds like the mineral Molybdenite - a sulphide of the metal molybdenum and can also occur in gold bearing veins particularly within or nearby to granites and related intrusives. Molybdenite forms as heavy metallic flakes. It often appears to be greasy and is easily scratched to produce a black streak. The slipperyness is a result of it forming like mica. So much so that is is the main ingredient in dry grease. I think it is unlikely to be reibeckite. This is a relatively rare mineral largley but not exclusively associated with the banded iron sedimentary formations in the Pilbara of WA.</p><p></p><p>Araluen</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SWright, post: 51898, member: 1541"] G'Day Hare_Twigga The photograph is not all that good, however your description of "Heavy metallic Flakes" is informative. Suphide minerals are common in quartz veins and in some mines can be a indicator of gold. Quartz veins with Galena (lead sulphide) and Sphalerite (zinc sulphide) are particularly indicative of gold bearing veins. Both of these minerals can when crushed appear to be bright and silvery depending on the type of impurities in the minerals. Galena will generally break into small cubes while sphalerite can be anything from silvery to redish-metallic. Bright silvery flakes sounds like the mineral Molybdenite - a sulphide of the metal molybdenum and can also occur in gold bearing veins particularly within or nearby to granites and related intrusives. Molybdenite forms as heavy metallic flakes. It often appears to be greasy and is easily scratched to produce a black streak. The slipperyness is a result of it forming like mica. So much so that is is the main ingredient in dry grease. I think it is unlikely to be reibeckite. This is a relatively rare mineral largley but not exclusively associated with the banded iron sedimentary formations in the Pilbara of WA. Araluen [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Gold Prospecting
Alluvial Gold Prospecting
Loaming for Gold information and questions
Top