❓Your Mineral Identification Questions answered here

[Lilleth]

Hey Guys,

I found this really neat rock I want to try identify, I'm hoping someone will be able to help me

I found this in central west NSW Australia.

 

[MBsearch]

Looks like a vuggy volcanic. Recommend getting a sample of the greenish/yellow crystal and determine its specific gravity & follow goldilocks guidelines. My guess - Mix of colours suggest lead mineralisation.

 

[JudeT]

Hi everyone, I'd be grateful for any opinions on this little gemstone from Grabben Gullen. I've photographed it against 5mm grid paper and it comes in at just over 2ct. Specific gravity is around 3.9 but I don't have accurate enough scales to state that with any certainty.

I'm leaning towards zircon or tourmaline rather than sapphire, but any opinions would be appreciated: I'm new to this. Apologies for the lines that my little lightbox inserts.

Cheers,
Jude

 

[Mackka]

I am going Sapphire.

 

[fossickeract]

A nice bright little yellow sapphire gets my vote too.

 

[JudeT]

Thanks so much, both of you! Of the four people who know a lot more than me who've weighed in with an opinion, that makes about 3.5 votes for sapphire. I wasn't expecting to get that lucky so early in the hobby - I'm chuffed. I'll see about getting it cut Thanks a bunch

 

[Mackka]

It's a wee ripper and many more to come. Well Done.
Mackka

 

[silver]

Not sure what this is
Got it at a garage sale one time with some other minerals from an estate collection

Heavy, so I Rubbed it on the cement

(Even the mozzie was interested)

Groved a little

Added heat

Didn't change anything

That was all late last year
Thought I'd put a magnet to it today..... and it attracts(not magnetic itself at all), plus it's rusted over again.
Does not shatter or deform when hammered.

Could it be anything other than a lump of steel ?

 

[Dave79]

Crusher ball I reckon, well used by the looks of it.

 

[Daniel77]

Hi everyone, trying to figure out what this is.

Detector went nuts when I hovered it over a pile of rocks, moved the rocks and a little bit of topsoil and found what you can see on the top of the picture, split it open to a nice shiny surprise.

I'm thinking it might be Pyrite, maybe?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Fishermandan]

Hi everyone, trying to figure out what this is.

Detector went nuts when I hovered it over a pile of rocks, moved the rocks and a little bit of topsoil and found what you can see on the top of the picture, split it open to a nice shiny surprise.

I'm thinking it might be Pyrite, maybe?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/22295/1644123766_silver2.jpg

going to stick out my man titties and agree with you as i have safely seen way too much pyrite over the last week

 

[Fishermandan]

Not sure what this is
Got it at a garage sale one time with some other minerals from an estate collection
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115878_screenshot_20220206-124545_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115878_screenshot_20220206-124602_gallery.jpg
Heavy, so I Rubbed it on the cement
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115928_screenshot_20220206-124626_gallery.jpg
(Even the mozzie was interested)
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115973_screenshot_20220206-124641_gallery.jpg
Groved a little
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116038_screenshot_20220206-124658_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116038_screenshot_20220206-124710_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116039_screenshot_20220206-124721_gallery.jpg
Added heat
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124739_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124807_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124823_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124839_gallery.jpg
Didn't change anything
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116129_screenshot_20220206-124856_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116129_screenshot_20220206-124909_gallery.jpg
That was all late last year
Thought I'd put a magnet to it today..... and it attracts(not magnetic itself at all), plus it's rusted over again.
Does not shatter or deform when hammered.

Could it be anything other than a lump of steel ?

mill ball

 

[silver]

Crusher ball I reckon, well used by the looks of it.

Thanks Dave :Y:

 

[silver]

Not sure what this is
Got it at a garage sale one time with some other minerals from an estate collection
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115878_screenshot_20220206-124545_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115878_screenshot_20220206-124602_gallery.jpg
Heavy, so I Rubbed it on the cement
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115928_screenshot_20220206-124626_gallery.jpg
(Even the mozzie was interested)
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...115973_screenshot_20220206-124641_gallery.jpg
Groved a little
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116038_screenshot_20220206-124658_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116038_screenshot_20220206-124710_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116039_screenshot_20220206-124721_gallery.jpg
Added heat
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124739_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124807_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124823_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116089_screenshot_20220206-124839_gallery.jpg
Didn't change anything
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116129_screenshot_20220206-124856_gallery.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...116129_screenshot_20220206-124909_gallery.jpg
That was all late last year
Thought I'd put a magnet to it today..... and it attracts(not magnetic itself at all), plus it's rusted over again.
Does not shatter or deform when hammered.

Could it be anything other than a lump of steel ?

mill ball

Thanks Fishermandan :Y:

 

[Daniel77]

Thanks Fishermandan, I was looking at a lot of pictures and Pyrite looked the closest to what I had, was not 100% sure though. :Y:

 

[RM Outback]

Hi everyone, trying to figure out what this is.

Detector went nuts when I hovered it over a pile of rocks, moved the rocks and a little bit of topsoil and found what you can see on the top of the picture, split it open to a nice shiny surprise.

I'm thinking it might be Pyrite, maybe?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/22295/1644123766_silver2.jpg

Is it magnetic, could be meteorite

Tuck ya mantities away for a few days Fishermandan. The picture obviously won't allow for positive ID I'm sure there will be others who will offer suggestions :beer:

 

[Fishermandan]

Thanks Fishermandan, I was looking at a lot of pictures and Pyrite looked the closest to what I had, was not 100% sure though. :Y:

what i cant answer is why your detector picked it up unless it has iron in the mix or maybe even gold as from what i have read all can be present with Pyrite but plenty of reading on the net on the above subject

 

[Dave79]

The crystal structure looks a lot like galena, and the stuff high in lead and silver will set a detector off.

 

[Daniel77]

RM Outback, yes it is magnetic.

Fishermandan, could not say if it had any gold in it or iron, can only see what's on the surface and the point where I broke it.

 

[user 4386]

Hi everyone, trying to figure out what this is.

Detector went nuts when I hovered it over a pile of rocks, moved the rocks and a little bit of topsoil and found what you can see on the top of the picture, split it open to a nice shiny surprise.

I'm thinking it might be Pyrite, maybe?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/22295/1644123766_silver2.jpg

Properties?