Gold in quartz??
- Thread starter lunarocks
- Start date
-
- Tags
- gold bearing
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Hi guys this, I’m hoping for a bit of advice on this piece as I’m about to sell it as a raw quartz ore. I just did a few test hardness stating quartz etc. SG seemed to indicate something heavier than quartz hopefully gold
If you press the "gold" looking areas with something like a needle does it indent or does it break/chip away?
Indent would indicate gold & chipping away would indicate another mineral like pyrite.
If it does contain gold it's very hard to put a price on it to sell whole.
IMO the only way to accurately know would be to break/crush it up.
Indent would indicate gold & chipping away would indicate another mineral like pyrite.
If it does contain gold it's very hard to put a price on it to sell whole.
IMO the only way to accurately know would be to break/crush it up.
I really appreciate the fast reply, I had hoped not to break this one as it's a beautiful piece. I have it up for sale and just recently had some interest so I'm a little torn on what to do. I'm new to prospecting only two years now, lots of reading and a house full of rocks.
I have learnt so much but not nearly enough so this group will be a blessing.
Kind regards Angie
Hi Lunarocks.
You didn’t say in your post whether the specimen gives a metallic target signal to a detector.
Having a close look at the rock but still can’t say for sure whether the gold looking patches are actually gold as many quartz rocks can contain other yellowish metallic lustered minerals like the pyrite family.
the lustre of gold is unmistakeable and perhaps if you prod a bit like mbasko suggested or even scratched it you should be able to tell for sure.
If you are hoping to sell it as a gold specimen you must be able to unmistakeabley identify and prove that what you have is actually gold.
You didn’t say in your post whether the specimen gives a metallic target signal to a detector.
Having a close look at the rock but still can’t say for sure whether the gold looking patches are actually gold as many quartz rocks can contain other yellowish metallic lustered minerals like the pyrite family.
the lustre of gold is unmistakeable and perhaps if you prod a bit like mbasko suggested or even scratched it you should be able to tell for sure.
If you are hoping to sell it as a gold specimen you must be able to unmistakeabley identify and prove that what you have is actually gold.
If indeed the yellowish material in this rock is gold, then a properly done SG test will only be indicative for the amount of gold contained, but cannot be conclusive, as the assumed SG for the quartz content depends on what other minerals are also contained therein. Selling it in its present condition would be a gamble for both buyer and seller, as sometimes there's more gold on the inside than the outside.
Visually, I don't see any gold in this specimen but I guess it may be coated with some other mineral, although this would be unusual in my experience - there's usually at least some unmistakeable gold that's visible. Has the specimen been inspected by an experienced miner, prospector or geologist who has confirmed that it is definitely gold-bearing?
Last edited:
This specimen showed only a little colour when it was first dug:
After a toothbrush scrub in water, it looked a whole lot better:
After a toothbrush scrub in water, it looked a whole lot better:
Lunarocks - 2nd last picture I thought "maybe, possibly".
Last picture I thought "definitely not".
But I'm no geo. Scratch it to start with I think, like others have suggested.
Also as others have suggested, please don't try to sell it as 'quartz with gold' until it is 100% verified as gold. Could end up messy.
That last pic is a good one by the way - good focus
Last picture I thought "definitely not".
But I'm no geo. Scratch it to start with I think, like others have suggested.
Also as others have suggested, please don't try to sell it as 'quartz with gold' until it is 100% verified as gold. Could end up messy.
That last pic is a good one by the way - good focus
Sorry for the late reply, we have had a busy day and a nice amount of rain that I normally welcome but not so much since flooding a few weeks ago. I'm going to do a few more test and take a video to see what you think.
I'm wondering if one wanted to have something looked over/certified how would you approach this. As I have 6 large quartz ores that all showed promise with the SG test.
Sadly I had my detector gifted to us and I feel like I need a crash course as I'm not confident on how it works.
I one hundred percent agree, I have so many beautiful pieces that I have collected and haven't sold. My partner and I came accross a quartz seam on our families farm with quartz Fluorite,epidote,axinite,Prehnite,calcite, and more each piece so different and I do question gold in some. I keep questioning myself so my collection has now hit it's limit, so I joined this group and plan to become a member of our lapidary club. 
So much to learn
So much to learn Thankyou grubstake, 6 quartz pieces we found on the outskirts of Goulburn. The particular one has just been advertised as a Raw milky quartz ore.
The bright gold is certainly very evident in that specimen. Good find!
Yes, I am a bit unclear what is the gold but perhaps it is a distorted colour issue with the photo. But some of what you have enlarged looks unlikely. Looks more like weathered mica. The associated minerals would be a bit unusual for gold but not entirely impossible (I dont ever recall fluorite in gold ore).
"Ore" of what?
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2019
- Messages
- 135
- Reaction score
- 360
If you have a specimen that you think may contain gold take it to a bar room full of experienced miners and pass it round for inspection. If you get it back it doesn't contain gold.Lunarocks - 2nd last picture I thought "maybe, possibly".
Last picture I thought "definitely not".
But I'm no geo. Scratch it to start with I think, like others have suggested.
Also as others have suggested, please don't try to sell it as 'quartz with gold' until it is 100% verified as gold. Could end up messy.
That last pic is a good one by the way - good focus
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2015
- Messages
- 1,080
- Reaction score
- 2,094
this is what gold in quartz really looks like.
this is how you find out the gold content
cheers dave
this is how you find out the gold content
cheers dave
Magnificent mate.
