Hello

[Gonedigging]

Hello all

Long time reader first time poster, Seems to be a very informative forum Looking forward to becoming a regular poster when I have something positive to ad. Tragic detectorist and poor panner .
Cheers David

 

[Jaros]

Hi Dave, we all started somewhere. Good luck in your search for the yella stuff.

 

[Nugget]

Welcome David, we're glad you took the plunge and finally joined the forum.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Cheers,
Nugget

 

[Gonedigging]

Hi Dave, we all started somewhere. Good luck in your search for the yella stuff.

Hello Jaros
Can you tell me the best way to tell the difference between pyrite and the real stuff. I have been getting quite a lot of little and I mean little colour in my pan .But I don't think it is gold .Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated Thank you in advance.

 

[Heatho]

G'day and welcome aboard, Gold will look the same from every angle, Mica will be a different colour from different angles. Mica will break apart very easilly when rubbed between your fingers. Even the slightest water movement will move Mica but not usually move Gold unless it is extremely fine flour Gold. The finest Gold will actually float too.....

 

[Jaros]

Hi Gonediggin. yeah as above by Heatho. I tried snorkelling for gold in Walhalla an Gippsland in the creeks with a few mates and apart from bloody cold, even though we wore wetsuits the scene from the pyrite reflecting sunlight at all different angles was fantastic.

 

[Goldpick]

Hi Dave, we all started somewhere. Good luck in your search for the yella stuff.

Hello Jaros
Can you tell me the best way to tell the difference between pyrite and the real stuff. I have been getting quite a lot of little and I mean little colour in my pan .But I don't think it is gold .Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated Thank you in advance.

Gold is a lot heavier than pyrite, so it will generally accumulate under or throughout the heavy minerals in your pan (black sand) and wil be q ot harder to wash round the pan than pyrite. Pyrite being lighter tends to wash about the pan with ease, usually above all the heavier gear.

It will be hard to tell with such small pieces, but gold is also malleable, whereas pyrite will crumble if crushed. Being malleable, gold can appear rounded or as flat flakes from being deformed over time due to compaction and physical movement in waterways.

Pyrite tends to be more pale in colour vs the real thing, but somtimes can have a deceiving gold tarnish. Buying a magnifying hand lense would be a good investment for panning and mineral identifiction. Good luck and welcome.

 

[Gonedigging]

Thank you to all of you that have helped , I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out cheers David Hope your day is filled with joy