How long?
- Thread starter as5672
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Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Can't estimate, but I found that the fractures and iron oxide around the gold soften quickly and a needle point scribe was useful to prise lumps off and speed up the process. Heat and rapid cool might work just as well.
Looks like the ribbons are thick enough to hold together
Looks like the ribbons are thick enough to hold together
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Nice find :Y: haven't found any to know any better so take Wally's advice. If that doesn't work take Mungass's one will prove to be the best approach. Might be worth doing a specific gravity test before any treatment.
really not a helpful reply from me but i love the piece just how it is, i love specimen bits, just wish i could find one
madtuna
Only owns one toaster
Depends on what you want to achieve.
HCL will clean up the iron staining and leave the quartz intact. If that's your aim just plonk it in and keep and eye on it and refresh the acid every couple of days.
Hydrofluoric (HF) as in Alibrite will brighten the quartz in pretty quick time but needs to be kept a good eye on and neutralized or it will make the quartz chalky and horrible looking eventually dissolving it.
Me? dolly pot! :Y:
edit: Preaching to the converted I know, but have to fix an error for any dumb twats reading this.
Where I wrote "just plonk it in" is wrong and dangerous.
Always add acid to the specimen already in the container not add the specimen to the acid already in the container.
Sincere apologies to anyone that read that and went out and dropped their specie in a bowl full of acid causing a splash that has now rendered them blind and covered in severe chemical burns.
HCL will clean up the iron staining and leave the quartz intact. If that's your aim just plonk it in and keep and eye on it and refresh the acid every couple of days.
Hydrofluoric (HF) as in Alibrite will brighten the quartz in pretty quick time but needs to be kept a good eye on and neutralized or it will make the quartz chalky and horrible looking eventually dissolving it.
Me? dolly pot! :Y:
edit: Preaching to the converted I know, but have to fix an error for any dumb twats reading this.
Where I wrote "just plonk it in" is wrong and dangerous.
Always add acid to the specimen already in the container not add the specimen to the acid already in the container.
Sincere apologies to anyone that read that and went out and dropped their specie in a bowl full of acid causing a splash that has now rendered them blind and covered in severe chemical burns.
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Nice, looks just like, same exact color and maybe size also, of one I'd accidentally threw away on my first trip learning to use a gold detector. I got up in the morning at La Cholla Mt placer in Arizona. Desert outback is hot, so popped a couple cans of beer. Came to an area had full of black iron minral chunks like drywasher tailing piles but very old, mostly below the surface. I dug a rock like yours, had on a small coil, in hot rock mode gave a good signal. Rubbed the side then a bright streak on the side. Me after drinking the beers, set the rock on the ground for a moment stopped to think about it. My first thought was "I came here for gold not silver". Took about 3-4 steps, realized the hot desert sun is bright and it must be gold. Turned around walking back about the same number of steps. I tried turning again a few more times, lost my rock gold specimen on the first trip. Don't even set anything you find on the ground, even if for a moment.
Great specimen
Love the second photo. A very pretty piece. Well done. Have you done an SG test to determine the gold content?
Cheers
Les
Cheers
Les
wow mate looks really good now!
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