what are those tiny red crystals in my gold pan?

[paddy]

I'm panning in victoria, around creswick and daylesford regions, and i find lots of tiny red gems in my pan with the black spinel. are these garnets? mostly they are double pin head size but any that are half a pea size are much less translucent. is this terrible poor description enough for anyone to hazzard an informed guess?

tyvm in advance

 

[StirFX]

Are they as red as a ruby?

 

[paddy]

Are they as red as a ruby?

i think so, but i've never seen a ruby that wasnt cut. they are so small i dont think i could even get a good photo of them but i will try.

 

[XIV]

Sounds like garnet to me
sand sized garnet is used in sand blasting
so if you save them up you might be able to sell them to a sand blaster
problem is tho. you need a ton of it

 

[paddy]

i hope that picture works.
they look much more vibrantly red in the pan, though a few have been more orangey.

 

[Next1m8]

Are you finding any gold Paddy?

 

[rockerfella]

Hi Paddy
Could be fine Rose Quartz or small garnet.
Cheers
Mark

 

[paddy]

a grain or 2 each pan is all next1m8

 

[Next1m8]

Each and every little bit all adds up my friend one or two specks per pan isn't bad, it's when I get none I know something is a little off

Chris

 

[grubstake]

Could be fine Rose Quartz or small garnet.

If it's in the final pan along with gold and black spinel (SG 3.5-4.1), any quartz (SG ~2.65) should have already been washed away. Garnet (SG 3.1 - 4.3) is more likely, I believe.

 

[Reeks]

Zircons is my bet.

 

[paddy]

they are in the final pan grub
they start to move in the water just before the spinel.

 

[Marked]

I vote garnet.

 

[grubstake]

they are in the final pan grub
they start to move in the water just before the spinel.

With that extra info, I think you can rule out zircon (SG 4.6 - 4.7), which is heavier than either garnet or spinel.

 

[Next1m8]

If they come from creswick deftnetly (garnets) I have loads of the little buggers

 

[Hunting the yellow]

to me you have 2 you have some garnets and zircons nice finds

 

[StirFX]

I'd say garnet also.

 

[Shingles]

Hopefully you find some some bigger ones mate, it's always a nice suprise to find a gemstone in the bottom of the pan. Where I am I sometimes find topaz.

 

[Heatho]

Could be Both Garnets and Zircons, difficult to tell.

 

[G0lddigg@]

definitely garnets and zircons they are bloody everywhere daylesford creswick