Not sure what to think......nugget???

[Must811]

I went out with my Excal over the last weekend to my favorite lake/sandbar. I got a helluva signal on my Excal and I was sure it was a ring, but I pulled out a hunk of "something" and was disappointed. I put it in my pocket and really did not pay much attention to it...until I got home. This thing weighs about half a pound (or more). I thought it was probably slag from a welding or cutting torch, but it is not. It looks like gold. I got my AT Pro out and ran over it.....no ferrous signal at all, a solid 72 on the meter. Not sure what I have here at all, but it is fun to imagine! I am open to ideas as to what you guys think I pulled out of the lake.......

By the way, I found this at a sandbar where I am continually pulling out arrowheads and even spearheads in my scoup. Not sure there is any relationship at all.......

Another sidebar.....this was the last signal I ever got out of my Excal. It is completely unresponsive to any metal now! Packing it up and sending it back to Minelab so I can get back in there!

 

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[Aka Nameless]

Very interesting, the black on it tells me copper or something, but copper would have green instead of black.. Did you try washing the black crap off?

 

[Must811]

Really did not pay much attention to it until I got curious about its weight. I have used a toothbrush and some cleaner on it. The black crap is tough and does not seem to want to come off at all. I have it soaking in some oil for the night (helps pennies I find). Any suggestions on cleaning?

 

[Aka Nameless]

Oh I was hoping it was just mud, heh.

Looks like we have a mystery on our hands, gang. (scooby doo )

 

[Les West Central Fl]

Can it be a piece of meteor?

 

[Must811]

Not magnetic at all (I think most meteorites are, right??). Anyway, the thing sure looks like it has gold, or has gold in it to me when I am holding it in my hand. Wishful thinking probably, but it definitely is fun!

 

[Aka Nameless]

Maybe Electrum, naturally occuring mixture of gold and silver, the silver now being oxidized (black). I dunno. Ignore the quartz it's attached to in the below pic...

 

[Aka Nameless]

I want to suggest electrolysis... but if it's valuable it may be best left as you found it..

This sandbar, is it being created by a stream that is dumping into the lake? Maybe only during spring.

 

[search and recovery]

Hink in gold prospector magazine for this month. But not sure if that is wh It could be gold or silver. Electrolysis will clean it if silver. Will not hurt gold. I would try that first. It will clean the crud off. Then a soft rag will polish the remaining black off if it is silver. Some gold comes out of the ground black because of the mineralization in the surrounding ground. It too can be brought back to bright shiney gold. Read an article on it the other day. I think in gold prospector magazine for this month. Not sure if I saw it there though. I see so much on the internet now a days. Hope this helps...Stuart

 

[Aka Nameless]

White balance in the pic seems to be a bit off, take a pic of it on a white piece of paper, colors will be closer to how they look in person. The camera is reading the bright flash/sun reflection on your hand as "white" and adjusting the colors in the picture accordingly.

 

[Can Slaw]

It looks like melted brass, but if you do not have an acid test kit, take it to a pawn shop or a jeweler and have it tested. It only take a minute and there is no charge for the test.

 

[worldtalker]

SearchAndRecovery can tell ya all about unresponsive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Looks like ya could have something there!Appears silver from pics.

 

[Must811]

Setting up electrolysis now.....

 

[petersra]

From the way you are holding the "gold", it appears the back side might be flat, as in some item or items melted in a fire into the glob you found. Could be gold mixed with other stuff. I would have it tested.

 

[Must811]

Spent a lot of time today cleaning this thing....here's what it looks like so far. It definitely seems to be gold to me, but I am an optimist. There is a copper hue to a good bit of it after all the cleaning and hydrolysis, but it buffs off to a bright gold color. Still in process of cleaning, just an update....

 

[Must811]

forgot to add that I was a little optimistic about the weight when I said half a pound....it weighs 150 grams.

 

[Aka Nameless]

You need a gold acid test kit.

The green hue is saying copper now..

Maybe someone can ID it in the rock/gem section.

 

[Can Slaw]

Are there campfires in the area you found this? It is looking more like a campfire nugget.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Spent a lot of time today cleaning this thing....here's what it looks like so far. It definitely seems to be gold to me, but I am an optimist. There is a copper hue to a good bit of it after all the cleaning and hydrolysis, but it buffs off to a bright gold color. Still in process of cleaning, just an update....

It is VERY hard to tell from your picture, but if it is gold, it has not moved very far. I am curious as to why you didn't just stop by a jewler and let them do a scratch test?

 

[Must811]

ok guys...here are more pics. I have finished cleaning this thing. The reason I have not gone to a jewelers yet is that I do work and have kids....kinda occupies my time a bit. I have included a picture of the "top" and "bottom" and where I filed an edge to see if there was a gold color throughout. I included the botton picture to show that there isn't a flattened bottom....it is just as ragged and bumpy as the top. Anyway, let me know what you guys (and girls) think. I am about to jump on an airplane and really go to work for a few days. It will be next week before I get to anyone to acid test it.....