Quartz rocks and gold

[Patfoundit]

OK, guys and girls. I need some info. I have Googled this and searched this site for an answer, I haven't found one yet. I own a piece of property in Virginia in a known gold producing area. While building my house and doing some rock hounding I discovered several huge quartz crystals. Some 5-6" across and perfectly shaped. Iv'e been reading that quartz and gold travel together. I just haven't found anything about gold and quartz crystals. The quartz seem to be in a loose rock formation. I hope that is the right terminology. because I find large quartz rocks on the surface. There are two small creeks that run through my property and Iv'e always told the wife that someday I wanted to run a gold pan through the creek. As with everything in life, we got busy and wound up moving before I got to it. There is a lot of red clay on the property and lots of quartz on the bank behind the house. I have not done any panning yet because I'm 600 miles away. I have the house up for sale or rent, I do plan on going there soon before another renter moves in. I was just looking for any advise or knowledge on the subject before I made the trip. I also plan on running my medal detector over the site with a little more patience. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

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[G1sammons]

Not a expert but five minutes of,panning will tell ya what ya need to know!!!

I never herd of gold in quartz crystals usally in quartz ribbons and stringers . Te red clay is a good sign along with quartz rocks
But speculation all can be devolved in a few minutes of panning

 

[B H Prospector]

The quartz usually found with gold is a milky white quartz. Can't say I have ever heard of gold with crystals either. Like G1 said, several sample pans will answer the questions.
Good Luck!
B H Prospector

 

[Produce Guy]

Hey Pat you might check out this web site WELCOME TO WWW.IOWAGOLD.NET YOUR SOURCE FOR PROSPECTING INFO ,scroll down the page and look on the left for "where to find gold in your state".

 

[Lanny in AB]

The three rules of prospecting: 1. Test 2. Test 3. Test

Read up on panning and other techniques (there's a thread on here somewhere with the basics on it that I posted, with lots of video links), and then follow the three rules of prospecting to find out if your dirt has any gold. I agree with the others that quartz crystals don't seem to be the right sign, milky or heavily stained quartz is better.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[Patfoundit]

Yhanks for the info guys. I'll let you know what I find.

 

[Astrobouncer]

Here's a good read on how the quartz crystals form. The Quartz Page: Formation and Growth

 

[Goldwasher]

I have found gold in the same area as crystals. I have found crystals in my dredge cons. I have a crystal with Gold in it ,Kuger has some too I believe. I have been told by a few fellow miners that they move on when they are finding crystals I believe that to be folly. The way I see it is if you find quartz in sevaral different forms in one locality there were varying conditions present during intrusion and you are more likely to find gold.

 

[Hemisteve]

I agree with PVille. A great example of high crystalline deposits with gold is the Majuba placers.

 

[Fullpan]

I agree with Hemisteve - lots of nice clear quartz crystals have been found lying next to shallow gold nugget deposits near Lovelock NV. (Majuba Placers)

 

[Lanny in AB]

I have found gold in the same area as crystals. I have found crystals in my dredge cons. I have a crystal with Gold in it ,Kuger has some too I believe. I have been told by a few fellow miners that they move on when they are finding crystals I believe that to be folly. The way I see it is if you find quartz in sevaral different forms in one locality there were varying conditions present during intrusion and you are more likely to find gold.

You do have a point it seems; it's just never been part of my gold hunting experience, but now that I've read your rationale, it makes sense. I did find some nice crystals in a pocket once, and there was a lot of nice galena shot through the surrounding rock, so where minerals were so obviously in solution, crystals and metals should accompany the process.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[austin]

If those quartz crystals are as big and perfect as you say, they are worth some major money. Check into that.

 

[kuger]

The quartz usually found with gold is a milky white quartz. Can't say I have ever heard of gold with crystals either. Like G1 said, several sample pans will answer the questions.
Good Luck!
B H Prospector

Def. associated,some of the finest crystals in the world have come from gold mines
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/68027-new-crystal-pics.html

 

[oldbrundogg]

Thanks for all the great info everybody, but I must say I was actually hoping to take one form or more of quartz off the list. Guess I will just keep looking through all of it. At least I think it's pretty stuff.
OBD

 

[TerryC]

Pat, Quartz is the most common mineral on earth. Probably in every state and county in USA. Gold is more often associated with the "pyrites" Chalcopyrite (copper sulfide), Pyrite (iron sulfide), Galena (lead sulfide) and other minerals such as Malacite or Sphalerite. The main link between these minerals, including quartz is they are all formed by hydrothermal solution and faulting (earthquakes). If these other minerals are found in the area, you will be more likely to find gold. TTC

 

[Rawhide]

Pat, Quartz is the most common mineral on earth. Probably in every state and county in USA. Gold is more often associated with the "pyrites" Chalcopyrite (copper sulfide, Pyrite (iron sulfide), Galena (lead sulfide) and other minerals such as Malacite or Sphealerite. The main link between these minerals, including quartz is they are all formed by hydrothermal solution and faulting (earthquakes). If these other minerals are found in the area, you will be more likely to find gold. TTC

Yes Terry, but does the gold form above or below the copper?

 

[TerryC]

Casca, I don't know what you mean by above or below. It forms WITH the copper. One of the largest gold recovery, if not the largest, area in AZ is at the Bisbee copper mines. Gold is a by-product. TTC

 

[kadookid]

how about large amounts of mica is that a possible indicator there may be some gold in a creek,

 

[TerryC]

how about large amounts of mica is that a possible indicator there may be some gold in a creek,

Very much so. Mica and schistose rocks are good indicators. We can throw in shale and slate too. Well, not exactly. But gold, many times, will be close to shale and slate and build up in the layers formed by these two sedimentary rocks. TTC

 

[TerryC]

Pat, as you can see by this earthquake map by USGS, all those areas of the US that have larger gold occurrences are also earthquake zones. This map is of RECENT seismic activity. This is the latest setup at ... Earthquake Hazards Program Was only CA and NV, now entire US. TTC