Possible platinum

[Asmbandits]

So I was up on a nice prospecting trip last week checking out a few areas ive never been to, doing some sampling and what not and I found a nice picker of what at first glance I thought was mercury covered gold. When I made it back to camp I carefully tried to burn off the mercury and it did not change, so then I took a file and scratched a corner and still nothing changed just a nice fresh shiny mark.

Its for sure not lead and has the characteristics of gold pickers ive found in the area, just not gold. Im guessing its possibly a metal in the platinum family, also I found another very ruff/course piece as well which was the same color, I took heat to it as well and for longer almost until is started to melt but it stayed the same color only now dull from the heat.

I know its not the best pic, ill try and take more tonight when im home, just thought it was worth sharing. This came from the middle fork American, the gold is some from there and other prospects not on the American.

 

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[fowledup]

Stupid question but did you put a magnet to it, a sliver off a pick has stumped me a time or two? Another thought you said you put fire to it and no change, maybe stainless steel, although the roundness of it says probably not. Hope it turns out to be Platinum for ya.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Could be a Babbitt metal spill from an old axle bearing pour. Lots of that around too.

Tin based Babbitt tends to harden and crystallize as it's exposed to the environment, water and age. The stuff has fooled many a prospector.

It could also be aluminum melt from a fireplace. Same as Babbitt it tends to harden and crystallize with age.

Platinum has been found in that area but it's pretty rare in pieces that big. I hope it's platinum but I'd check the above, more likely, possibilities first.

Heavy Pans

 

[Asmbandits]

Honestly I did not check it with a magnet, good catch fowledup. Ive seen many man made metals and lead and mercury covered gold in my pan that when I came across this it defiantly stands out as something ive never seen before, Its heavy like gold but not soft as lead, reminds me of gold in every way except color. Ill have to weigh it also but im going to check with a magnet tonight to be sure but id bet money its not SS. The way it looks really throws you off, I gotta get some better pics I have a small chunk of gold that looks so much like it in every way but color, really makes me think its merc covered gold but ive ruled that out..

 

[KevinInColorado]

Platinum is a catalyst. Throw it in hydrogen peroxide and see if you get a stream of oxygen bubbles off of it. Pretty definitive and non destructive test.

 

[dave wiseman]

Possibly electrum...

 

[Asmbandits]

OK, thank you for the input everyone! I really don't want to false identify this and have been skeptical since I first laid eyes on it myself. I keep telling myself its not platinum and trying to rule out as much as possible, though even when I first saw it in my pan I knew it was something special or different, idk call me crazy i just had a strange feeling about it from the get go..

So, it is not magnetic at all.. Also it sounds off like gold on my detector tho that does not mean much.. It weighs .48 grams.

Thank you Kevin for the suggested test, I gave it a try and to my surprise it gave off a steady stream of bubbles! I made a short video to show you..

Also here are a few better photos, as you can see it has the looks of a natural nugget and this is what made me originally think it was gold covered with mercury.

 

[et1955]

Silver will do the same reaction, the old Bell and Howl jet pack used pressurized 100% hydrogen peroxide shot on to a silver screen to create steam for thrust.

 

[Asmbandits]

Could be silver then as well if this is the case, I would think that being in placer form and found where it was that it would possibly have some type of oxidization possibly if silver, or at least be very dull, maybe not. I guess even a silver nugget would possibly be rare.

 

[et1955]

The silver I have found up here in Washington state is very brilliant, found in the river although looking for gold it was a welcome surprise, good luck in figuring this out.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Im going to just be the first to say its platinum!!! And you found the friggin needle!!!
Test that sumbeaches density!
Or run to the Nerd den!(college)
If you google placer platinum nuggets and look at the slight corrosion similarities in your piece id say plus one for you!
Either way i doubt its a common metal encountered!
I love stuff like this!

 

[Asmbandits]

Thanks Grizzly! The look of it defiantly does speak loud of this like you say.

Did some more evaluation I think I can confidently rule out sliver and am another step closer to either a platinum group metal or electrum, though im leaning towards platinum group as this comparison seems to lean in that direction imo. I know that one of the best determining factors would be to do a specific gravity test to determine the density but I do not have the correct materials to do accurate test on a piece this small. BUT..

I do have a piece of placer gold that came from the same area (unsure of purity but buy looks would think it would be at least 22k) and it happens to be very very close in size/mass imo. I have attached a few photos so you can see for yourself. If the metal in question was silver it should weigh around half of what the gold piece does but it actually weights more which leans even more towards it being platinum. I know this is a very crude test but I think I can confidently rule out sliver and am another step closer to either a platinum group metal or electrum, though im leaning towards platinum group as this comparison seems to lean in that direction.

Here are some photos to show the comparison.

 

[Goldwasher]

if you were out near your claim there has been platinum found in the area! Looks like it to me.

 

[Hoser John]

I have plenty of the pt. group metals from all over northern calif motherlode and beyond. From the Merced to the Trinity river stashed away in the bank sd box. Anything over a gram. is righteous .. Great finds-John

 

[Asmbandits]

if you were out near your claim there has been platinum found in the area! Looks like it to me.

Yes this is not far from my claim at all, the gold picker came from my claim tho!

 

[EriktheProspector]

Hey buddy,
After seeing the image of your picker it looks immediately like a piece of platinum. Amazing! Grats to you bud! That's a super sweet find! At this point we know it's platinum. All tests show it is!
Rock on!
E t P
p.s. SO heavy for a 'picker' wow!

 

[EriktheProspector]

YES! YES! YES! PLATINUM BABY! WOW!
YOU'RE ON THE PLATINUM! Now you've got platinum fever

 

[Asmbandits]

HaHa yeah gonna have to find its big brother! Mabey i'll get lucky with the MD this week..

 

[kayakpat]

can you find platinum in quartz veins like gold?

 

[Asmbandits]

I would think that you would find it with quartz like gold but not positive, I googled pictures of platinum with quartz and didn't really find anything to support this. Possibly it forms differently?