Help identifing whether this is Gold flakes and flour or Pyrite?

[-goldhunter-]

Hello all I am new to this forum and to gold panning. This past weekend I went and gold panned some material down to black sand and another material which I am trying to figure out if it is gold flakes and flour or pyrite. I heard here in Colorado the gold can get pretty fine so I dont want to throw out a pan just because I thought it was pyrite. Any here is a picutre I'll try to upload a video tomorrow but I couldnt get it to work tonight and need to head to bed. I have researched the general ways of telling pyrite from gold but I didn't know if you all had your own tricks to be sure. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

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[goldenIrishman]

The easiest way to tell is to try crushing it. If it shatters or flakes it's not gold. Gold will mash down but stay in one piece. i made myself a little tool out of a section of wood dowel and one of those screw in "L" hooks. it works great for doing a "Crush Check" because the end of the "L" is small enough to isolate smaller pieces that are in question and the side works well on grouped pieces.

 

[Duckwalk]

if it moves freely in the pan, its not gold.

 

[Adventure_Time]

if it moves freely in the pan, its not gold.

I always envision a cat with a leash on it when thinking about how gold acts in a pan. It drags it's ass.

 

[arizau]

First thought, not gold. If you view it in and out of direct sunlight you will probably see colors change from gold to a dull appearance. Gold still looks like gold in shaded light whether it is wet or dry. That is always my first test for questionable particles. Second, your picture illustrates absolutely how gold does not act. Gold will bunch up and NOT spread out evenly across the pan like your picture shows. Most gold will group together and only spread as Adventure Time describes. Even floating gold has a tendency to group up in still water. Third, like Duckwalk said, if it all moves freely in the pan with a simple swirl it is not gold. Even the tiniest of particles of that quantity will not move much with just a slight swirl. Once you see gold in a pan and how it acts you will never forget it. Keep trying and welcome to the forum.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I agree with arizau but you may still have gold hiding in there as we do have gold in most waterways in CO

Save your pan of material and go to a local club meeting to learn more. Which part of Colorado are you based in?

 

[arizau]

I agree with arizau but you may still have gold hiding in there as we do have gold in most waterways in CO

Save your pan of material and go to a local club meeting to learn more. Which part of Colorado are you based in?

Yup. I thought about that too then forgot. Old age is hell.

 

[goldog]

If you had that much you'd know it.

 

[Duckwalk]

If it was not at the bottom of the pan (IE under black sands) its most likely not gold. My guess (by the pictures shown only) is mica.

 

[goldenmojo]

Might be some gold hiding in there somewhere. Hard to tell from the pic. It looks like you need pan all the junk material out of it. The gold will be remaining in the bottom. As your panning if the gold looking stuff tumbles and rolls over like an incoming wave it is not gold. Good luck and report back.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

This is why I told you to move your post these are the guys you needed to hear it from,Hopefully as you pan it out more there is some gold as Kevin said.

 

[goldenmojo]

After rereading your original post you have what I call fear of losing the gold. Pitch your pan and slowly bleed off anything that wants to float out of the pan. The black sand that you say you got to should be the only thing left in the pan except for the gold which will be under the black sand and may be visible near the outside corners. Good Luck. Feel free to PM if you have additional questions.

 

[-goldhunter-]

Wow! Nice suprise to see so many posts all with great advice. Thanks a ton guys this helps clear alot of stuff up. Yes I've heard once you've seen real gold in the pan you just know from then on. Hopefully soon I'll be able to witness this ha. Yes mojo I probably do have that fear. Kevin I am often hovering between Fort Collins, Pueblo and Canon City.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Use a high power lens to look at individual particles. Real gold particles look like tiny gold nuggets, individualized and quite unique. If it's mica or pyrite, you'll likely lots of square or rectangular portions or planes/plates. The other ways to tell if it's gold you've got in your pan or not have been covered quite nicely by others.

Even minute flakes of gold will hang up as you tail the material around in your pan with your black sand and super-heavies: the old-timers used to say that gold was lazy, as in the last one to want to move, the one that chooses to take the shortest route from A to B, etc.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[KevinInColorado]

Wow! Nice suprise to see so many posts all with great advice. Thanks a ton guys this helps clear alot of stuff up. Yes I've heard once you've seen real gold in the pan you just know from then on. Hopefully soon I'll be able to witness this ha. Yes mojo I probably do have that fear. Kevin I am often hovering between Fort Collins, Pueblo and Canon City.

Those towns are not known for gold but every time you whiz past metro Denver you drive over the gold. As long as you aren't using a gasoline powered machine, there's lots of gold bearing river you can prospect in town. I'd suggest starting here:
*Arapahoe Bar Info, Clear Creek, western metro Denver
http://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/1184/Gold-Panning
Since you are likely to meet other prospector's there.

Good clubs include Gold Prospectors of the Rockies who meet in Lakewood and Gold Prospectors of Colorado who meet in CO Springs. Google will get you to more info on their meetings, etc.