sticky black sand

[Lucky Baldwin]

Has anyone ever seen black sand that sticks to mercury? Is that due to gold in the black sand or are those tiny black nuggets? Being cheap like I am, trying to decide if it's worth sending in a sample for assay.

 

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[goldog]

IDK. but it cued the Beverly Hillbilly’s song in my head.

 

[Capt Nemo]

That black sand might not be iron.

 

[Twobrothers]

Yes. I've seen it happen. I've seen it happen because of un liberated gold particles. Seen it happen with black and blond sands. In the latter case I suspect a mercuric oxide coating on the mercury and the granular particles easily adhere to that. They key to successfully using mercury is to keep everything clean clean clean (ore material/ concentrates and mercury) and use as little mercury as necessary. Sick mercury.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/566621-ultra-fine-gold-dust-2.html
Post #29

 

[Lucky Baldwin]

....a man named jed, poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed.... must be contagious, is in my head now lol

thanks for the answers. now i have to go back there.

when i was a kid an old timer told me about the dangers of mercury. so i like to use my spray painting respirator when i work with it. when heating it i like to use an iron retort. that way most of the mercury vapor condenses back into a liquid.

the small gulch with that black sand is about 700 miles from me so i won't be able to collect an assay sample for a couple months. if i find anything good i'll post some pics and the assay report in case anyone else runs across a similar deposit in the future.