Interesting Rock Find in Gold Country

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

Hows it going everyone..

I went up to a claim that my buddy from work owns this weekend and made an interesting find. The claim is in a well known gold district in the California motherlode. There is a small creek running through it that is loaded with lode and placer claims.

My son and I detected up a hillside but didnt do too well plagued by the hot hot ground (Im still new at detecting).

We finally had enough of the thorns, the bushes, and the death falls and decided to make our way back down, and on our way we found this rock (photo below). I ran the detector across and it screamed like i was swinging over a railroad track. I once came across a couple of guys on the same hill who said they were hunting for jade. I think that the green quartz looking rock is jade. It looks like theres also black sands, quartz and host rock included as well. The rock is very heavy -12.4 lbs.

I read that in an “undisclosed” area of california that there is jade found with gold in it. Given the heavy weight, I’m hoping theres gold somewhere in there.

Any experienced eyes have any thoughts as to what it is? I really dont want to crush it in case it is something valuable so I thought That I would reach out for some advice here.

[et1955]

Hi SCH, I do see jade but poor quality, about 30miles North of where I took you we have High grade jade, to be sure slice the rock threw a wet saw then crush.

[Back-of-the-boat]

Mariposite? or Quartz that copper ore has bled into creating the green color or Serpentine mixed in also.

[Crabs]

My guess would be heavily mineralized serpentine.
Serpentine is quite prevalent throughout the MotherLoad, and can and does contain gold as well as copper.

'Crabs

[Goldwasher]

Serpentine. it will absolutely set off a detector especially a vlf.

Jade (good) in Ca. is mainly up NW Ca.

[Bodfish Mike]

If it's serpentine it may have asbestos in it -- keep this in mind if you crush it into fine power.
Lots serpentine with asbestos in the bay area.
I have a few good specimens and if I can find them I'll post a pic.
Cheers Mike

[Brian93436]

As Bodfish Mike stated, serpentine is known to have asbestos in it. On the North Rice Ranch property here on the Central Coast East of Santa Maria, there is a large vein of serpentine running through the range. Many of the mountain ranges within the Los Padres NF also have serpentine present, and I would assume many other areas of CA also have serpentine. The serpentine here is "jade" looking (green, glass like, etc.) mixed with other rock, and it is common to find specimens with asbestos fiber pockets visible. Be careful if you're not sure whether it is serpentine or not. Good luck out there!

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

Thanks for all of the info. Upon further investigation there are a ton of asbestos mines in the area (including gold & copper). I entered a beautiful copper & maybe gold mine littered with quartz stringers (the mining reports stated this is where the gold is), but given all of the great feedback you all have given me - I think I'm going to slow down on this adventure to ensure that i don't do anything to my health that I will regret in 10 years.

[Goldwasher]

Thanks for all of the info. Upon further investigation there are a ton of asbestos mines in the area (including gold & copper). I entered a beautiful copper & maybe gold mine littered with quartz stringers (the mining reports stated this is where the gold is), but given all of the great feedback you all have given me - I think I'm going to slow down on this adventure to ensure that i don't do anything to my health that I will regret in 10 years.

typically the asbestos will be small little stringer veins running in the serpentine. White chaly and or fibers present. I would be looking for where there are quartz veins running perpendicular to the grain of the serpentineand contacts with the serpentine and slate or shist. If you notice the vegetation is sparse and scrubby. With the only pines being Gray (digger) pine you are on serpentine. Look for patches of red rusty dirt with quartz in it.. Where the vegetation gets thicker and is oak and Ponderosa pine is a different country rock. In the Motherlode it is the Calaveras (lots of schist) formation to the east lower elevations 500 to 1800 ft ish with the Mariposa (lots of slate) formation to the east 2000 ft and above in that zone serpentine can be mixed in anywhere.

Those contacts with the two main formations were the richest.

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

typically the asbestos will be small little stringer veins running in the serpentine. White chaly and or fibers present. I would be looking for where there are quartz veins running perpendicular to the grain of the serpentineand contacts with the serpentine and slate or shist. If you notice the vegetation is sparse and scrubby. With the only pines being Gray (digger) pine you are on serpentine. Look for patches of red rusty dirt with quartz in it.. Where the vegetation gets thicker and is oak and Ponderosa pine is a different country rock. In the Motherlode it is the Calaveras (lots of schist) formation to the east lower elevations 500 to 1800 ft ish with the Mariposa (lots of slate) formation to the east 2000 ft and above in that zone serpentine can be mixed in anywhere.

Those contacts with the two main formations were the richest.

Thank you for this post Goldwasher... I have been looking for old gold mines for the last year... I have a gold monster but have yet to find anything (other than a liberty dime & TONS of trash). I'm a determined son of a gun, but am beginning to get demoralized a little. It's been a shift from following the rivers as I have the last few years.. It's much more adventurous, following game trails perched on the side of a mountain, only to find out that I am not an agile little animal and cannot follow most of their trails...I go game trail to game trail on my way to the top of the mountain only to find...usually nothing lol. But with the lack of knowledge...the gold isnt adding up..

I know that i still have a ton to learn, and little gems like the info you just shared is one more piece to the puzzle - Thank you! I definitely need to get my but into some geology classes but in the meantime...any other tidbits will be much appreciated!

[Goldwasher]

Thank you for this post Goldwasher... I have been looking for old gold mines for the last year... I have a gold monster but have yet to find anything (other than a liberty dime & TONS of trash). I'm a determined son of a gun, but am beginning to get demoralized a little. It's been a shift from following the rivers as I have the last few years.. It's much more adventurous, following game trails perched on the side of a mountain, only to find out that I am not an agile little animal and cannot follow most of their trails...I go game trail to game trail on my way to the top of the mountain only to find...usually nothing lol. But with the lack of knowledge...the gold isnt adding up..

I know that i still have a ton to learn, and little gems like the info you just shared is one more piece to the puzzle - Thank you! I definitely need to get my but into some geology classes but in the meantime...any other tidbits will be much appreciated!

heading up hill is good. follow the gullies. look for any sign of previous work..and exposed bedrock.