Gold ore?

[Steve1236]

Hi everyone, I'm more of a rockhound than a gold prospector and I found a spot with some really pretty chrysocolla in quartz with tiny gold, I've been out there twice after big storms and I keep finding pieces but I can't locate the source, the tributary is a mountain rainwater runoff so it's no longer than a quarter mile, I'm going to search that tributary inch by inch when the weather cools off, I did take some samples viens near where I found the chrysocolla in quartz with tiny gold and I was wondering if it looks worth getting it assayed, money is kind of tight so I wanted to get some professional opinions before I sent it off, what do you all think, the shots are with a loupe after I broke the ore with a hammer? I'll also post some pictures of the chrysocolla stuff I want to find the source to so badly. Thanks in advance.
Steve.

 

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[Steve1236]

Here's the viens before I broke some up and a big chunk of hematite non magnetic and something else, probably limonite, I thought I heard somewhere black and ugly can be good gold ore...

 

[arizau]

Assuming what you are finding does contain visible gold it is right to assume that there is probably a placer deposit in that drainage also. I would be panning samples collected from the area to determine if there is a placer deposit and if so I would exploit it first as that is where you can get immediate values vs. developing and exploiting a potential hard rock deposit.

Good luck

PS Keep this in mind... Assays are worthless (IMO) unless the sample is truly representative of everything you are going to mine and process to extract the values.

 

[Steve1236]

Thank you arizau, I'll do that I'll pan the dirt near bedrock when it gets into the 80 degree range, it's just way to hot out right now, I did crush a piece of the chrysocolla in quartz and there was free gold but it wasn't very big, it was a piece that was about to fall apart, I kind of want to locate that vien for lapidary purposes more than for crushing and removing gold, I just grabbed samples of stuff after noticing the gold in the chrysocolla in quartz, just incase, you never know right. Thanks again,
Steve.

 

[Steve1236]

Just thought I'd share a picture of the chrysocolla in quartz under a loupe..

 

[arizau]

Thank you arizau, I'll do that I'll pan the dirt near bedrock when it gets into the 80 degree range, it's just way to hot out right now, I did crush a piece of the chrysocolla in quartz and there was free gold but it wasn't very big, it was a piece that was about to fall apart, I kind of want to locate that vien for lapidary purposes more than for crushing and removing gold, I just grabbed samples of stuff after noticing the gold in the chrysocolla in quartz, just incase, you never know right. Thanks again,
Steve.

Yeah, it's more than a little bit hot out now here in AZ.
Cabochons of gold in quartz make great jewelry settings. One of my nieces has my mom's cab ring that she got while they were living, and dad was mining, in gold country/Nevada City, Ca in the late 30's...she wore it every day for over 60 years until she passed.

Hope you find some jewelry quality material.

 

[Goodyguy]

I would not bother with an assay, at least until you find the source and determine the extent of the ore body.
Could be worth millions or anywhere in between.

Either way it is certainly worth further exploration.
PM me if you need/want a partner to help.

Go for the Gold
GG~

 

[Steve1236]

Busted open that big black ugly, no gold I see present but I didn't expect that on the inside, pretty cool, thought I'd share...

 

[chriseneim]

Busted open that big black ugly, no gold I see present but I didn't expect that on the inside, pretty cool, thought I'd share... View attachment 1854625 View attachment 1854626

That’s some copper gold ore there is definitely metal present but it’s just hard distinguishing if it’s gold or chalcopyrite with out crushing it and panning. That last pic of the huge iron chunk is beautiful

 

[Steve1236]

That’s some copper gold ore there is definitely metal present but it’s just hard distinguishing if it’s gold or chalcopyrite with out crushing it and panning. That last pic of the huge iron chunk is beautiful

I crushed the iron stained quartz and it only had super fine gold and not a whole lot of it but the chrysocolla in quartz has a decent amount of gold, small but a decent amount of gold.

 

[Steve1236]

Its funny I'm grinded this stuff shaping them into performs and I pan the dust on the ground and its filled with grinded gold, even this seam is pretty cool, one thing I like about gold is how it sticks to the bottom of the pan while everything else just floats around.

 

[arizau]

Its funny I'm grinded this stuff shaping them into performs and I pan the dust on the ground and its filled with grinded gold, even this seam is pretty cool, one thing I like about gold is how it sticks to the bottom of the pan while everything else just floats around. View attachment 1855053

Just in case you are not already aware and speaking of floating...gold can float on the surface tension of water. A drop or so of jet dry or dish detergent mixed in with the water will break the tension allowing the gold to settle.

 

[Steve1236]

I did put some dish soap in with warm water, I actually read that gold floated if it small enough, I only had a few grams of dust not much dust and there was dozens of small grinded/shredded gold, very small but still only a tiny bit of dust, I'm starting to think it might be worth the gamble to just go ahead and claim that 20acre spot up, the whole tributary is covered in that square on the hassayampa field office map and it's only a little over two hundred to claim it fees and all, what do you think, claim it up or see if I can locate the vien first, I'm a little scared someone might see me digging all around there and beat me to it?

 

[arizau]

Probably a prudent idea for your situation
providing that area is federal land and open for claiming. Hopefully Clay Diggins (our resident expert) will chime in and give advice. I'm not sure but I think a lode claim will protect the placer also but not vice versa(?).

Good luck.

 

[Steve1236]

It's hard to get a picture of it but I circled what I was able to tap forward, I was just shaping some small pieces like I said maybe a couple grams weight of dirt/dust was on the garage floor it's super tiny, the kind of pan if you were panning some people would just toss it but I think isn't to bad for such little material. Clay has commented on my rock post, he seams like a really cool guy and experienced, maybe if he's in Arizona I can send him a small piece to get his opinion, I think I have a small one that can't be made into a cab.

 

[chriseneim]

Its funny I'm grinded this stuff shaping them into performs and I pan the dust on the ground and its filled with grinded gold, even this seam is pretty cool, one thing I like about gold is how it sticks to the bottom of the pan while everything else just floats around. View attachment 1855053

Gosh awesome pics. What microscope are u using?

 

[Steve1236]

I'm actually just using a magnified glass with a loupe and LEDs, I hold the camera flat against the loupe until the image gets clear then I take a photo, it gets a little tricky but they don't turn out to bad.

 

[Steve1236]

I finally had a chance to get back out there and I didn't really find anything I don't think, the last big storm completely changed the whole tributary so I had no idea where to dig, I was hoping to find some lapidary material but no luck, here's what I did find, I thought I'd share, if anything looks like something I'm not seeing please let me know, thanks.

 

[Wint]

Looks amazing man! Are you still at this location? I found a super small stone that was the exact same blue color and texture. I am curious what that might be?

 

[russau]

Probly a F.O.R.