gold and mercury

[goldcur]

I have some gold from one trip in a vial that also has some shinny bits of metal that I found along with the gold. My friend who sees better than me said that a few of them were shinny balls. If these balls were mercury, wouldn't they suck right onto the gold that is next to them?

[Klondikeike]

Klondike here...

Yes and no....

It is true gold and mercury do attract one another... rather easily in many cases... BUT.... if the gold is dirty.. that is, if it has some kind of a film on it.... NO the mercury will not stick to the gold...

That's why it is suggested you "clean" your black sands... or gold... some folks do it by tumbling with a chemical of sorts..like vinegar...or acid...before applying the mercury...and there are as many ways and different processes to "clean" gold and black sands are there are people... so to speak...

Klondike...

[goldcur]

Thanks Klondike

[goldcur]

Klondike, something else I have been wondering about is why I find small nuggets that are surrounded by mercury? If the mercury was added to black sand to get the small gold out and took the shape of a nugget after being burnt off or stuffed into the potatoe why would there still be a coating of mercury on them? Perhaps these are gold nuggets that are in the path of some mercury in a stream but I don't if that is likely.