Georgia rocks and dirt...What is it?

[georgiagirl23]

Good Afternoon to all! I'm knew to prospecting/rockhounding and need some help with identification. I have an area that I started digging recently because it was sinking in and a crack on the surface of the ground started to form. I continued to dig because I came across soil that was not the typical Georgia red clay I usually see. This soil has a lot of yellow-gold color, metallic like flakes that make everything shine, some gray to white clay (clumps), yellow-sandy like dirt (does not clump), red clay, and brown dirt, and also these rock-like clumps that are mostly assorted layers of colors when broken. I have attached pics of the soil in the hole and a couple of rocks I have found. I am located in the western part of the Georgia gold belt and gold has been found within a 5 mile radius of where I am digging. I think there may have been a stream in this immediate area SEVERAL hundred years ago, but I do not know how to determine that. I am not necessarily looking for gold, just curious as to what I can find.
Is this hole or the rocks in it worth pursuing? Should I try a different area? There are various shades of quartz rock all over here. I have heard the phrase 'the redder the better' and to look for iron staining, but everything here has red or iron staining bc of Georgia red clay.

 

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[StoneWhisper]

First, welcome to the world of mother earth and her many surprises.. as for the lot, you have what is best termed a good sifting or soaking batch.. soaping a few of the large stones for cleaning purposes could reveal a bit more.. thou the first image is an ill formed Smokey Quartz. With any questioned sample.. a sifting tray would be used with running or a pan of water sort of like gold panning in the old days.. swirl, wash, sift, wash, swirl, sift etc.. thus ridding the clay from the stones.. The second image shows a broken quartz.. but what one should focus on it the yellow quartz behind it.. which could be citrine, topaz or just a yellowed quartz.

 

[huntsman53]

I would suggest getting a Gold Pan and Gold Classifier and pan the material out. Also, crush some of the rocks and pan this material out as well. You may have nothing but Mica and Pyrite but could have Gold as well.

From your description of the ground sinking and cracking, it is advised to be very careful! There could be a cave, sinkhole or underground stream below where the ground is sinking and cracking. Get a long climbing rope, tie one end around you in a harness of sorts (a harness would be better to tie off to but the rope can be made to work), then tie the other end around a sturdy tree some 30 to 50 feet or more away from where you are digging. If the ground collapses underneath you while digging, the rope will hopefully save you from falling in and give you a way to get out.


Frank

 

[georgiagirl23]

Thanks for the help so far! About the rope...good point, I'll definitely start tying myself off. I hadn't even thought there might be a cave or underground stream. I thought the sinkhole might have started from buried construction scraps decomposing, but there is no sign of that. I have panned a small amount of the dirt, a lot of gold looking flecks but they float. I found a penny-sized chunk of gold mica (I think) in the wall of the hole, it flakes off and smears. I have also found clear quartz pieces with mica/pyrite inclusions. I don't have a metal detector to check the area with, so I'm not sure what is down there.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rodoconnor]

Any of the gravel and cobbles rounded? That is your evidence of ancient stream bed. Good Luck GG

 

[huntsman53]

Thanks for the help so far! About the rope...good point, I'll definitely start tying myself off. I hadn't even thought there might be a cave or underground stream. I thought the sinkhole might have started from buried construction scraps decomposing, but there is no sign of that. I have panned a small amount of the dirt, a lot of gold looking flecks but they float. I found a penny-sized chunk of gold mica (I think) in the wall of the hole, it flakes off and smears. I have also found clear quartz pieces with mica/pyrite inclusions. I don't have a metal detector to check the area with, so I'm not sure what is down there.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

You are welcome and I hope you find some Gold! I prospect on a stream which has an underground stream flowing into it and was told that the underground stream is probably flowing through an eroding volcanic pipe due to all of the heavy metals and material I get from the greyish/bluish clay in this location. The exit of the underground stream is mainly plugged by large boulders where it flows into the stream that I prospect on. I use ropes to secure myself to a tree in case I ever get the exit hole unplugged because I have no idea how large the hole is for the underground stream or how close the volcanic pipe is in relation to where I prospect. It is always better to be safe than to be sorry!

I agree with rodoconner that if you find any rounded gravels or cobbles, then you will have evidence of an ancient stream bed! Where you find these, you often find Gold. Also, if you do not have any, get some Gem Loupes such as a 10x power, 15x power and 20x power to examine Quartz rocks and other rocks you find while digging the hole. You might just find some that have Gold on or inside of them.


Frank

 

[DDancer]

Certainly is worth a prospect Most likely your seeing decomposed granites which are common for the area from what I see. Pan out some material and you may be surprised. As to the subsidence it could be a sinkhole or collapse of a stream so keep a weather eye out. Some areas of subsidence are due to lowering water tables and if you walk around a bit you may find other areas that have sheered.

 

[georgiagirl23]

Nitric,
I live about 15 min south of Dallas, near the Paulding/Douglas/Carroll line. I'm seeing a lot of that purplish clay too. There is loads of the harder, colorful clay like the small clump in pic 6. I wonder what that is? Have you checked the Pumpkinvine Creek area? I've thought about going there.

 

[StoneWhisper]

One may have already searched the wikipedia site "Clay" But I wanted to add, that the native American value these colors for their clay pots and many of these colors would be used as the glaze or to simply color these pots thereafter.

 

[Eu_citzen]

I'd say DD nailed it. Decomposed granite.

 

[Mego]

I leave in Acworth Paulding co. if anyone ever decides to go to pumpkinvine Creek let me know it basically runs through my back yard. I also have a metal detector that you can use. I got it because I've found a lot of interesting quartz on my property turns out some had gold in them. None of my friends care for the outdoors so if anyone is interested let me know.