Gold flake with some Silver?

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow I found a gold flake which looks like it has some silver with it. What you guys think!? ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1465160155.624835.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1465160216.299395.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1465160329.667000.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1465160381.005727.jpg
 

kcm

Gold Member
Feb 29, 2016
5,790
7,085
NW Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
Other
Are you sure it's silver and not mercury?
 

OP
OP
TheCaribbeanDigger

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Are you sure it's silver and not mercury?

Thats what I would like to know. I'm still new at this. It looks shiny like silver but again I'm not shure.
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
3,854
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Like KCM implied....probably a mercury coating on that area. Keep it separate from other uncontaminated gold. In nature, gold with a high enough percentage of silver associated with it naturally alloys to a uniform silvery color though most native gold has a minor amount of silver and still retains it's gold color.
 

Last edited:

kcm

Gold Member
Feb 29, 2016
5,790
7,085
NW Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
Other
You can keep the mercury on there if you wish, or you can burn it off with a torch without hurting the nugget. However, do it outside and DO NOT BREATH THE FUMES!!

Even with that warning, PLEASE read lots more about the dangers of mercury fumes. ...It really doesn't look bad, ya' know. :thumbsup:
 

Goldwasher

Gold Member
May 26, 2009
6,077
13,222
Sailor Flat, Ca.
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
SDC2300, Gold Bug 2 Burlap, fish oil, .35 gallons of water per minute.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yep looks like mercury to me....did they mine that drainage, area historically?
 

OP
OP
TheCaribbeanDigger

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Jmmm I'll do the research on the area about the mercury.
 

Aufisher

Bronze Member
May 12, 2013
1,948
4,830
The Golden State
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/SAT. VibraProbe. Bazooka 48" Prospector Sluice. Shorts. Chickens + Goats + Goldhounds. 35' Chris Craft Caribbean motorsailer. FISH OIL + BURLAP
Primary Interest:
Prospecting

austin

Gold Member
Jul 9, 2012
5,360
3,501
San Antonio, Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett 250
Primary Interest:
Other
I love the looks of that area. It bespeaks lots of gold. Nice finds and best of luck in the future.
 

Capt Nemo

Bronze Member
Apr 11, 2015
1,058
1,609
Oshkosh, WI
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'd say mercury until proven otherwise. It may be a gold/electrum halfbreed flake. A 3/4 oz gold/copper halfbreed nugget was found in WI last year. (pics posted here in another thread, MD section)
 

OP
OP
TheCaribbeanDigger

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Todays finds. I think more gold flakes with mercury. It's been a while since I went prospecting. So what you guys think?
ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1466987030.541866.jpg ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1466987052.094768.jpg
 

OP
OP
TheCaribbeanDigger

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I can't even touch it? If I'm finding gold with mercury does that mean there could have been previous mining activity on the site??
 

OP
OP
TheCaribbeanDigger

TheCaribbeanDigger

Hero Member
Aug 15, 2013
593
725
Puerto Rico
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Fisher F75, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have read that they have been using mercury for mining gold since the Roman times. I thought this was something more of present times.
 

johnedoe

Bronze Member
Jan 15, 2012
1,489
2,239
Oregon Coast
Detector(s) used
White's V3i, White's MXT, and White's Eagle Spectrum
Cleangold sluice & prospectors pan, EZ-Gold Pan, and custom cleanup sluice.
Primary Interest:
Other
I can't even touch it? If I'm finding gold with mercury does that mean there could have been previous mining activity on the site??

Just don't eat it or let the kids handle it..:laughing7:.. and Yes, there is a strong likelihood of previous mining.
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top