assay questions

[robzom27]

Hey guys , im new here and have been lurking for awhile trying to learn everything i can. Im mainly interested in hard rock mining. I recently found a vein of highly mineralized quartz that i sent in for an assay. It came back as .003 gold to the ton with no silver present. I sent in a 5 pound sample with 29 grams of my material being run. The assay guy said this wasnt worth going after. Ive always thought hard rock mines were pocket mines. Meaning that when you find a gold bearing vein that you will have very little gold for awhile and then have a little bonanza. I use a 1 hp rock crusher for my ore and get it down to about 50 mesh. When i pan this out i have silvery tailings behind. Some pans are loaded, with others being less. At first i thought this was silver but the assay reported no silver so i guess my second question is what could it be. In your opinion, would you still work the vein in hopes of finding a richer part or would you go on to other prospects. Still very new to this so im looking for everybodies opinion. Thankyou and im in southern california.

 

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[dave wiseman]

Post a pic of your silvery stuff..could be arsenopyrite.All veins that contain fine gold(color) do not have enrichments.Some just remain as yours,others might be be mill rock quality..some might be mill rock and occasional pockets..some might be pocket mines..some/or most might not have ore persisting at depth.You might be in an area of previously rich high grade mines,and yet yours be barren or lean.Just because one enrichment is found it dosen't mean there's more to follow,then again perhaps there is.Just keep sampling,don't quit..

 

[Needle]

Drag a magnet through the stuff you think is silver, chances are it is the wear and tear of your crusher to get the quartz to 50 mesh. Needle

 

[robzom27]

silver looking heavies are non magnetic. Whenever i do my finish panning i always remove all magnetics with a rare earth magnet. thanx for the replies.

 

[3xflyfisher]

If possible post a picture of a sample youve collected as well. Many knoweldgable folks here may help in determining the extent and type on mineralization you are looking at. Another thought, if Dave is correct and you have arsenopyrite or another sulphide mineral, there may be other metals worth recovering. It may be worth the cost to have assays done for Cu, Pb and Zn (Copper, lead and Zinc), the more common metals associated with sulphide deposits.

Happy new year and HH!

3xflyfisher

 

[aussco999]

robzom27:

Check out Reed Labs web page; http://home.nethere.net/rely/price.html#arc

They offer a 56 element mass-spec (Test Code: S-1) for only $45. That might give you a better idea of what your ore heavies are and their possible value. When (if) sending in a sample for analysis, you can go ahead with crushing it, but don't process it in any other manner. This will give you a better understanding of the head ore matrix. If the first results are inconclusive, then try the same test on your concentrates. As often happens with Mother Natures mineral mix, some combination of minerals might mask, hide or give a false positive to an assays.

Good luck and let us know how your project turns out,

John

 

[robzom27]

Thanx for all the replies, Ill try and get some pictures up.

 

[robzom27]

some ore

 

[robzom27]

panned out with all magnetics taken out.

 

[robzom27]

more ore

 

[robzom27]

this just found in the pan. smashed flat from going thru the crusher. Question is ? Gold or copper.

 

[Needle]

At first glance I would think it might be copper or silver or Gold with a high alloy of copper.
Then I came across this interesting bit of information... a rare earth element called Praseodymium, it is a soft silvery metal that develops a green oxide coating that falls off when exposed to the air.
I would suggest that you lay that little specimen out some where and expose it to the air.
Rare earth elements are in the news now and in high demand,
you might want to get an assay on the concentrates of your samples for Rare earth.
Needle

 

[jimmygoat]

Needle, your absolutely right rare earths are taking off. There is a company that is going to go public soon. They have an area south of Las Vegas that they intent to exploit. Sounds like youv'e been around the block once or twice, Needles. Did you ever meet a man from Elgin Ore. his name was Earnest Wells. He was kind enough to send me some useful info. Nice guy. Jimmygoat

 

[Needle]

Sorry Jimmygoat, I have never met Earnest Wells.

I am still on my first trip around the block, just stumbled onto the info
and remembered the description of the little green sample.

There are two other elements that have green ore, one is nickel but, it has never been found in metallic form, only as an ore.
The other is uranium, there might be other green ore's I just can't think of them now.
Needle

 

[Astrobouncer]

It looks like copper to me. If it is Praseodymium, a test you can do is add some dilute sulfuric acid and see if it dissolves. Whereas copper wont react to weak acids.

 

[robzom27]

thanx for all the replys, it really helps in determining what my next step is.