Beginners luck? I think I found gold! And lots of it.

BobbyGman

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Miami Arizona
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Prospecting
I was again in Globe AZ looking for more of the agate I found last week when I noticed an unusual rock. It was quite large and most of it was buried in the ground. Being a rookie I take samples of anything that strikes me as unusual. Here are some pics of the sample I took and from the sample a gold nugget weighing in at 1 gram. There appears to be several nuggets in my sample. The rock I took the sample from I can only guestimate at 150lbs.
 

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Idk, looking at the size vs weight I would think the nugget would weight more than 1g if gold, very interesting piece though.

Sent from my ASUS_Z01BDC using TreasureNet.com mobile app
 

Hello
Nice sample photos and thanks for posting. Looking at the size this one thinks you have more then a gram as well. :icon_thumright:
 

It looks like pyrite to me, but its not always easy to tell from still photos.
Have you tried any of the tests?
 

I hope it's gold keep us posted.
 

Smash it flat to see if it's malleable.
 

My usual and quick "go to" test is checking the suspected gold specks under full and shaded light....gold will still look like gold when it is shaded while pyrites and the like will lose the gold color and darken in shaded light. IMAUDIGGER gave a good suggestion if you are still not sure as gold will bend or flatten while pyrites will shatter.

Good Luck
 

Last edited:
Looking at the piece on the scale, I can tell it's pyrite. Pyrite will usually "glint" with a too-good-to-be-true color, while gold is more yellowish, and "flat" in color.

But all is not lost. Sometimes gold is found in the same rock that pyrites form. Crush some of your samples, and if the gold is not in sulfide form, you should be able to pan it.
 

Thank you all for your response to my post. I am embarrassed. I allowed my enthusiasm to over-ride​ my discipline. It is most likely chalcopyrite. I will tho carry on and as suggested see if I can find some gold by panning. I sincerely appreciate all your inputs. You all are the reason I joined this site. Have no fear I can be taught...eventually LOL! For me the the glass is never half full or half empty. I prefer to drink from the stream😊
 

We all allow our enthusiasm to over-ride our discipline... it's called having fun!

Thanks for posting and best of luck to you sir!
 

We've all had that excitement then realized we we wrong.

Keep hunting!
 

We all allow our enthusiasm to over-ride our discipline... it's called having fun!

Thanks for posting and best of luck to you sir!
Who can count the number of people killed over Pyrite? :)
 

For what it's worth, you stand a better chance of finding a native silver nugget in Globe [which would be a rare find but a very valuable find] than a gold nugget. Did you know Globe got it's name from a silver nugget resembling a globe? Are you also looking for turquoise? Sleeping Beauty Turquoise | Arizona Turquoise | Turquoise Mines
 

Cool looking rocks! I would be excited if I had found those!
 

Don't sweat over enthusiasm! The only time you have to worry is when you lose that enthusiasm.

Give a thought to running some of your pieces by the rock shops. They look like they'd make some good specimen pieces. "Might not be the mother lode, but it's sumpin!" Tourist trinket shops might be a source for buyers.
 

I'm pretty much looking for anything unusual. There is a lot of variety in Miami/Globe AZ. It's a little like being on a roller coaster. There's a great deal of copper, turquoise, silver, tons of quartz, serpentine, and yes even gold. I'm sure I stand out a bit as I am always on the lookout for what most of those who live here found 20+ years ago. Still, I enjoy prospecting immensely. Who knows maybe one day I'll strike it rich! But not today��. Oops that reminds me. I better cancel the Rolls I ordered yesterday.��
 

I'm sorry if my post was condescending, it was not my intention at all. In my defense I have been recovering from neck surgery and am now looking at having surgery on my shoulder so my mind is under the influence of meds.
I was born in Globe and went too Miami schools and I remember going with my stepdad into asbestos mines looking for serpentine this was just before everyone there figured out that asbestos was bad for you.
I wish you the best of luck on your prospecting adventures.
 

I'd suggest going back with a shovel and a sledge. Break open that rock and pick out the best piece for a keepsake. I know I have several chunks of suspect rock sitting on my shelf as a reminder.
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It's weird you guys go around "looking" for serpentine. We have several large belts of serpentine that run through my area. Boulders laying all over the place.
Also have several mountains of obsidian...we think nothing of it.
 

I did not take it as such. Thanks God's speed in your recovery.6
 

I wasn't looking for serpentine I had no idea what it was. LOL! where do you live? Im amazed by the variety of rocks and minerals in my area.
 

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