Could this be platinum?

[Pebbles141]

Found this while MDing a northern CA river. Hard to show in the pictures but there is a bright silver/white portion. I'm guessing the rock itself is Serpentine or Chalcedony? Any thoughts ?

 

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[MrLee]

What makes you think it is platinum? Do you know the typical host rock for platinum? It's associations? Can you streak test it?

 

[Pebbles141]

What makes me think it is platinum is the streak is a bright silvery gray. I know platinum is formed in basic and ultrabasic ingenous rocks. I understand that Serpentine is of ultrabasic composition ...but need some help on identifying this rock as well as others. Just a beginner trying to learn. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Fullpan]

What was reading on your MD? One of our members found a small platinum (.5 gram?) nugget this summer just hand sniping around Redding. Got well
over 100 when he sold it, so..... That pic looks like well-tumbled quartz cobble - is it wet or just shiny? If its slightly transculent, dry, it may well be chalcedony. Ive heard of jade being found near serpentine also (doesn't have to be green jade) Hope this doesnt add to confusion.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Found this while MDing a northern CA river. Hard to show in the pictures but there is a bright silver/white portion. I'm guessing the rock itself is Serpentine or Chalcedony? Any thoughts ?

That could be platinum. If you have a metal detector that shows the VDI of the metal, like my White's DFX, the VDI, if platinum, will be around 9-10, much like gold. If it's silver, the other obvious possibility, it will be up around 80. The other simple test, but you have to remove it from the rock, is to try to melt it. Platinum's melting point is very high...you can't melt it with a propane torch. Silver can be melted with the torch. Best of luck, in any case.
Jim

 

[Jordan88]

understand platinum will be shaped with basic as well as ultrabasic ingenous boulders. I am aware of which Serpentine will be involving ultrabasic formula.