Do you think this is gold?

[ShamrocksSecret]

I'm new to prospecting (day 1) I found a rough round red rock, between golf ball and tennisball size, and I could see tiny pieces of quartz in it. I smashed it and put it in a bowl, then I added water. It looks like glitter is all in it, even without light. I don't want to get too excited, especially since it's my first day looking, and the pieces are tiny. I'd love to hear feedback from anyone on this forum. Could these pieces really be gold?
I posted in the "what is it" category, but only got one response. What would be the best way to crush the marble sized chunks? Thank you!

 

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[Assembler]

This appears to me not to be gold however time to start testing. First read the number of thread topics that talk about testing. There could be some gold within this material hard to tell by the picture.

 

[et1955]

How is your panning technique, put it in a gold pan and wash off the lighter material and if those gold looking particles remain probably gold. As you said even in a darkened area it still glows is a good sign. Please show a pic after panning.

 

[Bonaro]

A pretty rock found on your first day prospecting is almost guaranteed not to be gold. However, no matter what your skill or experience level, you must test it. In time you will be able to just look at it and know.
To crush it, place the pieces in a cast iron fry pan (clean) and beat he hell out of it with a large hammer. Now get a gold pan and carefully pan it. Do not just look for gold color in the corners of the pan. You have to watch the way the material behaves. Gold is heavy and will tend to settle to the bottom and stick to the bottom of the pan. Actual gold will be a brilliant gold color just like jewelry. Get a magnifier...if it is gold you will see it.
If you have pyrite it will probably be a brassy color and it will lose it's luster when you put shade over it.

 

[winners58]

looks sedimentary or caliche, naturally cemented rock looks too flaky, one piece in the top right of the photo looks interesting.
pan, use a jewelers loupe, one thing you have going for you is beginners luck, I take someone out, they get nice chunky gold, I get skunked.

 

[ShamrocksSecret]

Thanks for the replies! It definitely wasn't a "pretty" rock, and it had the texture of course sandpaper. I'm pretty sure there wasn't any gold, but I definitely need to work on my panning technique, and get an actual pan, lol

 

[ecmjamsit]

Get a gold pan. Buy, beg, whatever, get a gold pan. Swirl the material around with a "gold pan" with water in it. The gold will make a tail.

 

[OneStudPuppy]

Thanks for the replies! It definitely wasn't a "pretty" rock, and it had the texture of course sandpaper. I'm pretty sure there wasn't any gold, but I definitely need to work on my panning technique, and get an actual pan, lol

Pans can be obtained for a few bucks. May not be the best but can get ya going.
Ehay, would be best bet. And as for technique, TONS of YouTube videos out there.
I hadn’t panned in 30 years. Watched some videos on YouTube, bought some cheap paydirt and I think I’ve got it down enough to find gold. It’s worked well. I’ve used a jeweler loom and seen some micro gold I missed. But I also am not tossing out my super concentrates until I get a blue bowl or something else.
Bought pay dirt is a great learning asset..

 

[Mine Shaft]

I thought about buying some paydirt also then i remembered the kids knots berry farm gold lol yep i dumped 2 vile's of the little gold flakes mixed in with some dirt/sand i needed to know if i was doing it right got down to the end and there it was laying in the bottom lip of the pan.