found what appears to be gold?

[ThisOREthat]

found on my property which is in lowest point of a canyon where a firestorm burned 3k of the most affluent homes in ca over 3 days in 1991. appears each households jewelry conglomerated and then rolled downhill picking up mostly ash on the way to my property where it burned itself into the bedrock in the creek behind where our house is now. these small samples are from one large piece. I estimate I have around 100lbs or more of what acid scratch tests between 18k-24k gold, Im thinking my best option is to extract it into bars with no ash and then selling any advice? doing an extraction via aqua regia is well within my abilities as a amateur chemist. I probably have even more than 100lbs still in ground as the losses from this firestorm were north of 1.5 billion. gold was only 350$/oz in 91 and like I said, most affluent homes in California, even today.

 

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[HuntinDog]

I would crush it and pan it and see what turns up

 

[DizzyDigger]

ToT..you might have a moderator move the thread to the
Gold Prospecting Forum. I believe you'll get more responses
there.

 

[Doubter in MD]

Your theory on how the gold got there, if it is in fact gold, seems implausible to me. Melted gold oozing like lava out of the burned homes and adhering to the rocks in your creek? I have a lot of trouble believing that could happen.

I like HuntinDog's idea of crushing it and panning it. But DD is right. Ask the mods to move your thread to the Gold Prospecting Forum. You'll get a lot more feedback from those knowledgeable folks.

 

[Mackaydon]

For gold to melt requires a temperature of about 1950 degrees Fahrenheit. A 'normal' house fire generates between about 1000 and 2000 degrees of heat. So I doubt gold in homes melted then trickled downhill in the manner you described. Perhaps your rocks had gold in them before the fire.
Good luck with a true test.
Don......

 

[releventchair]

Keep testing for conformation...
I don't smell gold in your pictures. But don't let that discourage your continued testing and research.

I'm not familiar with gold recoveries following such fires. I would expect less mobility and a more dirty conglomeration. At least a heavy scaling on a freer gold matrix composite. Opposed to joining stone. Often fired rock breaks when a cooler/ing material is put on it. (Not saying that's your case. )
If molten gold was flowed onto cooler rock , what should result? Conglomeration?
Ash composition is not obvious in your pics. Discoloration , yes. Even soot could be theorized if desired. But free ash including unburned charcoal and
dark and lighter partially consumed wood fiber from lack of oxygen to complete combustion is not showing. Should it? Did it exist in the context?

Almost exciting except for the source referenced and speculated causation wished on no community.. Were I to find a neighbors undamaged crowbar that has slid downhill after a mishap , I'd be inclined to return it.
Yes , even if it was pure gold. And if the neighbors were weenies , it would just be harder ; while still returning it.
( Or their insurance company tracked the downhill slide/run/flow first....That would make it easier , if not faster.)

 

[ThisOREthat]

In a normal fire you would be correct that Temps don’t get hot enough to melt gold. However this was not a typical fire. This was a firestorm, one that reached temps over 3500degrees for 3 days. Look up the Oakland hills firestorm of 1991, several witnesses describe finding pieces of their jewelry, completely unrecognizable, and in the form of what appears to be stone. Thank you for all the replies I will pan some tonight and see what turns up!

 

[ThisOREthat]

Well the entire canyon was 3500 deg, cooler rocks and conditions which would cause the molten conglomerate to harden would not have been present until it hit the creekbed which hardly had any water to begin with. Thanks for the reply I appreciate all the input

 

[ThisOREthat]

So I crushed and panned a sample last night from various pieces and it appears that It is indeed gold jewelry. Another confirmation of my find being gold came while I was taking the samples to crush and pan. After chipping a portion off, the hallmark for Birmingham(anchor) shone through quite clearly. Also the dark sandy stuff in my pan appears to be gold as well just burned gold. There is also quite a number of pieces where the purity stamp is partially visible (18k,20k,22k,24k)

The reflective bits are gold that still holds its metallic shine. I plan on using aqua Regia to extract and purify everything, this way I don’t get robbed when I go to sell some.

 

[ticndig]

So I crushed and panned a sample last night from various pieces and it appears that It is indeed gold jewelry. Another confirmation of my find being gold came while I was taking the samples to crush and pan. After chipping a portion off, the hallmark for Birmingham(anchor) shone through quite clearly. Also the dark sandy stuff in my pan appears to be gold as well just burned gold. There is also quite a number of pieces where the purity stamp is partially visible (18k,20k,22k,24k)

The reflective bits are gold that still holds its metallic shine. I plan on using aqua Regia to extract and purify everything, this way I don’t get robbed when I go to sell some.

amazing , post some pics of what you've described.