Gold flake with some Silver?

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Just don't eat it or let the kids handle it.... and Yes, there is a strong likelihood of previous mining.

Exactly! I got kids you know![emoji6]

 

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[arizau]

I can't even touch it? If I'm finding gold with mercury does that mean there could have been previous mining activity on the site??

Just my two cents worth.

Mercury is and has been considered a hazardous material for a long time but most of the warnings are for ingestion or the inhalation of mercury vapor. While physically handling mercury is not recommended it is unlikely that even that will cause any significant issues providing the handling is not repeatedly done over a certain period of time. In the past, in Science classes, children or young teens were allowed to handle mercury as a means to demonstrate it's unusual properties. One of which was to smear it on a copper penny, using a finger, to turn it silver. Also, dental fillings were once an amalgam of mercury so people had (still have in some cases) mercury in their mouth for many years. I had several of them myself.

My conclusion: Err on the side of caution (government safety guidelines always do and usually to a somewhat exaggerated extent) but you don't need to be afraid of it if handled properly......Basically, don't swallow it or inhale the fumes if it is heated.

 

[kcm]

You've found some gold with mercury on it. Mercury is a good indicator of previous mining activity, but by no means is definitive, as mercury is naturally occurring.

My best suggestion would be to burn off the mercury once you have enough to mess with....which for you sounds like there might be quite a bit. However, the mercury shouldn't be released into the atmosphere. That can be prevented using a retort. A good page explaining this process is here:
Mercury retort (Practical Action Technical Brief) - Appropedia: The sustainability wiki

Mercury vapors are harmful - so much so that these dangers have changed the evolution of modern-day mining in most parts of the world. You "could" choose to just let the mercury vapor fly off in the wind, but it will then end up back in the area. A retort is a device that captures vapors, then cools them inside a tube for collection purposes. It takes a very short distance of tubing. So what happens to the vapors if not using a retort? Same thing - only the vapor solidifies in such small droplets that we don't (usually) see them. However, they will again be loose in the environment, only now it ends up exposed on the surface.

 

[kcm]

...."IS" mercury that dangerous? There are numerous videos on YouTube showing modern-day people handling raw mercury with bare hands. Do they die? Yes, eventually. Maybe from the mercury; maybe not. The videos never seem to include that part. However, mercury is not only a carcinogen (think cigarettes), but is also poisonous if it gets in the blood stream. Some amount of mercury may be absorbed by the skin. Here's the thing though - apparently the mercury has to be water-soluable to be dangerous to handle.
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element):
Mercury poisoning can result from exposure to water-soluble forms of mercury (such as mercuric chloride or methylmercury), by inhalation of mercury vapor, or by ingesting any form of mercury.

from What are the dangers of mercury exposure? | HowStuffWorks
In its pure form, mercury is an element -- symbol Hg on the periodic table, metallic, atomic number 80. It's a silvery substance that's liquid at room temperature, and it's naturally occurring. Some estimates put the amount of mercury emissions from natural activities, like volcanic eruptions and the wearing away of rocks, at 2,100 tons annually [source: UDEQ].

While mercury emissions are notoriously difficult to pin down, most sources agree that human activities put more mercury into the atmosphere than natural ones, perhaps 2,900 tons per year [source: UDEQ]. That mercury can come from mining and processing for use in products (like those thermometers) and manufacturing, or from energy-related sources like coal-fired power plants.

Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it has detrimental effects on the nervous system. It can damage the brain and lead to physical and emotional disorders. So whether its presence is natural or anthropogenic, it's a potential problem for humans. How big a problem depends on the form of the mercury, how much is present, and which humans are being exposed to it.

While exposure to mercury and its compounds can be devastating, it's not a particularly common occurrence.

And finally, this website is devoted to mercury - both the dangers and the selling of (they sell it):
Liquid MercuryLiquid Mercury -
TONS of good reading here.

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

My God, could I ask for a better explanation? Thanx kcm! Lots of info there!! So I'll just keep stacking the gold up but the mercury stained flakes I should put them in another vial while they stack up. Right? Ok, so I'll just keep prospecting in the area. I just hope I dont find a 10lb nugget stained with mercury! Lol!

 

[kcm]

My God, could I ask for a better explanation? Thanx kcm! Lots of info there!! So I'll just keep stacking the gold up but the mercury stained flakes I should put them in another vial while they stack up. Right? Ok, so I'll just keep prospecting in the area. I just hope I dont find a 10lb nugget stained with mercury! Lol!

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!

Heck, I'd be happy to find a picture of a 10-lb nugget! ....I'd even be happy to find 10 lbs. of mercury! (according to that last site, would be retail over $900!!)