Gold, pyrite, mohawkite?

[mr2sharp]

I’m finding quite a bit of this stuff in Arkansas. Several pieces have dark colored veins protruding from the surface, some quite jagged feeling. I’ve broke a few open and the inside appears to be a harder rock filled with veins and some smaller cavities. They have been polished with a brass brush, but the metallic finish doesn’t come off with a soak in mild acid. I haven’t (and most likely couldn’t if I wanted to, lol) calculate the specific gravity, but based on weight and dimensions of gold nuggets, they are very similar. First piece measures a little over 4oz and the wire looking nugget 6.2oz. TIA for any insight.

 

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[mr2sharp]

A black vein can be seen in the last photo with multiple rocks. It looks solidified black sand to me. I’ve actually found a few slabs of conglomerate and the matrix is made of the same black material. In believe it’s a quartz pebble conglomerate and all the pebbles have then same characteristics as these rocks.

There is legends of gold in this area although none have panned out to my knowledge. Lol

Interesting side note… this was found in the only area Hernando De Soto was documented to have traveled to twice and I have yet to hear an explanation as to why he came back to this area. I do have my own theory, but it’s largely dependent upon there being a gold deposit in this area. It would also be the origin of the legendary Madre Vena treasure.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Smash it with a sledge.

 

[russau]

Well first off ,welcome to Treasurenet ! I don't have a clue on what it is BUT I wouldn't smash it just yet ! What I'd do , I"d take it to your closest Colledge to have one of their Professor's give it a going over to make a determination of what it is ! Interesting sample's !

 

[robertk]

I’m finding quite a bit of this stuff in Arkansas. .... I’ve broke a few open...

How did you break them open? That might tell you if they're gold or not. Just based on the size and weight, I'm doubting gold. It doesn't really look like pyrite, either. Pyrite tends to be cubic, which that isn't. That very last picture just looks like rocks.

 

[mr2sharp]

I broke some by heating them with a torch. The rock turns red the heat was applied even once cooled, but the rest of the rock keeps the same appearance.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Not gold. It's a brass coated rock. Using a brass brush on any rock will give you that appearance.

 

[robertk]

I broke some by heating them with a torch.

If it didn't melt under the torch, it's not gold.

 

[Midden-marauder]

I broke some by heating them with a torch. The rock turns red the heat was applied even once cooled, but the rest of the rock keeps the same appearance.

That's what pyrite will do when heated past a certain point, it oxidizes, glowing purple during the reaction and then it goes a permanent reddish brown (iron oxide of some sort) but if that's pyrite I'll be damned. No clue but it looks interesting