Gold with no quartz?

[danny1987]

If a river has no visible chunks of quartz in its gravel does it most likely not have gold?

 

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[TimC]

I've done alot of rock-hounding and a little gold panning, and never thought of the quartz first angle. Good question.

 

[flyspekau]

Absolutely NOT, gold can be found in other places where volcanic activity occurred.


Precious metal deposits are often associated with metamorphis and igneous intrusive rocks such as granite and diorite.

I refer you to some articles that Chris Ralph wrote for prospecting and mining journals, dates for the 2nd part of the article is March 2006 you may be able to order it from ICMJ's site and see if you can get that back issue.
http://www.icmj.com/index.php

 

[extractor]

Good info thanks

 

[flyspekau]

Just knowing the geology of an area will HELP in understanding where the gold may be present. We're real lucky in this day an age to have so much access to information so use every bit you can get your hands on.

I have bought geological maps showing detailed rock formations to understand certain areas, has it helped me find gold yet NOPE not YET but knowing what I am seeing once i get to a place might direct me to areas of interest that are worth checking.

I think many of the old timers the ones who educated themselves were more successful and today we have even more information then they had so I say use it.


Heavy pans guys.

 

[Lookin]

As it has been said before, gold is where you find it. If you are talking lode gold, then it will probably have quartz associated with it. If you are talking placer gold, then you might not find quartz with it. The best way I have found to determine if gold exists is to roll my sleaves up and get on with it! Prospect, friend. That will determine what you might find!

Best of luck,

Lookin

 

[cuzcosquirrel]

It depends on the area. You need to get an idea of where the gold is found. Big 2 foot+ diameter rocks and blue rock channel material with gray clay are what I look for in the steams I pan in, and there is usually a lot of quartz material. I have crushed soft quartz rocks and gotten small strings of gold out of them.

Somewhere else, this might not be true.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI: Agreed, gold is basically where you find it. It has too many OOP occurrences to be blinded by following a simple previously established pattern, however, do not discard the basics.

I found Tayopa by going out of the "Box" and looking where no self respecting Geologist would ever care to investigate. Just by following the almost intangible clues and data.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[cptbild]

The Dutchman (LDM) said:
"My mine is where no prospector/miner, would ever look!"
(That's clue # 6 !)

 

[Seamuss]

Quartz is a great indicator of gold,but does not have to be present in all gold baring streams or surfaces.

Sulfides and tellurides have gold mixed with other metals and very little quartz. if you learn about these rocks, then you will expand your chances of getting the good

Volcanic rock has more quartz with gold and is a good sign to prospect those areas.

 

[SynthetiX]

Central Arkansas is the "Quartz capital of the world", yet it is almost completely barren of gold. 100 miles of that here, it was once ocean floor, mostly red clay and limestone... I found a nugget panning the stream right before dark... so, who knows. Usually quartz is a good indicator, but not in this case.

 

[Seamuss]

Good point...go figure.

 

[USTiger]

Absolutely NOT, gold can be found in other places where volcanic activity occurred.


Precious metal deposits are often associated with metamorphis and igneous intrusive rocks such as granite and diorite.

I refer you to some articles that Chris Ralph wrote for prospecting and mining journals, dates for the 2nd part of the article is March 2006 you may be able to order it from ICMJ's site and see if you can get that back issue.
http://www.icmj.com/index.php

OK so volcanic activity... how about around Mt St Helens, in WA, i mean it exploded in 1980.

USTiger

 

[stefen]

Absolutely NOT, gold can be found in other places where volcanic activity occurred.


Precious metal deposits are often associated with metamorphis and igneous intrusive rocks such as granite and diorite.

I refer you to some articles that Chris Ralph wrote for prospecting and mining journals, dates for the 2nd part of the article is March 2006 you may be able to order it from ICMJ's site and see if you can get that back issue.
http://www.icmj.com/index.php

OK so volcanic activity... how about around Mt St Helen's, in WA, i mean it exploded in 1980.

USTiger

Ancient granite, which is a solid formation resulting from a more liquid magma of volcanic origin, would be the most likely candidate, than recent volcan activity. In my opinion, I would doubt that one would find crystalline quartz formations in recent Mt. St. Helen's deposits.

Crystals don't happen overnight...a mudball or thunder egg (geode) will contain crystals which took thousands of years to form...

When a gold nugget or dust is found in a water course that may originally have been from a quartz source, the tumbling action will have crushed the quartz into sand grains, and therefore, no visual evidence will be obvious.