Honeymooner Accidental Gold Prospectors in the California Mother Lode

[mellylou]

Hello Treasure Hunters!

Moved this thread to the Gold Prospectors forum--sorry, I'm new and I didn't see it beforehand.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/379038-honeymooner-accidental-gold-prospectors-california-mother-lode.html

Best Regards,
Melissa, in California

 

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[BosnMate]

I don't think you have gold ore. The area you were honeymooning is decomposed granite for the most part, and that has lots of small flecks of mica that reflect the light and kind of look like gold. Kuger will know when he sees it, that's his country and he's prospected a bunch in those mountains.

 

[mellylou]

Thank you for the reply! We thought it may have been too good to be true, but it sure was an exciting thing to see! I'm moving this post to the Gold Prospecting forum, as I didn't see it before.

 

[CC Hunter]

Welcome to TreasureNet Melissa and congratulations on the happy occasion beginning in September.


The rocks you have there, are not the known type of host matrix for containing gold in the Sierras. As BosnMate has described, the shiny shimmering flecks are very likely mica.


A sample of gold bearing quartz rock is attached, with surface gold showing.


CC Hunter

 

[kuger]

Yep,as Bosn,and CC stated its very likely Mica....take a needle and poke and lift at a piece of it....bet it flakes

 

[mellylou]

Thank you CC Hunter! I know it's probably a lost cause, but would you mind looking at some other pictures I'll post later tonight? Your specimen looks similar to some of mine, but I'm probably just clinging to a golden dream. We had a beautiful honeymoon and so it doesn't matter if it's not in fact gold, but it would have been pretty funny and some serious newlywed luck. Afterall, as a Californian growing up only a few hours from the Mother Lode, I think it's secretly a dream of mine to be a prospector. My husband was laughing at me as I caught "gold fever"...

 

[mellylou]

Thanks Kuger! I just picked at it with a dressmakers needle and it scratched, but did not flake.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I remember finding rocks like these down by the Rappahannock river one time, thought it was gold.. till i pulled the gold testing kit out.. you should go buy one...

 

[mellylou]

Thanks HugSiteDigger! I will buy one from Amazon and see how it goes. I thought I had to pulverize a sample and then get a crucible--happy there's an easier route!

 

[HutSiteDigger]

You can always swing by a pawn shop and have them test it for you... Some stores do carry them also.

 

[kuger]

Melly,as CC stated......not always but the majority of the time gold is associated with quartz....very rarely is it not.Your pieces sure do not appear to be quartz....I am very familiar with all of the obsidian bearing areas you describe.While I wish I could tell you I was positive it is indeed gold,I dont think it is...%99 sure its not....

also it is hard to discern from pictures.Here is a thread that touch's lightly on that
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/hard-rock-mining/338120-pyrite-gold.html

 

[mellylou]

Okay, thanks everyone for all of the great info! Here's my last attempt to show a bit more information before I decide to just appreciate the rocks as pretty relics of a great time had.

 

[kuger]

yep,mica,but the memories are what count