Is this gold or fools god?

[Jcochr]

Is this gold or fools gold?

I found this rock in the desert covered in desert varnish. On removing varnish, it was gold coloured and i have attached pictures. Any ideas what it could be?

I broke some fragments off by bashing the surface and they were black flakes that smelt of smoke.

It sounds a bit metallic when I hit it and may be easier to saw it than break it with a hammer.

It is not magnetic or attracted to a magnet like iron would be - maybe just a slight attraction.

Density from displacing water and weighing it is about 3.5.

 

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[meMiner]

Not likely gold. Looks to be a hot rock with pyrite mineralization, which caused the stain and the "gold" color. I bet if you break it that there will be an odor of garlic. I am sure others will tell you to crush and pan to find out for sure, but my bet is you have a rock for your garden. Sorry.

 

[galenrog]

While I agree with placergold, I always tell people that when in doubt, get an assay done by a competent professional.

 

[Jcochr]

Thanks... I have attacked it but it did not break too easily and I added some more info in the post. It is good of you to share your thoughts.

 

[Jcochr]

further progress

I asked a professional and he said it was a sinter deposit. They map dispersion halos of this to home-in on the no-see-um (angstrom range) gold deposits, apparently.

I took a chunk off for another photo. Could be very high in Silica and maybe iron which could be indicative of Opal or Gold deposits?

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

If you didn't find a bunch of it like a "deposit", I wouldn't waste your time getting it assayed. It's $55 min unless you know how to assay yourself. It doesn't require a fire assay or lab to determine if the rock contains gold or not at home. It's actually pretty basic. Where a outs in AZ did you find it North, South?

 

[Eu_citzen]

Pyrrhotite?

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

Did you use a wire brush to clean it? The bronze from the wire will leave a residue on the rocks that look good in color. Even using a hand rotary tool will leave residual metals often. the rock below looks different than the golden one on the top I'm confused.

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

Pyrrhotite?

Good call. Arsenopyrite, Arsenopyrite Pseudo After Pyrrhotite