May have a silver nugget

Jack Hamilton · Jun 1, 2009

I just got my first detector a week ago. I have been searching some playgrounds in the evenings and
come up on many coins already, a lot of junk too. I decided to drive to an abandoned mine I know
of which I had suspected was an old gold mine. I am beginning to think it was a silver mine. I went
with my wife and she took the pics. We found a horny toad along the way. I also found what I suspect
to be a silver nugget. I found some melted aluminum as well. This nugget looks to have been melted
intensionally, there is a line in it that looks like a tool had picked it up while hot. When you drop it
lightly and it has the same sound my silver coins have when you flip them in the air, that nice riiiing.
I need to take it to someone to have it looked at as I am not a pro. Here are some pics of our day trip.
Yes I went in the mine. It resembles what folks call a spanish mine. Only about 5' high into solid granite
with no beams. I went in and scanned the floor but it appears as though someone had already been
through it, there was nothing to be found. I know its dangerous, but it was a very short tunnel, maybe
50 feet deep with a huge air vent. I was in for maybe 4-5 mins, got nervous and got out. The nugget was found on the road under an area of rock excavated from the side of the hill laying about 1 inch down. I'm swinging an older (15 years?) Tesoro silver sabre. I pulled an old coors beer can from about 12 inches down with this detector. Its a keeper :thumbsup:

hikeinmts · Jun 1, 2009

Interesting find, for sure......and with possibilities. Sorry, I can't help you with any info.....but will be
hoping for you, that you have found something very worthwhile. Search completely around it, where people would have
went to try to get in out of the hot sun, and suggestions as to how they carried the ore they found out. Got to be
some old stuff close to the mine.
H.H. hikeinmts

allen · Jun 1, 2009

hope it is a sweet silver nugget !

CRUSADER · Jun 1, 2009

From the picture, I'm guessing it not silver. Found several nuggets/splash pieces, hack silver etc & its doesn't look right to me.

But its easy to get a $10 testing kit & try it yourself.

davesx · Jun 1, 2009

Hi Jack.
I don't know about the silver? nugget but nice toad, good to see you using the
silver sabre, I use mine from time to time still a good detector.
happy hunting
Dave.

john09 · Jun 1, 2009

RON (PA) · Jun 1, 2009

I cannot tell. I would suggest to buy a silver test kit...just to be sure.

Jack Hamilton · Jun 1, 2009

Where can I buy a test kit? :icon_scratch:

Suppose I can google it. Thanks for the tip

IronSpike · Jun 1, 2009

Jack Hamilton said:
Where can I buy a test kit? Suppose I can google it. Thanks for the tip

You can buy a test kit from Tnet sponsor KellyCo (site listed at the top). You can also make your own metal test kit, which is what I'm planning on doing. Check out this tip from Big Cypress Hunter:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,248019.0.html

The on line shipping cost (own metal test kit) is more than the product so best to find a local chemical store :icon_thumright:

r dewolf · Apr 17, 2018

I just moved here I'm retired so alot of time ,contact me would like to go with you a

Jack Hamilton said:
I just got my first detector a week ago. I have been searching some playgrounds in the evenings and
come up on many coins already, a lot of junk too. I decided to drive to an abandoned mine I know
of which I had suspected was an old gold mine. I am beginning to think it was a silver mine. I went
with my wife and she took the pics. We found a horny toad along the way. I also found what I suspect
to be a silver nugget. I found some melted aluminum as well. This nugget looks to have been melted
intensionally, there is a line in it that looks like a tool had picked it up while hot. When you drop it
lightly and it has the same sound my silver coins have when you flip them in the air, that nice riiiing.
I need to take it to someone to have it looked at as I am not a pro. Here are some pics of our day trip.
Yes I went in the mine. It resembles what folks call a spanish mine. Only about 5' high into solid granite
with no beams. I went in and scanned the floor but it appears as though someone had already been
through it, there was nothing to be found. I know its dangerous, but it was a very short tunnel, maybe
50 feet deep with a huge air vent. I was in for maybe 4-5 mins, got nervous and got out. The nugget was found on the road under an area of rock excavated from the side of the hill laying about 1 inch down. I'm swinging an older (15 years?) Tesoro silver sabre. I pulled an old coors beer can from about 12 inches down with this detector. Its a keeper

GB1 · Apr 17, 2018

nice finds hope its real i have three i've found

smokeythecat · Apr 17, 2018

I like the toad! I do not think it's silver (unless you cleaned it). It is too white. Native silver normally comes out of the ground dark grey to black. However, that being said, it may be another great mineral. You can look at the arsenides and tellurides also.

Rick (Nova Scotia) · Apr 17, 2018

Nice post, I love your site pictures, and esp. the horned toad (we don't have many around here (joke)).
I have to agree with Smokeythecat above, in that if it were a native silver piece it would not look so "silver", you can of course do a decent specific gravity test without any specialized equipment, and if it comes out about 10, then maybe you do have Silver.