My day has finally come .... First nugget

[chriseneim]

It's like it was destiny the way I found it. So I clean a pool that has awesome quartz scattered all over the place and the mountain right across the street has really good indications such as big rocks covered in gossan and huge white quartz rock all over it. So everytime I'm there I always keep an eye on the ground hoping to find something. We'll on fri I was checking pump and notice somthing buried under the filter in mud and so I picked it up and just by the way it felt and the yellow glow it had even though it was dirty ha and the smooth feeling I got excited. Brought it home cleaned it up threw it in to som hcl and then brought it down to local hiking shop that's has gold prospecting supplies and asked if he could test it. He did all test and 10 k 14 k 18 k and he said its gold and one of the bigger ones he had seen in a long time. I'm not sure of weight but it's got to be atleast half an ounce I'm guessing. Now I'm wondering how to get it looking the shiny polished ones or should I leave it ?

 

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[NHBandit]

At first I thought a trick of the camera was making it look extremely dull but the penny in the pic is shiny so it's not that. It looks like a dull yellow rock in the pics.

 

[chriseneim]

At first I thought a trick of the camera was making it look extremely dull but the penny in the pic is shiny so it's not that. It looks like a dull yellow rock in the pics.

ha I know I also dropped my phone in water so and the camera is all messed up. It is kinda dull though but it's in some vinegar and seems to be getting brighter. Any ideas to take the grud off of it?

 

[chriseneim]

ha I know I also dropped my phone in water so and the camera is all messed up. It is kinda dull though but it's in some vinegar and seems to be getting brighter. Any ideas to take the grud off of it?

my focus is not working and it is kinda dull but I have done tons of research and the guy who did the test said most of the time nuggets are not shiny they have a dull look from the weathering and crud it has been in. Im not for sure but I think you call this an alluvial gold nugget from it smooth and rounded shape ?

 

[Clay Diggins]

Sorry Chris. Not a nugget.
I usually won't give a firm opinion based on a picture but this clearly isn't gold. Clean gold gleams. No dirt left and no gleam.
This is a rock.

 

[chriseneim]

Sorry Chris. Not a nugget. I usually won't give a firm opinion based on a picture but this clearly isn't gold. Clean gold gleams. No dirt left and no gleam. This is a rock.

you will be proven wrong clay diggins It has a gleam and I know what a rock looks like I also know that a hammer test knife test and nitric test have already proven your statement not true but I respect all peoples thoughts and opinions. Will try and clean some more and get better photos for you and maybe change your mind. Thanks dude

 

[NHBandit]

you will be proven wrong clay diggins It has a gleam and I know what a rock looks like I also know that a hammer test knife test and nitric test have already proven your statement not true but I respect all peoples thoughts and opinions. Will try and clean some more and get better photos for you and maybe change your mind. Thanks dude

I hope you're right and if so use some of the money to buy a better camera. I still say it looks like a Yellow rock. All the best. I really do hope I'm wrong and you're right.

 

[Clay Diggins]

So the yellow rock flattened when you hit it with a hammer? When you poked it with a knife it left a cut mark in the rock?

What is the Nitric test?

I hope you are right Chris but I'm going to have to have more than the word of some guy at a hiking shop. I've handled a lot of gold nuggets and I've never seen one remotely like what you show in your pictures.

 

[Fullpan]

Very sorry to say - 3rd vote: not gold.

 

[chriseneim]

Alright guys I hear you thanks for info any info is good info from you all I really appreciate it thank you for all the help always sorry if I got grumpy just thought I had somthing but it's all good.

 

[Astrobouncer]

I agree that its a rock. Chriseneim dont feel bad though, when I started it took me over a year to find gold. The reason why was because I was looking for big pieces, not little tiny specs you could barely see.

 

[goldhog]

Just find out how many cubic centimeters it is and then punch that in here...

Gold 1 cubic centimeter to grams of gold converter

Example:
Amount : 3 cubic centimeters (cc - cm3 of gold)
Equals : 57.85 grams (g / gold)

 

[Hoser John]

Simply go to any hock shop or jewelry store and have it tested so the truth will be self evident. OR do some work.John

 

[Foothills Gold]

Easiest way to be sure is to do a specific gravity test. There's simple instructions on how this works all over the internet . If you were close by I'd let you use my scale. Maybe call a few coin dealers and see if they have one. Most serious coin and gold dealers use them. Specific gravity for gold nuggets should be 17 for 22kt a little less if the purity is lower. Another avenue would be a serious pawn shop that has a XFR analyzer. Don't be afraid to call around and ask.

 

[Foothills Gold]

Message me if you want the steps for doing the gravity test.

 

[chriseneim]

Awesome I will do all your guys tips. I have a qes at the shop where I tested it he put of nitric acid on it and it did nothing to it what I want to know is are there rocks and or minerals besides gold that nitric will not affect? Muriatic just brightened it up? Here is what it looked like straight out of ground. The first is the top and the second pis is the back and it is almost perfectly flat. And the third pic is of an example I found but I'm sure they did some cleaning and polishing. put a flame to it and it did nothing nor did it even get the hot. It's def a strange

 

[omnicron]

I also say its not gold. Heck, even my wife looked at the pics and says its not gold and her experience is very limited but she has seen the gold in the flesh. If your local shop tested it and says it gold...go buy yourself a can of gold spray paint and grab some rocks, paint them and sell them to this shop!

 

[Clay Diggins]

The nitric test is only for testing finished gold jewelery. Most rocks will have little or no effect when you put nitric acid on them. Never test minerals with acid, some of them will produce poisonous fumes that will make you very unhappy - er dead. When you do find gold you will have no reason to ask about it here. It will be so obviously gold you will wonder why you were picking up all those yellow rocks.

Your day will come Chris if you keep looking. The reason gold is so rare and difficult to find is the same reason it's so valuable. When you do find it you will be well rewarded because of that rareness.


Keep on hunting but leave the acid test behind. I like reading about your adventures - too much acid in the wrong place and I would miss your stories.

 

[chriseneim]

The nitric test is only for testing finished gold jewelery. Most rocks will have little or no effect when you put nitric acid on them. Never test minerals with acid, some of them will produce poisonous fumes that will make you very unhappy - er dead. When you do find gold you will have no reason to ask about it here. It will be so obviously gold you will wonder why you were picking up all those yellow rocks. Your day will come Chris if you keep looking. The reason gold is so rare and difficult to find is the same reason it's so valuable. When you do find it you will be well rewarded because of that rareness. Keep on hunting but leave the acid test behind. I like reading about your adventures - too much acid in the wrong place and I would miss your stories.

great info and yea the acid is to much work and takes the fun part of cleaning into a dangerous task ha. I'll keep searching and learning and try to stop picking up yellow rocks haha. You da man thanks for all your help

 

[chriseneim]

I also say its not gold. Heck, even my wife looked at the pics and says its not gold and her experience is very limited but she has seen the gold in the flesh. If your local shop tested it and says it gold...go buy yourself a can of gold spray paint and grab some rocks, paint them and sell them to this shop!

haha yea I have come to that conclusion to and the guy at the hiking shack seemed like he was on somthing besides coffee hah