My First Quartz Gold Specimen

[sierra_ronin]

Here are some pictures of the first quartz gold specimen I discovered near the end of 2013. I was walking down an access road and this little beaut was facing gold side up to greet me. After doing some simple density analysis I found that the specimen has a density very close to the average density of quartz so the gold here is probably only a thin sheet. Still cool though.

I will post more specimens in the near future.


Heavy Pans.

 

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[ratled]

That is too cool! I would love to find something like that. Thanks for posting it

ratled

 

[BurntBear]

Excellent specimen!

 

[goldog]

May not be a big percentage of gold but that's more than a lil.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I'm definitely a believer that there are great specimens still out there to be found. I'm still getting a hang of posting in the forum but I will be sure to post my other specimens in the next few weeks.

I'm also going placer prospecting tomorrow with a buddy so maybe I will post the result of our clean out if its any good.

Cheers

 

[huntsman53]

Nice specimen! I hope you have researched whether the Quartz rock just happened to be used as gravel on the access road and if so, where the rock came from or whether it came off a hillside adjacent to where you found it or it was being transported from one location to another and just happened to fall off the truck. A few years back, I found some Quartz rocks with Gold on and in them that were placed around the bushes, trees and flowers where I used to work. I tried to no avail to find where the rocks came from. Bummer!


Frank

 

[oregonmp03]

very nice piece

 

[KevinInColorado]

Gold Greenhorn, I've seen lots of newbies show up here with rocks they are excited about...then we give 'me the bad news that they just have a pretty rock. Not so in this case! GREAT FIND! Welcome to tnet, I look forward to seeing more from you soon.

Frank, great story...

 

[Hoser John]

It's amazing how much gold is found NOT mining. Found my best biggest nugget of 89, laying on top of 2 grape vine roots, while a well a lets just say I called it the Grunt nugget and let it go at that. John

 

[huntsman53]

After looking more closely at the pics of the specimen and the Gold, it appears that it was fluid when it flowed into the crevices (dips and gouges) of the Quartz rock and appears to have small rocks, pebbles and other grainular pieces embedded in it. It almost looks like it was melted and poured into to dips and gouges in the rock, so it makes one wonder if it happened naturally or might have been done by man for some unknown reason!


Frank

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing such an interesting find.

 

[rustyfind]

Great specimen. I would be excited to find it. Congrats.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Today's Prospecting

Went prospecting with a buddy today had a pretty descent clean out. We didn't test pan we just got right too it with the sluice. Weather was pretty nice here in Northern California today. Here are some pics from the day below:

 

[sierra_ronin]

Frank,

Yes you have a keen eye for sure. I've spent some considerable time examining the embedded grains on this piece. It's probably the most peculiar of my specimens structurally.

After looking more closely at the pics of the specimen and the Gold, it appears that it was fluid when it flowed into the crevices (dips and gouges) of the Quartz rock and appears to have small rocks, pebbles and other grainular pieces embedded in it. It almost looks like it was melted and poured into to dips and gouges in the rock, so it makes one wonder if it happened naturally or might have been done by man for some unknown reason!


Frank

 

[sierra_ronin]

rustyfind,

It was definitely a surprise when I stumbled upon it being my first specimen and all. I thought my eyes were deceiving me at first glance.

Great specimen. I would be excited to find it. Congrats.

 

[sierra_ronin]

Professor of Engineering,

No problem more to come.

Thank you for sharing such an interesting find.

 

[sierra_ronin]

John,

Yes I think a laid back approach is the best approach, the best finds are often unexpected. Awesome story also, maybe I should hang out around more grape vines.

It's amazing how much gold is found NOT mining. Found my best biggest nugget of 89, laying on top of 2 grape vine roots, while a well a lets just say I called it the Grunt nugget and let it go at that. John

 

[sierra_ronin]

Thanks Kevin

In the two past years or so that I've been casually prospecting I've come to find that if it's truly gold, you know it when you see it. If you have to ask yourself or a friend if your pretty rock is gold chances are its not.

Gold Greenhorn, I've seen lots of newbies show up here with rocks they are excited about...then we give 'me the bad news that they just have a pretty rock. Not so in this case! GREAT FIND! Welcome to tnet, I look forward to seeing more from you soon.

Frank, great story...

 

[sierra_ronin]

Thanks oregonm03,

I see you're based out of Medford. Do you ever prospect on the Rogue?

very nice piece

 

[Hefty1]

Went prospecting with a buddy today had a pretty descent clean out. We didn't test pan we just got right too it with the sluice. Weather was pretty nice here in Northern California today. Here are some pics from the day below:


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That gravel bar on the left side looks like a good spot to sluice...