Thoughts on ore from the claim?

[Sunset429]

Hey gang,

Here are a few chunks from one of the lodes on my claim in the Mojave, any input is appreciated. I've owned the claim for a couple years, but this is the first year I hit it hard. Had some luck, good and bad! Everything smells like garlic. Going to crush it tomorrow and check for free mill. Will send the powder off for assay once I find place.

Next season I'll be digging out a back-filled mine on the claim and adding timbers. Looking forward to Spring.

 

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[winners58]

looks good, don't just highgrade have an assay done for each specific sample location to get a true value.
that way when you go to mine it you would not waste time on the gangue rock with little value.
garlic smell sounds like arsenic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenopyrite

 

[ecmjamsit]

Find a place with a XRF machine and have it tested. XRF is x-ray fluorescence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_fluorescence

 

[Sunset429]

looks good, don't just highgrade have an assay done for each specific sample location to get a true value.
that way when you go to mine it you would not waste time on the gangue rock with little value.
garlic smell sounds like arsenic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenopyrite

Totally agree, thanks. This year I went a little crazy crushing way too much material without assay. I got the fever, it happens, but my word it was a blast, I learned a lot thanks to guys on this site. Thanks to all of you, sincerely. Looking forward to getting back out there with a better plan this Spring. I will start a thread on the prospecting journal section on day 1, so please keep an eye out for it around the 1st week of May.

I have to thank one of our fellow Tnet members (you know who you are) for spending the day running some of my low grade on his table this Summer in 29 Springs

Anyhow, I'll do the proper assays in Spring and go from there on this claim. Trying to steer clear of refractory ore unless it's worth the effort, if not then I'll move on to better ground. Here are a few shots of the fun.

 

[Assembler]

A tip from Manual of Assaying by Miller page 61-62 under the chapter the assay of so-called refractory ores:

When an ore is oxidized, or contains sulphur, antimony, arsenic, tellurium, etc., it needs a different treatment. Such ores should be fluxed with a view to keep sulphur, arsenic, etc., out of the lead button.........
If the button weighs less than 20 grams, there is a danger of leaving some gold in the slag, especially in rich ores.

Ores containing sulphur, antimony, arsenic, etc., have a reducing effect; those containing the higher oxides of iron, copper, manganese, etc., have an oxidizing effect.