Tungsten Nuggets

[HappyTrails55]

Seems like I can't find anything on this subject, the only one article is from mindat and they say that it is so rare to find Tungsten Nuggets it's pathetic (naturally occurring). Anybody have any info about Tungsten Nuggets? I've found 2 in a Lava Formation, In Rock, the jeweler I took it to, put it on his XRF Spectrometer and declared them to be 97 percent Tungsten. One weighs 2.7 grams and the other weighs 8.0 grams. Any Links to this subject would be most helpful. Thankyou, Darrell

 

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[Red James Cash]

This might interest you

Popular Mechanics - Google Books

 

[Clay Diggins]

Tungsten nuggets. Really?

At that size you probably have a large fortune on your hands. I hope you are preparing for an enjoyable retirement?

I think your jeweler is probably mistaken. What are referred to as "tungsten nuggets" in the book Red James Cash linked to are scheelite ore. That is the form of Tungsten ore found near Randsberg. Tungsten in a natural pure form is virtually unknown. The largest known specimens are all sub millimeter - as in 100 um sub millimeter.

The primary tungsten ores are Wolframite (Manganese base), scheelite (Calcium base), and Powellite (Calcium base) in descending order of value. The highest Tungsten values in the series belong to high grade Wolframite, a reddish yellow, often transparent, crystal. None of these minerals form as metallic "nuggets".

XRF Spectrometers are the poor mans assay and in amateur hands almost always provide wacky, but interesting, results. I'm not sure what you have found but it almost certainly is not 97% tungsten mineral.

Hope that helps you in your research. Post some pictures and do some basic testing. I, for one, would be interested in what you have found.

Heavy Pans

 

[HappyTrails55]

Well Thanks for the Info, I enjoy any output of info, helps me to understand, a better perspective and I research ALOT too, here's a Link that I've also posted on with PIC'S.....<http://www.mindat.org/mesg-86-154265.html> Bookmark it, it's a Good One, Thanks Again, Darrell

 

[augoldminer]

in the Popular Mechanics article it should have been Tungsten, nuggets not Tungsten nuggets
i have worked for 4 mining companies working those placers in the Randburg area and we never found any Tungsten nuggets

these companies were run by gold mine promoters that never told there investors about the scheelite,
.
I have seen chunks of Tungsten with copper around on a rock face out in the desert.

During WW2 someone had used it as the back stop for a target and were firing .50 bmg AP rounds