scott.f
Elite Member
It seems I was a bit hasty stating I didn't find anything of note while in Vancouver. On Apr. 20th I dug the finds below....
Note the rock in the upper right corner, I kept it just because it gave such a good signal and from its colour wasn't melted aluminum or lead although it was very heavy.
After looking at it under a strong microscope I got to thinking it could be gold. So.. I weighed it.. result - 9.662 grams. Heavy for the size.
Then I upped the magnification... sure looked like gold. It had rose quartz inclusions. But I still didn't want to say anything as I wasn't sure.
So... I did a gold scratch test.. strongest acid I have is for 22k. It passed. So now I'm thinking, ok I must have screwed up that test.
Test again, still passed. Tried a magnet and its non magnetic. But I still couldn't believe it so..
Tried passing a current through it.. result - no appreciable loss of current. At this point I'm only willing to admit its a good chance it's a nugget. Meanwhile my two sons who had been helping with these experiments are calling me stubborn and insisting I post it.
I said no that I wanted an expert opinion. After all, it could be a piece of dropped gold that was crushed and scored. So...off to see an expert it went.
It was confirmed today by a professor of geology at the University of Alberta who specializes in mineralogy and ores to be a natural gold nugget.
Knock me over with a feather? I think so!
Here is a shot of the nugget with a dime to show its size..
And a shot through the microscope showing one of the rose quartz inclusions.
Bet it's a long time if ever that I find another nugget. I think I'll frame this one.
HH all
Note the rock in the upper right corner, I kept it just because it gave such a good signal and from its colour wasn't melted aluminum or lead although it was very heavy.
After looking at it under a strong microscope I got to thinking it could be gold. So.. I weighed it.. result - 9.662 grams. Heavy for the size.
Then I upped the magnification... sure looked like gold. It had rose quartz inclusions. But I still didn't want to say anything as I wasn't sure.
So... I did a gold scratch test.. strongest acid I have is for 22k. It passed. So now I'm thinking, ok I must have screwed up that test.
Test again, still passed. Tried a magnet and its non magnetic. But I still couldn't believe it so..
Tried passing a current through it.. result - no appreciable loss of current. At this point I'm only willing to admit its a good chance it's a nugget. Meanwhile my two sons who had been helping with these experiments are calling me stubborn and insisting I post it.
I said no that I wanted an expert opinion. After all, it could be a piece of dropped gold that was crushed and scored. So...off to see an expert it went.
It was confirmed today by a professor of geology at the University of Alberta who specializes in mineralogy and ores to be a natural gold nugget.
Knock me over with a feather? I think so!
Here is a shot of the nugget with a dime to show its size..
And a shot through the microscope showing one of the rose quartz inclusions.
Bet it's a long time if ever that I find another nugget. I think I'll frame this one.
HH all
Congratulation!
