Is It Gold?

The "Fire Assay" is the best way to go on a hand sample, but it probably won't be cheap. Any local [precious metal] Exploration Geologist can probably recommend a good lab. For that matter, he (or she) could probably give you a pretty good OPINION by simply looking at!

Loyal

We found what we thought was a meteor once.
We took it to a nearby university and they were happy to help us (by appointment).

Yes, there are tests.

All fools gold does not look the same.

I am a U. S. Mineral Surveyor so send it on down and I will let you know.

Then we will have to go visit where you found it!

> Is there a test, or some reputable place I can take it to have it tested?
Examine it under a strong magnifier. If you see any evidence crystalline structure it isn't gold. Chalcopyrite (copper-iron) is brassier than iron pyrite, fools more people.

Sulphides are hard and brittle. They will shatter when scratched. Gold will dent.

Once you've seen it there is no mistaking it with anything else. An assay would tell how much, but an exploration geologist will tell you at a glance if it is gold. Post a picture.

The reality is that if you can see it, it probably isn't gold. Most gold ore is graded in parts per billion rather than ounces per ton. I spent my 20's working in exploration geology and saw visible gold - outside of display specimens - only once. And that was a speck maybe half the size of a grain of rice.

streak plate test

take a piece of unglazed porcelain and scratch the rock on it. Iron Pyrite will leave a black streak and gold will leave a gold streak. The underside of a toilet tank lid will usually work.

streak plate test

Perry, doesn't it also take a tiny drop of acid (I don't remember which) to see if it reacts. Gold won't - other stuff does. I remember seeing Rick Harrison from Pawn Stars showing a new-hire how to do that test.
But, yes, he had a scracth plate and I don't remember exactly what that was either.

streak plate test

Gold DOES react to acid on a streak test. Carat (K) weights can be determined by using different strengths of acid to determine it's grade. The softer the gold (24k) the less strength acid it takes to dissolve it. Test kits can be purchased on EBAY with four different strengths, scratch plate, etc.

First question that comes to my mind is: where did you find it.
Here in the Mother Lode, anywhere would be possible, but in Washington......?
Are there good prospects there?
Just asking, I don't know.

Don

Is there gold in Washington state? Yes indeed. Most of it in my home county. After 150+ years of placer mining, the Similkameen River gravel still has plenty of color. Lots of small dredger camps up there along that river in the summer time. Just a few years ago, two old hippy miners came into town with a nugget big as my thumb. Kinross has a deephole gold mine on Buckhorn Mountain just 20 miles from my house, which has been producing in good commercial quantity for the last couple years, they figure to get several more years out of it. Very interesting history of gold (and other metals) mining here in this county and the next one over East.

Thank you, I didn't know that there is significant gold in Washington.
Very interesting.
Now I'm going to have to learn more about it.

Don

> Thank you, I didn't know that there is significant gold in Washington.
> Very interesting.
> Now I'm going to have to learn more about it.
>
> Don

Just don't tell anyone else....;-)

Not all that glitters is gold.

Send it to me and I'll let you know.....

> Not all that glitters is gold.

There is a quote from the California Gold Rush: "Never did so many work so hard to get rich without working hard." I can't find it right now.

Take it to a pawn shop!

does it look like this