Found out hiking: is it gold or am I dreaming lol

[JimmyCT]

Went out hiking and picked up a few interesting rocks along my journey. Came home and decided to place them under my digital microscope for closer inspection. The one in particular caught my eye lol Looks like gold but I think I may just be wishing too much
Any idea of what this substance is on the rock? Thanks - Jim

 

[old lineman]

Where did you find it, what state?

 

[JimmyCT]

Found in NW Connecticut.

 

[mudpuppy]

Is the main rock white Quartz? Looks like it...gold is found in white quartz like that...didja try putting a drop of your gold test acid on it yet? Heck, maybe even use a ohm meter to see if you get conductivity? Interesting for sure...just saw this post! Let us know what you determine!
Mud

 

[Dave J.]

Hard to tell from the photo. Gold tends to associate with quartz, but then again so does iron pyrites. I've seen mica (goethitized biotite) looking about like that as well, on quartz.

The color is not that buttery gold color, it's closer to straw-colored iron pyrites or goethitized biotite. But in a web published photo, color rendition can be off a long ways.

More important I'd say is the visual texture. If its' sparkly, "all that glitters is not gold". The overwhelming majority of gold does not glitter, it has a soft glow. In the photo, the yellow zones look glittery to me. But, again, what's on my monitor screen may be very different from the actual specimen in real life.

 

[JimmyCT]

This is an enhanced photo with a 200x microscope with artificial light. What initially drew me to the rock was the purity of the white. As I stepped over the brook, the white rock looked super white and "clean". You know how water can make it look just that. While in the brook, it gave no indication of gold reflection or anything of that nature. Sitting in the sun, the gold substance actually looks partially dull looking - no sparkle at all to it. You are right on with your statement "it has a soft glow" and a good description of what is on this rock. Not that I am wishing it to be gold (it would be nice) but rather agreeing with your description.

Is the main rock white Quartz? Looks like it...gold is found in white quartz like that...didja try putting a drop of your gold test acid on it yet? Heck, maybe even use a ohm meter to see if you get conductivity? Interesting for sure...just saw this post! Let us know what you determine!
Mud

Hard to tell from the photo. Gold tends to associate with quartz, but then again so does iron pyrites. I've seen mica (goethitized biotite) looking about like that as well, on quartz.

The color is not that buttery gold color, it's closer to straw-colored iron pyrites or goethitized biotite. But in a web published photo, color rendition can be off a long ways.

More important I'd say is the visual texture. If its' sparkly, "all that glitters is not gold". The overwhelming majority of gold does not glitter, it has a soft glow. In the photo, the yellow zones look glittery to me. But, again, what's on my monitor screen may be very different from the actual specimen in real life.

 

[Dave J.]

For your purposes oxalic acid (probably obtainable at a compounding pharmacy or cleaning and plumbing supplies store) dissolved in water as a somewhat dilute solution is probably the best choice inasmuch as it will attack most iron minerals but won't touch glass or most plastics. The pure acid is wicked stuff (handle very carefully) but the dilute solution is not so dangerous. For a small fee a compounding pharmacy will probably be happy to batch you up a hundred milliliters (about 3 fluid ounces) solution of several grams oxalic acid so you don't have to bother with that detail.

If you soak the rock in oxalic acid and it gets bleached, the bright stuff was probably pyrite or oxidized biotite. It won't touch gold. When you're done with oxalic acid, fully neutralize it with an excess of calcium carbonate (pharmacy will have that) before disposing, otherwise it'll corrode the metal plumbing.

 

[markinga]

Gold is malleable. Can you scratch it with a knife or put a dent in it or is it brittle? Also, gold streaks yellow on white porcelain.

 

[CMan1]

If it is gold the Govenor might tax it he needs the revenue.
How is the water quality in the NW CT Highland lake and streams? Enjoy the area I did 67-69.

 

[Fabio]

They say gold shines even without direct light. Try looking at it in semi-darkness, like in a closet. If the gold color continues to shine, that would be one good sign it might really be gold.

 

[Foiled]

For your purposes oxalic acid (probably obtainable at a compounding pharmacy or cleaning and plumbing supplies store) dissolved in water as a somewhat dilute solution is probably the best choice inasmuch as it will attack most iron minerals but won't touch glass or most plastics. The pure acid is wicked stuff (handle very carefully) but the dilute solution is not so dangerous. For a small fee a compounding pharmacy will probably be happy to batch you up a hundred milliliters (about 3 fluid ounces) solution of several grams oxalic acid so you don't have to bother with that detail.

If you soak the rock in oxalic acid and it gets bleached, the bright stuff was probably pyrite or oxidized biotite. It won't touch gold. When you're done with oxalic acid, fully neutralize it with an excess of calcium carbonate (pharmacy will have that) before disposing, otherwise it'll corrode the metal plumbing.

I use oxalic acid for taking rust off chrome motorcycle and bicycle parts, it works great and doesn't hurt the chrome, I get mine at the Ace Hardware store by me, they have it in the paint section.

 

[Dave J.]

Thanks, Foiled. I'll have to remember that next time I need the stuff.

REMINDER TO ANYONE USING THE STUFF: it is poisonous, dangerous, and corrosive-- and very useful if you understand what it will and won't do. Don't touch the stuff until you know how to use it properly. Please begin by reading my post 31 May 2015. And then Google the stuff. Wiki is good place to start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid

Meanwhile back to the glittery rock in question: looks like oxidized biotite to me, but as others have pointed out it's hard to know for sure from a photograph. The way it glitters (or doesn't) in real life is a dead giveaway, there is no confusing gold and oxidized biotite.

* * * * Trip down memory lane * * * * * Funniest place I ever found gold. About 5th grade, the concrete sidewalk in front of the school cafeteria, An edge was broken, exposing unfinished surface. The cement and aggregates were an overall gray, but there was this little yellow spot. I took a closer look: it was a gold nugget about the size of the ball on a ball point pen. I managed to pry it loose with the toad stabber blade on my Boy Scout pocket knife. Nowadays a tool like that would get a kid labelled as a terrorist.

The concrete was made from gravel from Teichert & Sons, who extract their aggregates from the American River east of Sacramento. Yep, that American River. Everyone thinks of them as a construction sand and gravel producer, but to produce that by hydraulic classification everything is already there to sluice gold on an industrial scale. They rarely talk about it, but it's also a low cost placer gold mining operation, low cost because the gold is a nearly free by-product of the aggregates operation.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

Neat story Dave. Looks like the bug bit you early in life.