Gold bug Pro - pure gold readings and gold ore?

[bdowell]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the readings would be on a gold bug pro for pure gold (24 K)?

I have come across some ore that gives off a real nice ping at 41-42 in either mode (all metal or discr). In the all metal there is minimal Fe readings too - does anyone know if pyrite will show up as part of the reading in either mode? The ore is brittle in some places but solid in others. Nice dull gold color too - not that shiny gleam with pyrite.

The rocks will conduct electricity real well but the density tests come up short (6.05 g/cc). Seems suspicious (gold is 19.3 g/cc) but if it is not pure (and it shouldn't be since it is in a raw state) does anyone know how the gold bug pro would read it?

Just wondering - any thoughts?

 

[colt]

I tested my wild AZ nuggets again this afternoon using my Gold Bug Pro, the nuggets that are 1/4" X 3/8" read 2, and the nuggets that are 3/8" X 1/2" read 4, these nuggets are about 1/8" thick. I have an old Irish wedding ring not sure on the K value, but it reads 17. Be interesting to see what others say their gold reads at.

Colt

 

[Hobbyist]

Generally speaking, gold in pyritic ores are invisible to the naked eye but mother nature's works are varied and most diverse. You have the right TID numbers and if your find passes the malleability and streak tests for Au, it may be worth the effort to either send a sample to undergo the fire assay test and/or extract the gold yourself. A simple and safe method of recovery without acids and mercury is at www.geus.dk/program-areas/common/int_ssm_fact_sheet_07.pdf (just realized I can't attach .pdf files in this forum!)

 

[colt]

I just retested and I am getting 42 and 44 on my nuggets instead of 2 and 4. Nickle comes in at 57-58. Crap I must have been in All Metal on my first test, when I switched to Disc mode I get the right reading, that is ok folks, not to worry, I was born this way,

Colt

 

[Hobbyist]

It's a common mistake, colt. In all metal mode, the TID is shown in the "speedometer" arc at the top of the screen. In discrim mode, the TID is the number in the center of the screen. Gold's usually 40 and up.

 

[bdowell]

This is great feedback - thank you Colt and Hobbyist!

I called the company yesterday to confirm the "pure" gold reading but they did not have it for the gold bug pro. They use nuggets to verfiy but due to impurities their readings vary as well so they could not give me a solid answer. One other forum stated that the 42 reading is the jackpot - so that is why there is some excitment here.

When I do an air test with 14K gold rings I get a higher number "57" (in disc mode). Since 24K is pure gold I would expect the reading to be different with 14K due to "blending" but I do not have a pure waffer right now to try it. Maybe someone has one and can try it for us and then share the readings.

Hoppyist - I am working on the malleability and streak tests right now. When I try a magnet I get nothing - since pyrite has so much iron I find this strange. I am researching Arsenopyrite right now to see if this may be part of the structure (arsenic instead of iron).

I am redoing some of the density tests too as the first one was just over 6. Is it possible that for gold ore that lower densities are valid if the gold is not pure and present in smaller amounts? Seems reasonable - anyone have experience with this approach?

One last thing - for streak tests I am trying to get by for now using a piece of broken "royal oak" dinner plate until I can get to the hardware store - will this work?

thanks - B

 

[Hobbyist]

Bdowell, a nice website to help you out in identifying minerals is http://www.minsocam.org/msa/collectors_corner/id/mineral_id_keyq1.htm

Bear in mind that natural alloys and amalgams do exist (and sometimes Au can be part of those). 42 is a very VERY nice to see!*grin*

Yes gold mixed with other metals can have a lower density than the "normal" figure.

With reference to streak tests, the object is to rub the test material into a powder form and note the colour produced. Unglazed porcelain tiles, sandpaper and even rough cement will do in a pinch. Be careful when rubbing the ore on the broken edge of a dinner plate...don't cut yourself! Gotta run and swing my bug now...be back later. DO keep us updated on your progress. I know full well the thrill of finding a nice lump of auriferous stuff and share your excitement!

 

[bdowell]

Thanks for the feedback and links - I will do some more research!! looking forward to hearing more and sharing some updates when I can - B

 

[amberjack]

kool topic guys and for the links hobbyist.

glad you got that sorted colt it sounds like you got some nice bits there!

i don't have my bug back yet but have a 1gram pure .999 bar will test it on that and see what numbers come up, but from everything i have read 42 sounds good. rings are not i don't think a good way to test gold on the bug because there round and just from my experience its going to hit the round more than the gold hope that makes sense?

18K gold ring 78, 79 white gold so who knows what the other metal is ?

interesting stuff and stop it please making me want to go bush

me just back from park coins and a 925 band so am happy with that for today but yellow is much nicer

 

[Hobbyist]

Attached is a photo of my streak plate, made from a discarded floor tile. My cost was some sweat with a saw and sandpaper to flatten the raised ridges on the unglazed rear portion. I've streaked some iron pyrite and very low karat gold on it (sorry about the bad photography) so you can see the difference. It's very handy in the field, along with a small magnet for identifying stuff.

 

[colt]

It would be nice to be able to use ID #'s while nugget hunting and not waste time digging bullet fragments. Next weekend I will be going into the higher desert where it is cooler and I will keep track of what I find and their ID number.

Colt.

 

[acasto]

Don't know if this helps, but I waved a 1/4 oz .999 fine gold coin 4 inches under the 11" coil on my Gold Bug DP.

It rang up a solid 86.

A 12K pendant the size of a nickel was a solid 70 in the ground about 3 inches.

HH
Tony

 

[amberjack]

acasto it helps me heaps it rang solid unmoving number because its pure gold and the high number 86 because of its size and its round i bet if you melted it into some weird shape like a nugget it still would be a solid unmoving number but would be much lower number because its not round, starting to make sense to me now

AJ

 

[bdowell]

Done some more homework. The densities for the rock samples average 5.0 - too low. The rocks are good conductors of electricity and are NOT attracted to a magnet. Strong readings between 40-43 though.

It appears that my samples may be Chalcopyrite with a mix of "other" stuff. Chalcopyrite has an average density of 4.2 (g/cc) so there is likely some other minerals in the rocks.

Any other suggestions/comments would be much appreciated? Can anyone recall the readings with various pieces of pyrite with the Gold Bug pro?

Odd thing is that when I switch to the "all metal mode" there is NO iron in the readings!! Chalcopyrite is CuFeS2, and is a poor rock for copper (25%). Does pyrite show Fe in the all medal mode?

B

 

[Hobo lobo]

Gold can read from 40 all the up into the eighties on the Gold Bug Pro, depending on the size, shape, purity and what it is alloyed with. most of the smaller natural gold nuggets I have have found ( lots of em) read in the 40s

 

[bdowell]

Thanks Hobo lobo - nice to get the positive feedback. I get 40-43 on most chunks. Most need to be within 2" or so for the air test to get a good fix. A small beep can be heard at 4-5". The ore that I have is in "chunks" (I broke them into large fist size) so the nugget features are not present. There are obvious signs of pyrite of course but this one is just not easy since some discoloration occurs while other breaks have NONE. If the densities were closer to 10 - well great - but with only 5's it seems that it is either poor grade gold ore or high grade chalcopyrite (???).

have a good one - B

 

[Hobbyist]

It may be worth your time to crush a few ore samples and smelt them to determine the gold content. A Falcon MD20 gold tracker may serve you well for getting micron gold among pyrites. This is exciting...do keep us informed!