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Gold nuggets on the beach??

K

kak

New member
Hello,
I've been hunting a small salt water beach and found the usual stuff but what really surprised me was the gold nuggets I found. The first one I found (top left) was a heavy green and black encrusted chunk of metal with a small shiny highlight. I find many pieces of lead and mystery melted metals and wanted to add it to my collection. I dropped it in my pocket and thought nothing of it until a few days later I decided to clean it up a bit. I rubbed it with a fine brass brush and it was yellow. I thought maybe the brush colored it so I gave it a salt and vinegar bath (don't know if this is ok for gold yet) and it turned a copper color. I scrubbed it some more with a toothbrush and my dremel... the copper color left and the yellow stayed and I thought WOW!!! It is gold!! Or maybe heavy yellow copper?!?! Maybe it was a bit careless to polish it with my dremel but it was big enough and it was my first ever gold nugget and I was just too excited. It weighs about 4 grams. Since then I have found three more pieces with a lot of copper mixed in.
So my question: I found the first piece where strong waves could have deposited it, about 30 feet from the water line, and the other three were in the wet sand. They were among other heavier targets like coins and iron. I've hunted this beach for over 60 hours and haven't found any more. There are known gold mines within 50 km of here. Where did the gold come from? Was it washed up from the ocean by wave action or was it already in the sand as part of beach replenishment? I definitely would like to find more...
Thanks,
kak
 
The test for gold is to drop it into nitric acid, if it doesn't dissolve it's gold. I think what you have brass or bronze of some form.
The jeweler has a gold tester as well. There is native copper nuggets around the country as well. Gold won't corrode, on salt beaches.

PennyFinder
 
Thanks Pennyfinder,
I don't have access to nitric acid but maybe you're right. It's heavy but I figured the corrosion was due to the copper content. I'm going to hunt down something to do a test.
Thanks again,
kak
 
Keep the dream alive, you'll find the gold...and when you do, you'll be doin' the prospector's jig for sure!
Hooo-doggie! :jump:

Look at the nuggets I found... it wasn't gold, but I did the jig none the less!

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?32,1001962,1003449#msg-1003449

PennyFinder
 
i fould 1 on my beach too when i tested it it was 18k ....it was 4 grams
 
I also found a 7.2 gram blob of metal, about the size of a dime, but three times thicker. It tested 18k on the tester. I also tested pyrite and got a 18k reading. But pyrite is more of a yellow color, rather than gold. Hope yours are nuggets.
 
n/t
 
Native gold (i.e. Natural gold nuggets or flakes) is yellow. Pyrite is the one that looks brassy. Gold Jewelry is a gold alloy and will look less yellow and more brassy yellow. What you found, based on the picture looks like copper or a copper based alloy (bronze?). The green color (oxidation) of your uncleaned nugget is indicative of a copper based metal. That is why all of the green and blue green minerals such as malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, turqoise etc... are green. If what you have is a natural nugget of some metal rather than a fire melted piece of metal or jewelry, then it would be called "native gold or native copper, etc...)

Several simple tests: Gold is malleable (pyrite is not, Native copper is less malleable), native gold and copper can be cut moderately easily with a knife (hardness of 2.5-3), pyrite cannot, it is brittle. Pyrite will also not form a rounded nugget (because it is brittle), if you strike pyrit with a hamme, it will shatter and may have a sulfurous smell (depending on the type of pyrite, i.e. iron pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, etc). Scratching pyrite on the back (rough side) of a ceramic tile will leave a green streak, gold will leave a yellow streak, copper will leave a red streak. Gold will not tarnish, copper will.

But, if you want to be very sure, determine the specific gravity of your speciman. If I remember right, this involves using a graduated cylinder and measuring the displacement when you submerge the gold into the graduated cylinder. Then, weigh the sample as well. Look online to find the calculation to calculate the Specific gravity. Native gold Sp Grav is 15.6. Copper is a little more than half that of gold at 8.9.

Keep in mind that a melted piece of gold jewelry would not give exactly the same results because 18 K gold is only about 50% gold (or there about).

Let me know if you have any questions.

D
 
JDknight34 said:
Keep in mind that a melted piece of gold jewelry would not give exactly the same results because 18 K gold is only about 50% gold (or there about).


D
Click to expand...

Good metallugical info:thumbup:, but I think you meant 14k gold is about 50% gold (59%), 18k is actually 75% gold.
 
Wow,
Thanks everyone. A lot of useful information. I didn't think brass came already mixed.

JDkight34, I tried some of your tests and here are the results.
Top left nugget, about 4 grams. It's the heaviest and probably the purest. The others have a lot of copper mixed in.

1. I cut it with my utility knife. You can see the cut mark in the picture.
2. I am not going to hit it with a hammer at this time...
3. I scratched the bottom of my coffee cup. Almost like a ceramic tile, right? The streaks look gold to me.
I scratched my cup with the other pieces and they left a yellow mark too.

That's two tests it passed. I'm waiting for a gold test kit and a scale for more precise measurements.
They should be here in a few weeks.

Here's a picture of the cut and scratch tests:

So, if it's not gold, what else could it be then?

ps. PennyFinder, that's a lot of nuggets. I'd dig 'em too.


kak
 
i know mine was couse i sold it to a guy who melts his own stuff
 
t advice here.KAK, one pointer : Just ttake it to an "expert" and have him test it.That will be a lot easier for you. PS: Not trying to take away from anyones advice.O?? But unless we have the actual samles we can't say proof positive as to what it is.Home remedies do not alwways work.I botch them all the time.Then I taake it to the dealer and he'll tell me exactly what it is.Makes it easy for me.I knw what t is and I get paid on the spot even though the last guy shorted me.The rat. Anyway Good luck with those. I've never seen or found a gold nugget before. I'm jealous.Keep it up.Post the "FINAL" results OK. Weight, Karat,Value etc.. PEACE:RONB :clap:
 
Gold is gold and it looks like nothing else. Gold will look like it is brand new no matter how long it has been in the water or buried.

I have found gold rings and coins that have been in the ground for over a hundred years and they look like the day they were dropped. Kind of like silver in a way. I have found tons of clad but silver always seem to look so good you can tell the difference right away when you dig it up, You know it is silver right away.

Same with gold. Gold is the most durable of metals as far as corrosion and it will look as good as the day it was dropped.

If you have a question as to if it is gold or not, then it probably is not gold.
 
It is really quite amazing how much can be recovered from them

Calm seas

Micheal
 
I would have thought you'd be scouting out prospecting sites, considering what your backyard looks like. I sure do miss those beautiful mountains, Mate.:canadaflag:
 
Great and informative comments and suggestions all. I like how comments try to follow the question but go off in tangents and you get more info than expected.

Whether it's gold or not I won't know until I get it properly tested. Besides, I don't expect a gold rush here because I only found 4 nuggets after a thousand or more digs. At least some of the other stuff I dug had some real value.
Thanks and I'll post again when I get the results,

kak
 
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