Any help in identifying this would be appreciated.
Good soft nugget sounding hit at 3-4" from hard rock tailings pile. There is much cubic pyrite in the waste materials in this hard rock gold area.
VDI Zero and +14 and +22 in ground
VDI -1 0 +4 +6 in air depending upon angle of approach to coil.
non magnetic - unlike pyrite
Hard and brittle like pyrite. Scratched my steel knife blade
Heavy. Feels heavier for size than pyrite cubes I've had.
Streak grey - charcoal with some bright silver metallic flakes visible under 10x and 30x lens.
Acid test. 10K and 14K left black residue. 18K left only tiny amounts of the same residue.
I would have thought pyrite, but isn't pyrite at least slightly magnetic?
I did a Mizar24 gold test (not good on plated / mixed medium materials), but got consistent 18K gold reading. If any parts of the two test probes are in contact with gold, a positive reading should occur.
Piece measures 5/8" x 1/2" x 1/4" and weighs just under 2 grams.
I would appreciate any ideas. Are there some gold & pyrite hybrids that might have similar characteristics. Thanks aarchie[attachment 21463 PICT0009.jpg]
Good soft nugget sounding hit at 3-4" from hard rock tailings pile. There is much cubic pyrite in the waste materials in this hard rock gold area.
VDI Zero and +14 and +22 in ground
VDI -1 0 +4 +6 in air depending upon angle of approach to coil.
non magnetic - unlike pyrite
Hard and brittle like pyrite. Scratched my steel knife blade
Heavy. Feels heavier for size than pyrite cubes I've had.
Streak grey - charcoal with some bright silver metallic flakes visible under 10x and 30x lens.
Acid test. 10K and 14K left black residue. 18K left only tiny amounts of the same residue.
I would have thought pyrite, but isn't pyrite at least slightly magnetic?
I did a Mizar24 gold test (not good on plated / mixed medium materials), but got consistent 18K gold reading. If any parts of the two test probes are in contact with gold, a positive reading should occur.
Piece measures 5/8" x 1/2" x 1/4" and weighs just under 2 grams.
I would appreciate any ideas. Are there some gold & pyrite hybrids that might have similar characteristics. Thanks aarchie[attachment 21463 PICT0009.jpg]