Micro Nugget 501 Posted April 19, 2007 Attached is a grainy photo (sorry, best I can do with the new camera and the small objects) of three micro nuggets hanging onto a magnet along with the black particle contamination I was trying to remove from the final concentrates of some Dale District gold that 29 Prospector and I drywashed last weekend before getting rained out and nearly lightning struck. I have never experienced anything like this before. This came from an area that also produced some other particles of black material within which tiny gold can be seen peeking out from the interior of the black encapsulating crust. Too tiny to photograph, but we'll bring some to the next WSPA event for others to examine. I wonder what Pegleg Pete would have to say about all this? I didn't know that gold and iron (assuming it is iron that provides the magnetic attraction) bonded together like that. There is plenty of hematite and magnetite in the vicinity of these finds. Also just gobs of what 29er refers to as galena. But the metallic blue lustre that it gives off makes me wonder if it is a special form of galena (extremely heavy, non-magnetic and "chips" irregularly when pounded). Ain't this thing we do a lot of fun like puzzle solving? But the more we learn the greater the number of questions we seem to have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Denny 9 Posted April 19, 2007 Geez you two.That is odd.Is there host rock in those small pieces.There is a lot of magnatite in the area.And that is most likely the culprit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
29 Prospector 0 Posted April 19, 2007 Well Micro-Nugget, Denny and I have been saying that the Dale District is strange and a tough nut to crack. I haven't had a chance to check my nuggets yet but do so tonite. Who knows, we may have found the lost black nugget mine of the Dale. Although, I think we are to far west. We need to be about a mile or so east. 29er Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dave wiseman 0 Posted April 19, 2007 Micro,Are you sure that blue is galena and not Rutile?I've had fine gold stick to a magnet along with the black sand,even when using the magnet inside a plastic baggie...........Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reno Chris 261 Posted April 20, 2007 Its the magnetite thats attracting the nuggets to the magnet. Magnetite inside nuggets is uncommon, but not unheard of. I have seen magnetic nuggets as large as a few penneyweight. Chris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruceks 7 Posted April 20, 2007 hi micro........one toy i have been having fun with is the qx5 computer microscope....... it makes jpegs of things you can hardly see.........under $100 and works with mac or pc....... i will post some micro-pics when i get something worthy bruceks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John B. 8 Posted April 20, 2007 Hi Micro and AllI found a nugget years ago at gold basin stuck on my magnet . It had a couple black specks of magnatite on it. But was around 2 dwt of so and I thought the target dissapeared until I checked the magnet . There are only three elements that are or can be magnetic . Iron , Nickle and Cobalt are the only minerals that posses magnetic qualities . If you nuggets contain cobalt it easy to figure out !! Rub them, lick them, and carry them around in your pocket for a day !! At night go into your bedroom and turn out the lights and look in a mirror !! You'll glow like a blue glow stick !! Not really !! Happy Huntin John B. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike C... 593 Posted April 20, 2007 Hi all here's a magnetic nug I found last year with Bill S its about 3 dwt-sticks to a magnet very well-it does have iron mixed in with it-gave a real weird response when I heard it-kinda sounded like a hot rock good thing I dug it-Mike C... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
49goldrushtradingpost 41 Posted October 6, 2012 Its the magnetite thats attracting the nuggets to the magnet. Magnetite inside nuggets is uncommon, but not unheard of. I have seen magnetic nuggets as large as a few penneyweight.ChrisI have one from Washington State, tested it with gold tester and scratch test, acid...it weighs 2.2 dwt. It is magnetic...its a rough nugget has what appears black magnetite in voids. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GlennM 92 Posted October 7, 2012 My question is if the gold formed the nuggets in the presence of the magnetic rock, or if, during erosion, the magnetic rock got pounded into / encapsulated withthe gold? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
homefire 2,304 Posted October 7, 2012 My Guess is the Gold was folded over some Host Rock with Ferrite on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoser John 1,201 Posted October 7, 2012 One of the great things about the ol'Dale district is it will always amaze and confound and keep ya guessing long into the dark night as visions of sweet nuggets dance through your mind....and it was good- John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rimshot 176 Posted October 7, 2012 Hey Reno?Can I get your autograph?Rim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim mcculloch 31 Posted October 7, 2012 Interesting that this five year old topic has surfaced. I just dropped 33 grams of ugly placer into aqua regia, and after disolving there WAS bits of sand AND magnetite left over. Some AR, too. Dale is one of my main haunts, and yes, I have found AU with iron, with some small nuggets definately posessing enough Fe to be magnetic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
