DolanDave Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Got out to Gold Basin recently, and did a morning hunt before the heat to try n get rid of some of the Summer gold addiction. A lot of water from the storms have exposed some nice washes, and I Ended up with a little over 16 grams of Specimen gold with ironstone..... ( Anyone have some Hydrofluoric Acid I could buy ???? ) I dont get to much of this ironstone mixed in with gold out there, mostly quartz, but hit a nice little patch of it. 2 meteorites to the right of the penny. The bees out in Gold Basin are out in full effect landing on you, wanting water, thirsty little guys. Sometimes I place a gold pan out with water, and when I come back from detecting, the whole pan is usually full of bees drinking. Stay Cool out there..... 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdigger Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 very very nice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeJ Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Those are some nice finds Dave. You really got it dialed in. Luke 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanDomingoJim Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Congrats on those nice specimens Dave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, DolanDave said: ( Anyone have some Hydrofluoric Acid I could buy ???? ) You probably already know this but for other's who don't, Muriatic Acid can be used as well (it's a lot weaker), it's used to clean concrete and shock swimming pools. Not sure if there's a pool supply place in Kingman but Lowes in Bullhead City stocks it (call first). https://www.lowes.com/pd/Crown-1-Gallon-Muriatic-Acid/3024039 PS: I'll be swinging Zelda/Zeddie out there tomorrow (White Elephant) so hopefully you left a couple behind for us newbies. Jen Edited August 2, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DolanDave Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Thanks everyone !!! Hey Jen, I have used Muriatic before and just didnt have the same results.... :( , wish there was something more safe to use, but nothing compares , at least in my book to HF acid.... NEwbies... heck your an ol timer now , at least in my book, with some of the nice nuggets you have been getting.... Theres a lot more out there, just need more time , hehe... Dave Edited August 2, 2017 by DolanDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Quote Muriatic Acid is identical (to Hydrofluoric) Quote I have used Muriatic before and just didnt have the same results.. Muratic and Hydrofluoric are NOT identical. Muratic is Hydrochloric acid and Hydrofluoric is Hydrofluoric acid. Sounds similar but they are very different. Hydrofluoric is about 1000 times more dangerous - but is more effective. You can wash your hands with muratic and if you have no open sores or cuts, you will be fine if you wash it off fairly quickly with water. Never do something like that with hydrofluoric as it is very dangerous. You can buy muratic at Home depot or Lowes or pool supply places. You can get Whink with a small mount of Hydrofluoric (2 %) at places like Walmart (check the label as there are a couple of types of Whink and only one has the hydrofluoric). The HF whink will work to clean most specimens, but takes a long time. You need to be careful with it and not get it on your skin (wear gloves). I just found a maybe 1 dwt. nugget encased in iron conglomerate in a hydraulic pit - similar sort of to what Dave found. I am soaking it in Muratic first, if that does not work (and it probably wont) I will use the HF version of Whink to clean the iron deposit off the nugget. Edited August 2, 2017 by Reno Chris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the clarification Chris.... I stupidly quoted something from a Google search.... I stand officially corrected. Here you go Dave. Just make sure you don't ask to have it delivered to your class C motorhome in the middle of the New Mexico desert, you may get a visit from someone with three different letters in their name than UPS. http://www.labsupplyoutlaws.com/chemicals-and-reagents/hydrofluoric-acid-70-lab.htm Jen Edited August 2, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomH Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 You can wash your hands with muratic and if you have no open sores or cuts, you will be fine if you wash it off fairly quickly with water. Ummm....I really would not suggest this I work with Nitric, sulfuric and hydrochloric...IE Muriatic acid a lot. They all burn the same if you get a little on you. As Chris said. Hydrofluoric acid is a whole nother monster. Goes right to the bone without a special antidote. Only reason they call it Muriatic is so people dont freak out about dumping hydrochloric acid in their pool....but they are. Anything to lower the PH. Tom H. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaver hillbille Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 38 minutes ago, jjbond said: You probably already know this but for other's who don't, Muriatic Acid is identical just with a bit more contaminants but it's a lot easier to find for the general public Jen HCL(pool acid) is not impure HF acid. It's an entirely different acid. The former is quite nosey and very annoying due to the chlorine offgassing (when reacting), or just fresh, sitting in a bucket (sitting in another bucket or in a mortar mixing tub). REdundancy is good when it comes to safety measures. To be sure, open air is a given when dealing with acids. THe chlorine offgassing is toxic, but it is so annoying at low levels to naturally drive you away due to burning eyes and lungs.. . THe latter ( hydrofluoric ) is also quite nosey and irritating, but will kill you or an extremity before you know what's happening. Serious contemplation of amputating a HFacid limb is warranted, if so afflicted. It's systemic upon contact with skin or inhalation and can easily kill /seriously wound if carelessly handled or fumes inhaled. HF acid details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) 2 minutes ago, weaver hillbille said: HCL(pool acid) is not impure HF acid. It's an entirely different acid. Duly noted by Chris already but thanks, I've updated my post. Jen Edited August 2, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisski Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 An internet research will tell you where you can buy hydrofluoric Acid. I looked into getting some last year for when I got a decent specimen, my .29 gram specimen found in the trommel is not quite what I want to place in it. I saw nothing saying "Business license required to purchase," or the likes. I do not know if they will deliver to the door, I think it's a pick up at the store type of chemical. It was also not crazy expensive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relichunter2016 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Anyone use hydrofluoric gel before on specimens, easily acquired at hobby shops. Typically Used for etching glass..Just a thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shokmelt Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Well I'm glad we have that cleared up. Thanks for the link WH I would just like to add to this discussion that for the purpose of removing gold from host rock, the key thing to keep in mind is that HF acid, unlike other acids, has the unique ability to react with SiO2 (quartz). So for other mineral constituents, you might have to resort to something like nitric acid (another extremely dangerous substance), or something else that's more appropriate to the particular mineral chemistry in question. Edited August 2, 2017 by Shokmelt add quote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shokmelt Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 10 hours ago, weaver hillbille said: HCL(pool acid) is not impure HF acid. It's an entirely different acid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Disregard... no delete button Edited August 2, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nugget108 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I have had muriatic acid turn my gold brown if I let it sit in it too long. Especially the fine grained leafy type gold. Probably because of the impurities in the gold but man was it ugly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 Very nice pieces Dolan !! Thanks for sharing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C... Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 WTG Dave Give then a wash under some water-it looks like theres still dirt on them Mike C... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulder dash Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 Excellent finds for the basen. Keep it up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip5 Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Muriatic acid will tarnish or change the color of most metals especially copper. Just something I've learned over the years washing brick houses with it. Doesn't alot of gold contain small amounts of copper? Seems like it would make gold nuggets ugly color Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownnugget Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 Boy I got sucked into this post being over 4 yrs old. I saw Daves gold pics and thought “I’ve seen this before”. muriatic acid also turns quartz into greenish soft guck. I messed up a decent specimen and ended up using HF to rid everything. Brownie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 Brown ... How did I miss this posting years ago? I never did see all his gold iron specimens! Good going Dave. Where are you? It has been since June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisski Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 On 8/1/2017 at 7:24 PM, DolanDave said: A lot of water from the storms have exposed some nice washes, and I Ended up with a little over 16 grams of Specimen gold with ironstone.. Did you ever clean these off? I am wondering what they clean to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigrex Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 On 10/30/2021 at 11:31 AM, Brownnugget said: Boy I got sucked into this post being over 4 yrs old. I saw Daves gold pics and thought “I’ve seen this before”. muriatic acid also turns quartz into greenish soft guck. I messed up a decent specimen and ended up using HF to rid everything. Brownie Muriatic acid should be safe for quartz, not sure how that happened. It could maybe mess up calcite, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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