Wenlock River Stones

[Una]

Hello Everyone,
I am new to the forum, I am an artist up on Cape York and have lived up this way for 30 odd years..
Sorry if I have stuck this post in the wrong thread... I wasn't sure where to put it..
I have been looking at some stones that have been collected from the Wenlock and am wondering if anyone can give me any advise on what I am looking at..
I would say that 70% of the stones have these beautiful teeny little bright yellow 'gold' seams running over them.. How would I be able to work out if its gold, or if its pyrite? Is there any way to tell?
I was going to paint the stones but it would seem such a waste of a beautiful stone if it had a teeny shimmer of gold naturally on it instead hahahaaaa
Thank you for any help in advance

 

[Heatho]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. You could try putting a drop of Hydrochloric Acid on a small section of the suspected gold, if it does not change or dissolve then it would most likely be gold as gold is not damaged by HCL but Pyrite is.

All the best with it, hope it is gold.

 

[Una]

Hello.. Thank's for the welcome and advise, I will give that a go.. I am not sure which I am hoping it to be hahaaaa

 

[TheSilentBugler]

Have you cracked one for a looksy inside?

 

[Una]

No I haven't yet.. but i think I might take one outside and give it a gentle wack to see..
I don't have any acid but have just phoned someone who thinks they do... If they do I will take some over to their place later this afternoon to do a little acid testing too..

**Okay scrap the gentle wack idea... seems I am not skilled enough to open one hahahaaaa

 

[thedigger]

It could be "Lapis" which if it is any good would be worth money.
You would need to have it checked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapis_lazuli

Regards Frank

 

[Una]

None of the stones have any 'blue' lazurite streaking to them.. Only just these tiny gold veins..
Am I right in thinking the gold colour in Lapis lazuli is Pyrite?
I am a total novice at all of this but have a fascination for gemstones and rocks in general.

 

[Reeks]

Looks like the rocks i get when my yabby pump scrapes them with the brass wingnut

 

[Una]

I did think the same thing although the stones have not been near anything metal.. they were pulled out of the wet sand and then placed directly in a plastic bucket..
I have had the rock in the photo above in acid for over an hour and the line is now hardly visible.. Only a few small gold flecks remain..
So I am guessing Pyrite.. .. unless we just hosed the other gold bits away hahahaaa
If it was Pyrite would I still be seeing it after an hour in acid? the flecks were only microscopic to begin with..
I do appreciate everyone's input and patience with me
Thank you x

 

[Heatho]

Hey Una, I'm pretty sure if it's dissolving it is Pyrite, Gold is very impervious to HCL alone, though it will dissolve in a mixture of HCL and nitric acid called "Aqua Regia".

Some Pyrites do contain Gold though, have a google for Gold in Sulphides and it will explain. Pyrite is Iron Sulphide. The remaining gold flecks could possibly be gold but I'm not sure to be honest.

 

[grubstake]

I have had the rock in the photo above in acid for over an hour and the line is now hardly visible.. Only a few small gold flecks remain..
So I am guessing Pyrite.. .. unless we just hosed the other gold bits away hahahaaa
If it was Pyrite would I still be seeing it after an hour in acid? the flecks were only microscopic to begin with..

If it was actually gold, it would only look brighter and brighter as the acid cleaned up any residues on its surface. I'm afraid that fading away is definitive: it's not gold. :|

 

[Una]

Not being gold is great news for me..
Means now I can paint on the stones without feeling guilty hahahaaa
Thank you x :lol:

 

[Heatho]

Not being gold is great news for me..
Means now I can paint on the stones without feeling guilty hahahaaa
Thank you x :lol:

Classic.

 

[AtomRat]

Did you put it in straight hydrochloric acid or diluted?

 

[Una]

We tried both.. straight had us second guessing as it dulled it but didn't shift it.. diluted removed most of it.. although we were also second guessing that too, wondering if we had just hosed it away hahahaaaa
We also tried to open one of the rocks with a pneumatic chisel... but it wouldn't crack

 

[AtomRat]

Sledgehammer will get it open but make a mess. Always be careful when handling chemicals especially HCl

 

[Una]

I think I have lost the feeling of needing to open one now that it looks most likely to be Pyrite.. I would hate to open one and find something else
As awesome as that would be, I would be back to square one with no rocks to paint hahaaa ... Maybe I should halve them into two piles.. :lol:

 

[AtomRat]

You can not only half rocks with the saw, but you can cut thin slices to display, paint, make a windchime..?

Also other shapes can be cut out using the table saw and you may find you can become very creative with a tool like that mixed with using a dremel tool for carving / engraving.

You seem creative, im just trying to help throw out some ideas as I try to be creative as possible as well

 

[Una]

Ahhhh yep you have have turned up my excitement level a few notches.. we are only limited by our own imaginations.. I really can not wait to get a saw..
Commission paintings might just have to wait a while hahahaaaa I also think I need studio renovations done to include a nice outdoors work space.. I can see this becoming quite addictive :lol:

 

[AtomRat]

If you get right into using rocks for art you will probably also need to drill holes at times for either small necklaces - "balancing rocks" with a rio bar hidden through them. You will then need to find diamond tipped bits for either dremel, drilk or a similar power tool

Some rocks and minerals have amazing properties that can be brought to life with a creative mind. Electricity, luminesence, light, magnetism, levitation and many more characterists they can hold.

Depends how in depth and open minded you can be