Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: map on 14/02/2007 18:37:53

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: map on 14/02/2007 18:37:53

I also found coal with what looks like gold imbedded, I heat my house with wood and coal and a few weeks ago i got a ton of coal and when i unloaded the coal we found a few pieces. The more we looked the more we found. Is it pyrite or gold?

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imagestation.com%2Fpicture%2Fsraid224%2Fp710d27e997b34bbd31730cad452c1fd7%2Feaac21d4.jpg&hash=3e344d4449e1521eacea9bd90df9a6f1)

http://www.imagestation.com/album/index.html?id=2095526520   << A few more here...

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: Bass on 14/02/2007 20:16:36

My guess is pyrite, especially with some of the iron staining in your photos.
Pyrite is much harder than gold (can't scratch it with a knife), is brittle (not malleable like gold), is commonly striated, and usually has a brassy color compared to the bright yellow of gold.
Looking at your photos, it appears there is a high concentration of sulfide in the coal.  I would object to paying for coal by the ton that contains this much high-density (heavy) sulfide.  Burning high-sulfide coal isn't great for the environment- releases SO2 which can form sulfuric acid (acid rain).  On the other hand, SO2 is an atmospheric coolant, so maybe you are counterbalancing the global warming effects of burning coal.

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/02/2007 21:29:30

Pyrites is a common inclusion in coal; gold isn't a common anything. Chip a bit out and hold it in a flame. Gold melts; pyrites burns with strong smelling fumes of SO2 (probably not a good idea if you are asthmatic)

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: map on 14/02/2007 21:56:38

Bass there's No iron staining on this piece of coal. And i don't buy the global warming Bilge! It's 3 deg 10" of snow 1/2 ice....
I'll try the flame test let know what happens...

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: Bass on 15/02/2007 02:10:24

Quote from: map on 14/02/2007 21:56:38

Bass there's No iron staining on this piece of coal.

Looked like reddish-brown spots in the photo, that is what I mistook for iron staining.  My comment on global warming was tongue-in-cheek, I don't buy into the "man-caused global warming" fantasy either.

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: tony6789 on 23/04/2007 16:51:29

also try the knife trick because im thinking it is pyrite not gold where di u say u lived agian? it mite depend on ur geology

Title: Coal with Gold deposits embedded #2
Post by: mark71 on 02/06/2007 02:33:01

looks like gold to me...you are filthy rich...buy more coal before the enviromentalists ban it...