Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: benm on 14/05/2019 16:08:04

Title: What is this sparkly rock that contains golden flecks?
Post by: benm on 14/05/2019 16:08:04

Laurie needs some help with a rock

My husband has found a big rock that was buried in the ground. We saw gold sparkles in this beautiful rock...a piece broke off so we were able to see it better. My assessment is that it may be white quartz not totally convinced but looks like flecks of gold....fools gold?

Can anybody break this one down for them?

Title: Re: What is this sparkly rock that contains golden flecks?
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/05/2019 18:57:04

Chip some of the "gold" stuff out of the rock.
Put it on some scrap bit of steel- a tin lid or some such.
Heat it with a  blowtorch.
Gold melts; pyrites burns (with stinky sulphur dioxide smoke, so do it outside).

Title: Re: What is this sparkly rock that contains golden flecks?
Post by: Bass on 15/05/2019 21:53:21

Most likely it is some sort of mica.
To add to Bored Chemist's post- gold is very soft and pyrite is relatively hard. Try scratching it with a knife. (mica is also soft, but will flake)

Title: Re: What is this sparkly rock that contains golden flecks?
Post by: Tonyaphisak on 12/06/2019 09:27:11

It's a very good technique. I have read and tried to understand Which I think is really useful.