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Gold
Posted by Rock Currier
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Gold July 19, 2009 08:24AM |
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Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities? After each set of pictures there should be some descriptive text. If none appears it means that we need someone to tell us about the specimens from that locality and something about the geology of the occurrence.
Gold
Au isometric
Of all the native metals found on earth, Gold is probably been the most universally sought after, valued and cherished. It has been used as a store of value in bars and coins and jewelry since the dawn of civilization. It occurs sparingly in most places and where it does occur in modest abundance, men have moved heaven and earth to go to those places and their pursuit of it has changed the course of history. Some think that it was the gold from Africa, brought to Europe from Mali and Bekino Faso in Africa by Arab traders that remonetized the economy of Europe and made the Renaissance possible. It drew the conquistadors to the New World and again changed the course of history. Gold is commonly found in tiny flakes in some alluvial gravels. A few gravels produce larger flakes than others, and sometimes it is found in nuggets of considerable size, some many pounds each. Alluvial gold found in gravel or in rocks that were at one time alluvial before their consolidation probably counts for about 75% of all gold produced. Mindat lists more than 18 (2009) thousand localities for gold and probably the majority of them are for alluvial flakes and nuggets and there are probably at least as many more that are not listed or yet undiscovered. Mineral collectors are usually not all that interested in alluvial gold unless the nuggets are of an interesting or attractive shape. But even the most jaded collector will find themselves appreciative when they heft a nugget weighing several pounds in their hand. Gold nuggets never sell for much of a premium over their gold value, and a dealers will consider themselves lucky if they can buy nuggets for spot value and sell them at a 50% mark up. Very attractive nuggets may bring twice their gold value. Small nuggets of a size suitable for their use in Jewelry will often sell for double their gold value. Natural gold, flakes and nuggets always contain other metals mixed in. This is most times silver and copper, and the purity of the alluvial gold will range in purity from about 60% upward in rare cases to about 95% and even more. The further the gold has traveled from its source the higher the gold content becomes. The silver, copper and other admixed elements are mostly removed by chemical processes that take place in the ground as the gold moves away from its source.
The kind of gold that collectors love in cherish is "specimen gold" and by that I mean leaves and wires of gold and especially specimens showing well formed gold crystals. This kind of gold will bring up to ten times the price of gold per ounce and in some cases much more. But well formed gold crystals are not easy to come by. Most of this kind of gold is not found in alluvial deposits, because gold is very soft, and the act of rolling around in alluvial deposits with other rocks quickly batters and rounds the specimens into nuggets and flakes. So gold crystals must grow in "pockets" in the rocks in which they are formed, so in most cases, good gold specimens (wires, leaves and crystals) must be taken from the "living rock" or very close to where it has weathered out of those rocks.
Gold is chemically very inert and survives in the earth much longer than most other native elements like copper, silver and iron. To dissolve gold chemically you need a chemical reagent called aqua regia which is a nasty mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids. A great many gold specimens are associated with quartz and when mined it is frequently found growing through and completely, intimately surrounding the the gold. The amount of gold in such rocks can be so low that you can't even see the gold or so rich that the majority of the gold/quartz rock is comprised of gold. Miners often call this rich ore "picture rock". Many times the value of these rich specimens can be further improved by removing some or all of the Quartz so that the gold becomes more prominent. About the only way to achieve this and not deform the gold further, is to etch the quartz away with hydrofluric acid. This is a dangerous toxic acid, and you don't want to use it without some training and safety equipment. After this treatment, the surface of the quartz looks rather white and sugary and not at all like the original texture of the original natural quartz. This effect can be mitigated by removing as much as possible this sugary coating by mechanical means like an air scribe (tiny hand held jack hammer) and exposing the unetched quartz below.
When gold is found, the people who find it are as secretive as possible about where they find it. When asked where the gold came, almost always the finder of the gold will give a false locality and not a correct one. So often finding the true locality of a gold specimen is difficult and many times impossible. Finding a good locality for unlabeled gold specimens is like trying to locate a moonshiners still. When a well known gold mine produces a lot of rich gold specimens, it is a real head ache for the management. This is because many miners will try and steal these rich specimens for personal gain. Sometimes they may sell them, but if they do, they will never be sold with the correct locality. Gold mining companies would much rather run a gold mine with large but low grade ore reserves where eye visible gold is rarely seen. Books have been written about the eternal cat and mouse games between ingenious highgrading miners miners and and the mining companies doing what ever they can to prevent theft. Other books have been written about unethical mine promoters who "salt" worthless gold mines to make them look like valuable properties to foolish investors. One of the classical ways of doing this is to load shotgun shells with flakes of gold and blast them into the walls of mine workings.
When buying gold, the buyer must consider the potential for fraud. Large gold nuggets can be easily faked and or adulterated and what is offered for sale may be mostly lead or heavily diluted with silver and copper. Making nuggets just takes a melting pot and a tumbler with rocks in it to make the nuggets look real. On several occasions wonderful gold crystals have been offered for sale but when ex-rayed it was found that they were not crystals of gold, but had been cast after pyrite crystals or hand made models. The casting of gold into almost any shape is a simple technology that has been know for hundreds of years. Also of some concern are Gold crystals that have been grown electrolytically in tanks. I have seen several fabulous looking specimens of big blocky gold crystals that were grown electrolytically. I suspect that such gold crystals would be of a suspiciously very high purity if tested. When I buy gold specimens I like to see the specimens associated with other minerals or at least from a well known mine that is known to be producing specimens of a known character.
The gold localities talked about here and the specimens used to illustrate them are really only the tip of an iceberg. Probably no other mineral is hoarded and secreted as much as gold. Those who have it really don't want others to know that they have it because it invites envy and burglary. For every specimen shown here there are in many instances hundreds of better ones in hiding. As dazzling as you might think these specimens are, you would be blinded by the others if they all came out of hiding. Gold is universally bought and sold in troy ounces. One troy oz.= ~31.103 grams. When possible and known I have listed the weight of the the large gold specimens in troy ounces in the captions below their images.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Afghanistan
Ghazni (Gazni) Province, Zarkashan gold deposit
Gold
Australia
New South Wales
Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Tongowoko Co., Tibooburra
Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Wellington Co., Ophir
Gold
Australia
Queensland
Gold
Australia
Queensland, Gympie Region, Eldorado Mine
Gold
Australia
South Australia, Mt. Lofty Ranges, South Mt Lofty Ranges, Montacute, Victoria Gold Mine
Gold
Australia
Tasmania, Corinna-Savage River district, Long Plains goldfield
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Ballarat
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Bendigo
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Moliagul, Black Lead
The Welcome Home Stranger nugget, found in 1869 by a Cornish miner, John Deason near the base of a stringybark tree. It is thought to be the largest mass of alluvial gold ever found.
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Mt. Ivor
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Wedderburn
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Gold Crown Gold Mine
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Meekatharra
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Goldfields-Esperance region, Leonora Shire, Yandal greenstone belt, Bronzewing goldfield, Bronzewing Mine
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie-Boulder City, Kalgoorlie, Salt Lake City
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines, Fimiston Open Pit Mine (Super Pit)
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Laverton Shire, Leonora
Gold
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Rauris valley, Hüttwinkl valley, Alteck Mt. - Hoher Sonnblick Mt. area, Kolm-Saigurn, Rauriser Goldberg
Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Larecaja Province, Tipuani, Tipuani alluvials
Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Murillo Province, La Paz City, Chuquiaguillo River
Gold
Brazil
Central-West Region, Mato Grosso, Alta Floresta
Gold
Brazil
North Region, Pará, Carajás mineral province, Curionópolis, Serra Pelada Mine
Gold
Brazil
Northeast Region, Bahia
Gold
Brazil
Southeast Region, Minas Gerais, Nova Lima, Morro Velho mine
This is a gold mine that has been in operation for more than hundred years and its underground workings extend down 3000 meters. It has produced many tons of gold. It has produces some spectacular gold specimens, but the little example above is one one of them. The mine is better known to collectors for the beautiful specimens of pink Apatite, Siderite, Quartz and red Scheelite crystals that is sometimes produces.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Canada
British Colombia
Gold
Canada
British Colombia, Atlin Mining Division, Tagish Lake, Engineer Mine
Gold
Canada
British Columbia, Cariboo Mining Division, Barkerville area, Williams Creek (Wyoming Hydraulic Mine; Stouts Gulch; Emery Gulch)
Gold
Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador, Newfoundland, Baie Verte Peninsula, Betts Cove, Nugget Pond Mine
Richmont Mines of Montreal owned this property with a wonderful mill that had locks and security guards. However, right beside the mill was the wide open mine with not even a door. They found one guy with a meter sized gold boulder having a hard time taking it out of the mine in a wheel barrow!!! It is a real tragedy that the shareholders of Richmont never knew what they had and never knew the value that the management destroyed. This was a spectacular crystallised gold deposit in very distinctive matrix with pink feldspars. You could recognize this matrix from across the room. The gold ranged from spongey, to leafy, to well crystallized. Sadly very little has survived. Around the turn of the century there was a court case where 15 stood accused of theft. Only a few of the miners were convicted. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of prerpared specimens were siezed and went to the crusher. A few large good specimens escaped to Europe. The Canadian federal police (RCMP) showed up in Tucson shortly after the trial and accosted and questioned Canadians about these golds. A couple of years ago I was looking for a good Nugget Pond specimen and the reply to my enquiries was, "The last time I was asked about this, it was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police!"
[Rob Woodside, 2009]
Gold
Canada
Nova Scotia
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Algoma District, Missinabi, Renabie Mine
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Porcupine area, McIntyre Mine (Pamour Mine)
During the 1980's Pamour Mines had a specimen preparation team who picked the quartz away from the gold, estimated the bullion value, and sold the specimens in lots at twice bullion. Hundreds of specimens were prepared but at $200 per ounce for bullion many were sent to the crusher and after a year or two the operation, but not the mine, ceased production. The gold was emplaced in quartz veins in greenstone. Most of this Northwern Ontario Gold deposited as crystralized gold similar to the California motherload material. However, over a billion years of tectonic activity largely obliterated the crystals. Rarely one can find small surviving octahedrons and twinned crystals.
[Bob Woodside, 2009]
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Timmins, Timmons Gold Mine
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, Balmertown, Red Lake Mine (Goldcorp Mine; Arthur White Mine)
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, McKenzie Island, McKenzie Mine (McKenzie Red Lake Mine)
Gold
Canada
Québec, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, La Vallée-de-l'Or, Val d'Or, Sigma mine (Sigma No. 1 mine)
Gold
Canada
Yukon Territory, Dawson Mining District
Gold
Chile
Antofagasta Region, Tocopilla Province, Sierra Gorda District, Caracoles, La Compañia Mine
Gold
Chile
Coquimbo Region, Elqui Province, Andacollo, Andacollo Mine
The gold on this copper specimen is in the form of tiny crystals growing on the copper crystals which you can see is you look carefully.
Gold
China
China
Sichuan Province
Gold
Czech Republic
Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Central Bohemia Region, Vlašim (Wlaschim), Roudný
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Central area, Shinkolobwe, Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine)
The Shinkolobwe mine is a primarily a uranium mine that also produced a lot of copper. The ore from this mine produced the uranium for one of the first atomic bombs that was made in the USA during the second world war. It is much better know for the many wonderful specimens of rich uranium secondary minerals that are cherished by many collectors, but it is one of the few places where native gold and Uraninite has been found and though the Gold specimens from there are not very good, the combination is rare and cherished by collectors.
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Kolwezi, Western area, Mashamba West Mine
The Mashamba West mine is basicly a big open pit copper mine that has produced thousands of tons of malachite which is its primary copper ore. A few scruffy good specimens have been found from time to time and you can be sure that the best of them is better than is shown here. It is currently a big partially water filled open pit and inactive save for some local villagers who go there to hand ming cutting grade malachite from its benches.
[Rock Currier, 2009]
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Musonoi Mine
The Musonoi Mine has been included in the newer KOV pit and is a big open pit mining operation that has fallen on hard times and when it works at all has a small crew of men that work it mostly for malachite ore when they can get the equipment up and running. The mine occasionally produces a few small gold specimens, but the mine is much better known for the wonderful Torbernite and other uranium minerals that it produced in the past.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Dominican Republic
El Seibo Province (El Seybo Province)
Gold
Ethiopia
Wallaga (Welega; Wollega; Ouallega) Province
Gold
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu, Tavua Gold Field, Vatukoula, Emperor Mine
The Emperor mine is better know for its specimens of gold teluride minerals like Sylvanite and Krennerite than for its gold specimens. All the gold specimens that I have seen from the mine have been quite modest, but there must have be much better specimens from here than we show here. The mine is quite large and its geology similar to that of Cripple Creek, Colorado. They are mining mineralized structures containing a lot of quartz that radiate out from a not to recently extinct volcanic caldera. It is a very hot mine and in sliding down through the stopes I noted refrigerator size pockets lined with inch size white pyramidal quartz crystals of not particular virtue. It was easy to imagine that over the long history of the mine that some of these pockets might have contained substantial amounts of gold and gold teluride minerals. Given the rather remote location of the mine it is easy to understand why so few specimens have made their way to the outside world. At Cripple Creek Colorado high grading miners easily managed to convert gold and gold teluride minerals into bullion by very simple means (fire). Undoubtedly a similar fate befell almost all of the good specimens of native gold and crystals of various gold teluride minerals at this mine.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
France
Rhône-Alpes, Bourg d'Oisans, Isère, La Gardette Mine
Gold
Hungary
Gold
Indonesia
Sumatera Island (Sumatra Island)
Gold
Ireland
Co. Wicklow, Croghan Kinshela Mountain, Gold Mines River
They don't find much gold in Ireland and I think this may have been one of the better specimens found.
Gold
Italy
Aosta Valley, Ayas Valley, Brusson, Brusson Mine
Gold
Japan
Honshu Island, Kinki Region, Hyogo Prefecture, Yabu-gun, Nakase mine (Nakaze mine)
Gold
Madagascar
Gold
Mexico
Sonora, Mun. de Alamos, Alamos
Gold
New Zealand
Gold
New Guinea
Papua
Gold
New Guinea
Papua, Enga Province, Mt Hagen, Mt Kare Valley, Porgera Mine
Gold
Peru
Gold
Peru
Junín Department, Huancayo Province, Carolita, Pampa San José
Gold
Philippines
Mindanao, Caraga Region, Agusan Sur, Bunawan
Gold
Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)
Ituri District, Mongbwalu
Gold
Romania
Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Botés
Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Roşia Montanã (Verespatak)
In my youth I met an old European collector/dealer in New York City who said that at one time he was able long ago to go the mining company at this locality and they would open their safe where they kept gold specimens that they had mined and buy crystallized gold at its bullion value.
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Brad, Ruda Barza
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Sacarîmb (Sãcãrâmb; Szekerembe; Nagyág)
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Trestia Mine
I visited the fantastic Gold Museum at Brad in 1987 but was saddened to see lumps of black quartz from Trestia that they were mining at the time. They were excited about it, claiming this ore to be incredibly rich and that was the best they had! This 6 cm specimen entered the British Museum before 1835 when it first appeared in their catalogue. It is now on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in their new gallery. Later on that trip I got a real education at the Vienna Natural History Museum and to my glee found a similar cabinet sized Trestia leaf specimen. Recently I wrote Uwe Kolitsch at Vienna and he kindly replied, " I checked: there are two very nice leafy gold specimens from "Tresztya" on display. The left one: Catalogue no. A.a. 1372, "Trestya, Siebenbürgen" according to label, but "Vöröspatak, Siebenbürgen" according to the catalogue book. It was catalogued in 1843 (purchased from Mr. "Ludwig v. Siajo (Scala)". The right one: Catalogue no. E 5937, "Siebenbürgen" according to label, catalogued in 1888 (gift from "Eugen Freiherr v. Ransonnet-Villez". I think the left one is more similar to that shown in the photo Rock had chosen. " (RWMW 2010)
Gold
Romania
Maramures Co., Roata Mine, Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)
Gold
Russia
Urals Region,Middle Urals, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', Ekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Berezovskii (Berezovskii Zavod), Berezovskoe Au Deposit (Berezovsk Mines)
The specimens of Russian gold we have shown here are OK, but they are really pretty sad compared to all the great gold specimens from many localities that Russia has produced. In the Diamond Fund museum in the Kemlin, there are many fist size and double fist size gold nuggets, some of which show rudimentary crystals, and those are just the ones on display. Perhaps some day we will be able to get good pictures of fine Russian gold specimens to show in this article.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Kremnica Mts, Kremnica (Körmöcbánya; Kremnitz)
Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Banská Štiavnica Mining District, Hodruša - Hámre
Gold
South Africa
Gauteng Province, Johannesburg
Most of the gold taken from the mines in this, the most productive gold mining district in the world is not visible. In fact specimens of visible gold from this locality are rather rare. Mostly this is because rich specimens of gold and rock are quite rare and the other is that the Laws of South Africa make it illegal to own natural gold and diamonds unless you have the proper permit, which few people bother to apply for. A few good specimens of crystallized gold are know from the rand, but they are very rare, so rare in fact that you will be lucky to ever hold one in your hand.
The gold mines of the Rand (the Johannesburg area) are currently the richest in the world and for many years they have produced more than any other country in the world (272,000 kilograms in 2008). The gold is mined from steeply dipping conglomerate beds (at one time the gold was free alluvial gold until this alluvium was buried and metomorphosed into rock by heat and pressure. At one time these fossilized alluvial layers (reefs) outcropped on the surface but now all the easy ore has been gotten and the shafts and other mine workings have chased the ore deeper and deeper till today some mines have operational levels at 12,000 feet below the surface. As mining progresses downwards, temperatures rise, and the deep level mines of the rand have some of the hottest working conditions in the world and keeping the mines safe to work in and at a bearable temperature calls for a huge investment in refrigeration and other infrastructure elements. There is still a Gold ore in the ground, but the deeper the mines go chasing it, the more costly it is to mine, and at some point, the cost of mining it may exceed the value of the gold produced.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
South Africa
Mpumalanga Province, Barberton District, Sheba Mine
Gold
Spain
Andalusia, Almería, Níjar, Rodalquilar
Gold
United Kingdom
England, Devon, South Devon, Torquay, Hope's Nose
These delicate arbourescent growths are leached out of calcite from veins on the beach beside a sewer outlet. It is highly illegal to collect these, but that hasn't stopped the application of dynamite. The gold ranges in colour from bright yellow pure Gold to a tan brown Palladian Gold. There are also rare palladium minerals associated. Probably a few hundred specimens collected and they don't get any better than those pictured here.
[Rob Woodside 2009]
Gold
USA
Alaska
Gold
USA
Arizona, Cochise Co., Mule Mts, Warren District, Bisbee, Cole Mine (Cole shaft; Cole No. 3)
Gold
USA
Arizona, Maricopa Co., Mystic Mine (Mystic Gold Mine)
Gold
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co., Mammoth District, Tiger, St. Anthony deposit, Mammoth-Saint Anthony Mine (Mammoth-St Anthony Mine; Mammoth Mine; St. Anthony Mine
The Tiger mine produced a few scruffy gold specimens, but is much better know for its specimens of other secondary ore minerals like Wulfenite, Dioptase, Cerussite, Leadhillite, Caladonite etc.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co.
Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co., Bradshaw Mts (Bradshaw Range), Castle Creek District, Castle Hot Springs area
Gold
USA
California
I think California has produced more good specimen gold than any other place. It is mostly from the Mother Load area which runs south to north through Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Tuolumne, Plumas and Yuba counties. It may have also produced the best specimens of all different kinds of gold. The Los Angeles Museum of Natural History has on display more than 100 kgs of gold specimens including 159 large gold nuggets weighing in at about 31kgs from the Ruby mine in Sierra Co., California. It is probably the best gold exhibit here in the United States. Without the discover of gold in California in 1849 the history of the United States would be a lot different than it is today. The reason that the above pictures have been placed here rather than with their respective actual localities is that their localities are not known, so this general catch all locality of Gold, California has been created for them. If and when knowledgeable people step forward and identify their true localities, we will remove them from here and place them in their true locality galleries.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Bald Mt, Browns Flat
Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Sixteen - To - One Mine
Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Georgetown District, Spanish Dry Diggins, Grit Mine
Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Placerville (Hangtown)
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co.
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Quartzburg
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Triumph Mine
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Bear Valley, Diltz Mine
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Colorado, Colorado Mine (Colorado Quartz Mine)
One of the most prolific sources of fine crystallized gold in recent times (1980 to 2010) has been from this mine. Much of the gold mined is in the form of thin veins of white massive quartz completely shot full of gold, much of it very well crystallized. The gold is exposed by carefully dissolving away most of the gold with hydrofluoric acid and then further removal of the etched quartz surfaces by the use of air scribes (little hand held jackhammers). Sometimes the Quartz vein material is x-rayed before the preparation process is started to better direct the preparation process. Hundreds of fine specimens have been produced by this mine and only a tiny portion of them are pictured above.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Mockingbird Mine
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co.
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Grass Valley
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Massachusetts lode
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Washington District, Washington, Red Ledge Mine
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co.
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Eagle's Nest Mine (Mystery Wind Mine)
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co. East Belt District
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Forest Hill, Greenwood area
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Michigan-Bluff District
Gold
USA
California, Plumas Co., New Greenville
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co.
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Alleghany District, Alleghany, Grass Valley, 16 to 1 Mine
This specimen is just a sad little example of what the mine really produced. One story is told about about a miner drilling into a mass of gold in quartz that was so rich that the bit got "frozen" in the hold and the miners were only able to retrieve it after the blast. There were so much gold in the quartz, that after the blast that chunks of gold filled quartz were hanging from the ceiling and walls and the miners had to use tin snips to try and cut the pieces down. The drill bit that was recovered has entirely coated with gold that had been smeared over the surface. It is now mostly a tourist attraction and you can buy specimens directly from the mine if you want. To find out more go to their website. [www.origsix.com]
[Rock Currier, 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Alleghany District, Alleghany, Oriental Mine
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Red Ledge Mine (Bank Mining Company)
Gold
USA
California, Siskiyou Co., Liberty District, Anna Johnson & Suprise Mine
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co.
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Jamestown District
The specimen from Jamestown pictured above is pathetic compared to many of the fabulous specimens that have come from this locality. Perhaps someday we will be able to get some pictures of good ones.
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Mother Lode (Mother Lode belt)
Gold
USA
California, Yuba Co., Browns Valley, Yuba Gold field, Yuba Mine
Gold
USA
Colorado
Gold
USA
Colorado, Clear Creek Co., Idaho Springs District, Dixie Mine
Gold
USA
Colorado, Lake Co., Leadville District (California District)
Gold
USA
Colorado, San Miguel Co., Telluride District, Tomboy Mine
Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District
Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District, French Gulch, Farncomb Hill
Gold
USA
Montana, Powell Co.
Gold
USA
Nevada, Elko Co., Tuscarora District
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co.
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District, Lizard Ridge Mine
Gold
USA
Nevada, Nye Co., Round Mountain District, Round Mountain Mine
In 2006 a spectacular find of gold and electrum xls were were collected by Kinross Gold Corporation. Thanks to their farsightedness this bit of Nevada's mining heritage has been permanently saved. The mine run specimens were separated into 56 lots in plastic bags and stapled to a wall for a silent auction. A few bidders were allowed into the room at a time and shortly it became difficult to see what was in the plastic bags due to the abrasions as bidders poked and lifted up the bags trying to ascertain the treasures inside. All was very secure and the lucky bidders didn't get their prizes until the cash was transferred. Many of the miners were astounded at the specimens as most who worked there had never even seen visible gold!!!! As of 2010 this appears to be a one time find and Kinross is fed up with people asking for more. The crystalization runs the gamut of gold's habits. Gold seldom makes cubes, but silver often does. I was surprised to see gold leaves studded with tiny cubes!!! The gold colour varies from butter gold to pale electrum and if harshly cleaned turns pale. There is a thin surface enrichment of very pure gold on a base of pale electrum (60% Au, 40% Ag, Bart Cannon EDS) It is the electrum that makes the cubes!!! Once all trimming and preparing was done there were probably over a thousand specimens and the prices have been increasing ever since. Initially detractors claimed these didn't have the lustre of California specimens and so should be cheap. The high lustre on some of the specimens put lie to this, but the more frequent "dull" appearance probably comes from the thickness of the gold surface enrichment. These are perhaps some of the finest electrum specimens in existence. (RWMW 2010)
Gold
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Antelope District, Majuba placer
Gold
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Olinghouse District, 813 Pit
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, Boot Hill Claim
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, San Pedro Mine
Gold
USA
Washington, Kittitas Co., Swauk District, Ace Of Diamonds Mine, Liberty
Gold
Venezuela
Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Icabarú
Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Santa Elena
Gold
Vietnam
Yenbai (Yen Bai) Province, Luc Yen
Gold
Zimbabwe
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Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Edited 62 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2010 09:08AM by Rock Currier.
Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities? After each set of pictures there should be some descriptive text. If none appears it means that we need someone to tell us about the specimens from that locality and something about the geology of the occurrence.
Gold
Au isometric
Of all the native metals found on earth, Gold is probably been the most universally sought after, valued and cherished. It has been used as a store of value in bars and coins and jewelry since the dawn of civilization. It occurs sparingly in most places and where it does occur in modest abundance, men have moved heaven and earth to go to those places and their pursuit of it has changed the course of history. Some think that it was the gold from Africa, brought to Europe from Mali and Bekino Faso in Africa by Arab traders that remonetized the economy of Europe and made the Renaissance possible. It drew the conquistadors to the New World and again changed the course of history. Gold is commonly found in tiny flakes in some alluvial gravels. A few gravels produce larger flakes than others, and sometimes it is found in nuggets of considerable size, some many pounds each. Alluvial gold found in gravel or in rocks that were at one time alluvial before their consolidation probably counts for about 75% of all gold produced. Mindat lists more than 18 (2009) thousand localities for gold and probably the majority of them are for alluvial flakes and nuggets and there are probably at least as many more that are not listed or yet undiscovered. Mineral collectors are usually not all that interested in alluvial gold unless the nuggets are of an interesting or attractive shape. But even the most jaded collector will find themselves appreciative when they heft a nugget weighing several pounds in their hand. Gold nuggets never sell for much of a premium over their gold value, and a dealers will consider themselves lucky if they can buy nuggets for spot value and sell them at a 50% mark up. Very attractive nuggets may bring twice their gold value. Small nuggets of a size suitable for their use in Jewelry will often sell for double their gold value. Natural gold, flakes and nuggets always contain other metals mixed in. This is most times silver and copper, and the purity of the alluvial gold will range in purity from about 60% upward in rare cases to about 95% and even more. The further the gold has traveled from its source the higher the gold content becomes. The silver, copper and other admixed elements are mostly removed by chemical processes that take place in the ground as the gold moves away from its source.
The kind of gold that collectors love in cherish is "specimen gold" and by that I mean leaves and wires of gold and especially specimens showing well formed gold crystals. This kind of gold will bring up to ten times the price of gold per ounce and in some cases much more. But well formed gold crystals are not easy to come by. Most of this kind of gold is not found in alluvial deposits, because gold is very soft, and the act of rolling around in alluvial deposits with other rocks quickly batters and rounds the specimens into nuggets and flakes. So gold crystals must grow in "pockets" in the rocks in which they are formed, so in most cases, good gold specimens (wires, leaves and crystals) must be taken from the "living rock" or very close to where it has weathered out of those rocks.
Gold is chemically very inert and survives in the earth much longer than most other native elements like copper, silver and iron. To dissolve gold chemically you need a chemical reagent called aqua regia which is a nasty mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids. A great many gold specimens are associated with quartz and when mined it is frequently found growing through and completely, intimately surrounding the the gold. The amount of gold in such rocks can be so low that you can't even see the gold or so rich that the majority of the gold/quartz rock is comprised of gold. Miners often call this rich ore "picture rock". Many times the value of these rich specimens can be further improved by removing some or all of the Quartz so that the gold becomes more prominent. About the only way to achieve this and not deform the gold further, is to etch the quartz away with hydrofluric acid. This is a dangerous toxic acid, and you don't want to use it without some training and safety equipment. After this treatment, the surface of the quartz looks rather white and sugary and not at all like the original texture of the original natural quartz. This effect can be mitigated by removing as much as possible this sugary coating by mechanical means like an air scribe (tiny hand held jack hammer) and exposing the unetched quartz below.
When gold is found, the people who find it are as secretive as possible about where they find it. When asked where the gold came, almost always the finder of the gold will give a false locality and not a correct one. So often finding the true locality of a gold specimen is difficult and many times impossible. Finding a good locality for unlabeled gold specimens is like trying to locate a moonshiners still. When a well known gold mine produces a lot of rich gold specimens, it is a real head ache for the management. This is because many miners will try and steal these rich specimens for personal gain. Sometimes they may sell them, but if they do, they will never be sold with the correct locality. Gold mining companies would much rather run a gold mine with large but low grade ore reserves where eye visible gold is rarely seen. Books have been written about the eternal cat and mouse games between ingenious highgrading miners miners and and the mining companies doing what ever they can to prevent theft. Other books have been written about unethical mine promoters who "salt" worthless gold mines to make them look like valuable properties to foolish investors. One of the classical ways of doing this is to load shotgun shells with flakes of gold and blast them into the walls of mine workings.
When buying gold, the buyer must consider the potential for fraud. Large gold nuggets can be easily faked and or adulterated and what is offered for sale may be mostly lead or heavily diluted with silver and copper. Making nuggets just takes a melting pot and a tumbler with rocks in it to make the nuggets look real. On several occasions wonderful gold crystals have been offered for sale but when ex-rayed it was found that they were not crystals of gold, but had been cast after pyrite crystals or hand made models. The casting of gold into almost any shape is a simple technology that has been know for hundreds of years. Also of some concern are Gold crystals that have been grown electrolytically in tanks. I have seen several fabulous looking specimens of big blocky gold crystals that were grown electrolytically. I suspect that such gold crystals would be of a suspiciously very high purity if tested. When I buy gold specimens I like to see the specimens associated with other minerals or at least from a well known mine that is known to be producing specimens of a known character.
The gold localities talked about here and the specimens used to illustrate them are really only the tip of an iceberg. Probably no other mineral is hoarded and secreted as much as gold. Those who have it really don't want others to know that they have it because it invites envy and burglary. For every specimen shown here there are in many instances hundreds of better ones in hiding. As dazzling as you might think these specimens are, you would be blinded by the others if they all came out of hiding. Gold is universally bought and sold in troy ounces. One troy oz.= ~31.103 grams. When possible and known I have listed the weight of the the large gold specimens in troy ounces in the captions below their images.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Afghanistan
Ghazni (Gazni) Province, Zarkashan gold deposit
 | |
| Gold with Malachite 2.9cm wide | © H. Obodda |
Gold
Australia
New South Wales
Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Tongowoko Co., Tibooburra
 | |
| Gold, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
New South Wales, Wellington Co., Ophir
 | |
| Gold nuggets, largest is 2.4cm tall | © Mark Rheinberger 08 |
Gold
Australia
Queensland
 | |
| Gold ~14cm wide 35oz | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
Australia
Queensland, Gympie Region, Eldorado Mine
 | |
| Gold in & on Quartz, 2.3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
South Australia, Mt. Lofty Ranges, South Mt Lofty Ranges, Montacute, Victoria Gold Mine
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 4.8cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
Tasmania, Corinna-Savage River district, Long Plains goldfield
 | |
| Gold, 1.5cm wide | © R. Bottrill 2007 |
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Ballarat
 | |
| Gold in Quartz ~7cm wide | © |
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Bendigo
 | |
| Gold in Quartz ~5.2cm across | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold, 2.8cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold 7.5cm wide, 2.5oz | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Moliagul, Black Lead
 | |
| Model of Welcome Home Stranger nugget. ~60cm wide, 2520oz (71kg).~90%pure gold | © 2007 Peter Cristofono |
The Welcome Home Stranger nugget, found in 1869 by a Cornish miner, John Deason near the base of a stringybark tree. It is thought to be the largest mass of alluvial gold ever found.
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Mt. Ivor
 | |
| Gold, 11 cm tall ~23oz. | © L.Bernard |
Gold
Australia
Victoria, Wedderburn
 | |
| Gold 11cm, ~27oz, 90% pure | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Gold Crown Gold Mine
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 1cm tall | © J.J. Evans |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Cue, Meekatharra
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 2.1cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Goldfields-Esperance region, Leonora Shire, Yandal greenstone belt, Bronzewing goldfield, Bronzewing Mine
 | |
| 4.1cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie-Boulder City, Kalgoorlie, Salt Lake City
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines
 | |
| Gold & Quartz, 3.6cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
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| 3.5cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
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| Gold & Quartz, 3.4 cm wide | © fabreminerals.com |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Mines, Fimiston Open Pit Mine (Super Pit)
 | |
| Gold, 9.7cm wide, ~26oz. | © Mario Pauwels |
Gold
Australia
Western Australia, Laverton Shire, Leonora
 | |
| Gold, 15.2cm wide, ~16.4oz | © Mario Pauwels |
Gold
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Rauris valley, Hüttwinkl valley, Alteck Mt. - Hoher Sonnblick Mt. area, Kolm-Saigurn, Rauriser Goldberg
Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Larecaja Province, Tipuani, Tipuani alluvials
 | |
| Gold, 1.7cm wide | © Arliguie M |
Gold
Bolivia
La Paz Department, Murillo Province, La Paz City, Chuquiaguillo River
 | |
| Gold, 4cm tall, 81 grams | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Brazil
Central-West Region, Mato Grosso, Alta Floresta
 | |
| Gold crystal, 2.6cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Brazil
North Region, Pará, Carajás mineral province, Curionópolis, Serra Pelada Mine
 | |
| Gold, 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Brazil
Northeast Region, Bahia
 | |
| Gold, 3.1cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Brazil
Southeast Region, Minas Gerais, Nova Lima, Morro Velho mine
 | |
| Gold, 1.4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
This is a gold mine that has been in operation for more than hundred years and its underground workings extend down 3000 meters. It has produced many tons of gold. It has produces some spectacular gold specimens, but the little example above is one one of them. The mine is better known to collectors for the beautiful specimens of pink Apatite, Siderite, Quartz and red Scheelite crystals that is sometimes produces.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Canada
British Colombia
Gold
Canada
British Colombia, Atlin Mining Division, Tagish Lake, Engineer Mine
 | |
| Gold v. electrum, 2.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Canada
British Columbia, Cariboo Mining Division, Barkerville area, Williams Creek (Wyoming Hydraulic Mine; Stouts Gulch; Emery Gulch)
 | |
| Gold ~4cm tall, 35gms | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador, Newfoundland, Baie Verte Peninsula, Betts Cove, Nugget Pond Mine
 | |
| Gold, 2.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold, 2.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold & Microcline, 1.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold, 1.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Richmont Mines of Montreal owned this property with a wonderful mill that had locks and security guards. However, right beside the mill was the wide open mine with not even a door. They found one guy with a meter sized gold boulder having a hard time taking it out of the mine in a wheel barrow!!! It is a real tragedy that the shareholders of Richmont never knew what they had and never knew the value that the management destroyed. This was a spectacular crystallised gold deposit in very distinctive matrix with pink feldspars. You could recognize this matrix from across the room. The gold ranged from spongey, to leafy, to well crystallized. Sadly very little has survived. Around the turn of the century there was a court case where 15 stood accused of theft. Only a few of the miners were convicted. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of prerpared specimens were siezed and went to the crusher. A few large good specimens escaped to Europe. The Canadian federal police (RCMP) showed up in Tucson shortly after the trial and accosted and questioned Canadians about these golds. A couple of years ago I was looking for a good Nugget Pond specimen and the reply to my enquiries was, "The last time I was asked about this, it was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police!"
[Rob Woodside, 2009]
Gold
Canada
Nova Scotia
 | |
| Gold in Quartz, 3.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Algoma District, Missinabi, Renabie Mine
 | |
| Gold, 1.1cm tall | © Dan Weinrich |
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Porcupine area, McIntyre Mine (Pamour Mine)
During the 1980's Pamour Mines had a specimen preparation team who picked the quartz away from the gold, estimated the bullion value, and sold the specimens in lots at twice bullion. Hundreds of specimens were prepared but at $200 per ounce for bullion many were sent to the crusher and after a year or two the operation, but not the mine, ceased production. The gold was emplaced in quartz veins in greenstone. Most of this Northwern Ontario Gold deposited as crystralized gold similar to the California motherload material. However, over a billion years of tectonic activity largely obliterated the crystals. Rarely one can find small surviving octahedrons and twinned crystals.
[Bob Woodside, 2009]
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Cochrane District, Timmins, Timmons Gold Mine
 | |
| Gold crystals, 2.4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, Balmertown, Red Lake Mine (Goldcorp Mine; Arthur White Mine)
 | |
| Gold, 3.1cm wide | © Timothy J. Blackwood |
 | |
| Gold, 14cm center | © 2008 Dr. M. Lueg |
Gold
Canada
Ontario, Kenora District, Red Lake Gold District, McKenzie Island, McKenzie Mine (McKenzie Red Lake Mine)
 | |
| Gold in Quartz, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold, 5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold in matrix, 7.1cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Canada
Québec, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, La Vallée-de-l'Or, Val d'Or, Sigma mine (Sigma No. 1 mine)
 | |
| Gold in Quartz/Tourmaline, 4.5cm wide | © Raymond McDougall |
Gold
Canada
Yukon Territory, Dawson Mining District
 | |
| Gold, 1.9cm tall | © Danny Jones |
 | |
| Rough Gold crystal, 1cm tall | © Danny Jones |
Gold
Chile
Antofagasta Region, Tocopilla Province, Sierra Gorda District, Caracoles, La Compañia Mine
 | |
| A 1mm flake of Gold with Boleite | © Don Volkman 02/06 |
Gold
Chile
Coquimbo Region, Elqui Province, Andacollo, Andacollo Mine
 | |
| Copper and Gold, 2.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Close up of picture to the left. | © Rob Lavinsky |
The gold on this copper specimen is in the form of tiny crystals growing on the copper crystals which you can see is you look carefully.
Gold
China
China
Sichuan Province
 | |
| Gold, 2.7cm wide | © fabreminerals.com |
 | |
| Gold, 3.9cm wide | © fabreminerals.com |
Gold
Czech Republic
Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Central Bohemia Region, Vlašim (Wlaschim), Roudný
 | |
| Gold on Quartz ~11cm wide, <1850] | © Jakub Jirásek |
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Central area, Shinkolobwe, Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine)
The Shinkolobwe mine is a primarily a uranium mine that also produced a lot of copper. The ore from this mine produced the uranium for one of the first atomic bombs that was made in the USA during the second world war. It is much better know for the many wonderful specimens of rich uranium secondary minerals that are cherished by many collectors, but it is one of the few places where native gold and Uraninite has been found and though the Gold specimens from there are not very good, the combination is rare and cherished by collectors.
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Kolwezi, Western area, Mashamba West Mine
 | |
| Gold & Malachite, 6.5cm wide | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
The Mashamba West mine is basicly a big open pit copper mine that has produced thousands of tons of malachite which is its primary copper ore. A few scruffy good specimens have been found from time to time and you can be sure that the best of them is better than is shown here. It is currently a big partially water filled open pit and inactive save for some local villagers who go there to hand ming cutting grade malachite from its benches.
[Rock Currier, 2009]
Gold
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga (Shaba), Katanga Copper Crescent, Western area, Kolwezi, Musonoi Mine
 | |
| Gold, 1cm wide | © Arliguie M |
The Musonoi Mine has been included in the newer KOV pit and is a big open pit mining operation that has fallen on hard times and when it works at all has a small crew of men that work it mostly for malachite ore when they can get the equipment up and running. The mine occasionally produces a few small gold specimens, but the mine is much better known for the wonderful Torbernite and other uranium minerals that it produced in the past.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Dominican Republic
El Seibo Province (El Seybo Province)
 | |
| Gold 1.7cm, 3.2oz | © Michael C. Roarke |
Gold
Ethiopia
Wallaga (Welega; Wollega; Ouallega) Province
 | |
| Gold nugget, 14.5oz | © F. Malfatto for MRSN - Turin |
Gold
Fiji Islands
Viti Levu, Tavua Gold Field, Vatukoula, Emperor Mine
 | |
| Gold, close up of specimen on the left. | © |
 | |
| Micro crystal of Gold | © crocoite.com |
The Emperor mine is better know for its specimens of gold teluride minerals like Sylvanite and Krennerite than for its gold specimens. All the gold specimens that I have seen from the mine have been quite modest, but there must have be much better specimens from here than we show here. The mine is quite large and its geology similar to that of Cripple Creek, Colorado. They are mining mineralized structures containing a lot of quartz that radiate out from a not to recently extinct volcanic caldera. It is a very hot mine and in sliding down through the stopes I noted refrigerator size pockets lined with inch size white pyramidal quartz crystals of not particular virtue. It was easy to imagine that over the long history of the mine that some of these pockets might have contained substantial amounts of gold and gold teluride minerals. Given the rather remote location of the mine it is easy to understand why so few specimens have made their way to the outside world. At Cripple Creek Colorado high grading miners easily managed to convert gold and gold teluride minerals into bullion by very simple means (fire). Undoubtedly a similar fate befell almost all of the good specimens of native gold and crystals of various gold teluride minerals at this mine.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
France
Rhône-Alpes, Bourg d'Oisans, Isère, La Gardette Mine
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 5.3cm wide | © G.E.G.M - FRANCE |
Gold
Hungary
Gold
Indonesia
Sumatera Island (Sumatra Island)
Gold
Ireland
Co. Wicklow, Croghan Kinshela Mountain, Gold Mines River
They don't find much gold in Ireland and I think this may have been one of the better specimens found.
Gold
Italy
Aosta Valley, Ayas Valley, Brusson, Brusson Mine
 | |
| Gold in Quartz ~6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold in Quartz, 10cm wide | © FRANCO LAZZARI |
 | |
| Gold in Quartz 2.6cm | © fabreminerals.com |
 | |
| Gold in Quartz, 2.4cm wide | © Chinellato Matteo |
Gold
Japan
Honshu Island, Kinki Region, Hyogo Prefecture, Yabu-gun, Nakase mine (Nakaze mine)
 | |
| Gold in Quartz, 2.3cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Madagascar
 | |
| Gold Nugget, 8cm wide | © J.Ralph |
 | |
| Gold nugget, 9cm wide | © J.Ralph |
Gold
Mexico
Sonora, Mun. de Alamos, Alamos
 | |
| Gold, 2.5cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
Gold
New Zealand
Gold
New Guinea
Papua
 | |
| Gold crystal ~2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 1.5cm wide | © Mark Rheinberger |
Gold
New Guinea
Papua, Enga Province, Mt Hagen, Mt Kare Valley, Porgera Mine
 | |
| Gold, 4.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold crystals, 2cm tall | © Kristalle and Crys |
 | |
| Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide | © Mark Rheinberger |
 | |
| Gold, 2 cm tall | © Danny Jones |
 | |
| Gold, 2.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold crystals, 3.1cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Peru
Gold
Peru
Junín Department, Huancayo Province, Carolita, Pampa San José
 | |
| Gold, 1.4cm | © Tony Peterson |
Gold
Philippines
Mindanao, Caraga Region, Agusan Sur, Bunawan
Gold
Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)
Ituri District, Mongbwalu
 | |
| Gold, 4cm wide | © Kristalle and Crystal Classics |
Gold
Romania
 | |
| Gold & Sphalerite, 4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Botés
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 3cm wide | © CCURTO08 |
Gold
Romania
Alba Co., Roşia Montanã (Verespatak)
 | |
| Gold on Quartz ~5cm wide | © |
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold, 3.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold leaf, 3.1 cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
 | |
| Gold on drusy Quartz, 8cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
In my youth I met an old European collector/dealer in New York City who said that at one time he was able long ago to go the mining company at this locality and they would open their safe where they kept gold specimens that they had mined and buy crystallized gold at its bullion value.
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Brad, Ruda Barza
 | |
| Gold wires on Quartz 4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Sacarîmb (Sãcãrâmb; Szekerembe; Nagyág)
Gold
Romania
Hunedoara Co., Trestia Mine
I visited the fantastic Gold Museum at Brad in 1987 but was saddened to see lumps of black quartz from Trestia that they were mining at the time. They were excited about it, claiming this ore to be incredibly rich and that was the best they had! This 6 cm specimen entered the British Museum before 1835 when it first appeared in their catalogue. It is now on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in their new gallery. Later on that trip I got a real education at the Vienna Natural History Museum and to my glee found a similar cabinet sized Trestia leaf specimen. Recently I wrote Uwe Kolitsch at Vienna and he kindly replied, " I checked: there are two very nice leafy gold specimens from "Tresztya" on display. The left one: Catalogue no. A.a. 1372, "Trestya, Siebenbürgen" according to label, but "Vöröspatak, Siebenbürgen" according to the catalogue book. It was catalogued in 1843 (purchased from Mr. "Ludwig v. Siajo (Scala)". The right one: Catalogue no. E 5937, "Siebenbürgen" according to label, catalogued in 1888 (gift from "Eugen Freiherr v. Ransonnet-Villez". I think the left one is more similar to that shown in the photo Rock had chosen. " (RWMW 2010)
Gold
Romania
Maramures Co., Roata Mine, Cavnic (Kapnic; Kapnik)
 | |
| Gold, Calcite & Quartz (Tn?) | © 2002 Thames Valley Minerals |
Gold
Russia
Urals Region,Middle Urals, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', Ekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), Berezovskii (Berezovskii Zavod), Berezovskoe Au Deposit (Berezovsk Mines)
 | |
| Gold Nugget (FOV 2 cm) | © 2006 M. Kampf |
The specimens of Russian gold we have shown here are OK, but they are really pretty sad compared to all the great gold specimens from many localities that Russia has produced. In the Diamond Fund museum in the Kemlin, there are many fist size and double fist size gold nuggets, some of which show rudimentary crystals, and those are just the ones on display. Perhaps some day we will be able to get good pictures of fine Russian gold specimens to show in this article.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Kremnica Mts, Kremnica (Körmöcbánya; Kremnitz)
 | |
| Gold (3.7x3.5x1.9) | © Marek Patúš |
Gold
Slovakia
Banská Bystrica Region, Štiavnica Mts, Banská Štiavnica Mining District, Hodruša - Hámre
 | |
| Gold, Quartz & Pyrite, 6.6cm | © fabreminerals.com |
Gold
South Africa
Gauteng Province, Johannesburg
 | |
| Gold, 5cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
Most of the gold taken from the mines in this, the most productive gold mining district in the world is not visible. In fact specimens of visible gold from this locality are rather rare. Mostly this is because rich specimens of gold and rock are quite rare and the other is that the Laws of South Africa make it illegal to own natural gold and diamonds unless you have the proper permit, which few people bother to apply for. A few good specimens of crystallized gold are know from the rand, but they are very rare, so rare in fact that you will be lucky to ever hold one in your hand.
The gold mines of the Rand (the Johannesburg area) are currently the richest in the world and for many years they have produced more than any other country in the world (272,000 kilograms in 2008). The gold is mined from steeply dipping conglomerate beds (at one time the gold was free alluvial gold until this alluvium was buried and metomorphosed into rock by heat and pressure. At one time these fossilized alluvial layers (reefs) outcropped on the surface but now all the easy ore has been gotten and the shafts and other mine workings have chased the ore deeper and deeper till today some mines have operational levels at 12,000 feet below the surface. As mining progresses downwards, temperatures rise, and the deep level mines of the rand have some of the hottest working conditions in the world and keeping the mines safe to work in and at a bearable temperature calls for a huge investment in refrigeration and other infrastructure elements. There is still a Gold ore in the ground, but the deeper the mines go chasing it, the more costly it is to mine, and at some point, the cost of mining it may exceed the value of the gold produced.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
South Africa
Mpumalanga Province, Barberton District, Sheba Mine
 | |
| Gold (3.5x2.5x1.7 cm) | © CCURTO08 |
Gold
Spain
Andalusia, Almería, Níjar, Rodalquilar
Gold
United Kingdom
England, Devon, South Devon, Torquay, Hope's Nose
 | |
| Gold, 10 cm wide | © |
 | |
| Gold, 9 cm wide | © J.Ralph |
 | |
| Gold, FOV 2 cm | © Peter Haas |
These delicate arbourescent growths are leached out of calcite from veins on the beach beside a sewer outlet. It is highly illegal to collect these, but that hasn't stopped the application of dynamite. The gold ranges in colour from bright yellow pure Gold to a tan brown Palladian Gold. There are also rare palladium minerals associated. Probably a few hundred specimens collected and they don't get any better than those pictured here.
[Rob Woodside 2009]
Gold
USA
Alaska
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| Gold, 4.5cm wide, 63.8gms | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Arizona, Cochise Co., Mule Mts, Warren District, Bisbee, Cole Mine (Cole shaft; Cole No. 3)
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| Copper & Gold, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Arizona, Maricopa Co., Mystic Mine (Mystic Gold Mine)
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| Gold "sponge", 6cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Gold, 5.5cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Gold in Quartz, 4cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Gold sponge, 3cm wide | © 2003 John H. Betts |
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| Gold, 6.5cm tall | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Gold, 2.4cm wide | © 2003 John H. Betts |
Gold
USA
Arizona, Pinal Co., Mammoth District, Tiger, St. Anthony deposit, Mammoth-Saint Anthony Mine (Mammoth-St Anthony Mine; Mammoth Mine; St. Anthony Mine
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| Gold in Quartz, 1.8cm tall | © Michael Cline |
The Tiger mine produced a few scruffy gold specimens, but is much better know for its specimens of other secondary ore minerals like Wulfenite, Dioptase, Cerussite, Leadhillite, Caladonite etc.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co.
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| Gold with Quartz, 2cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold & Quartz, 2.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Arizona, Yavapai Co., Bradshaw Mts (Bradshaw Range), Castle Creek District, Castle Hot Springs area
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| Gold in Quartz, 2.6 cm wide | © Michael Cline |
Gold
USA
California
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| Gold crystals/leaves ~7cm wide | © |
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| Gold xls on Quartz ~8cm wide | © |
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| Gold leaves/xls ~7cm tall | © |
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| Gold nugget ~7cm across | © |
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| Gold xls, 1.7cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold & Arsenopyrite ~5cm wide | © |
I think California has produced more good specimen gold than any other place. It is mostly from the Mother Load area which runs south to north through Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Tuolumne, Plumas and Yuba counties. It may have also produced the best specimens of all different kinds of gold. The Los Angeles Museum of Natural History has on display more than 100 kgs of gold specimens including 159 large gold nuggets weighing in at about 31kgs from the Ruby mine in Sierra Co., California. It is probably the best gold exhibit here in the United States. Without the discover of gold in California in 1849 the history of the United States would be a lot different than it is today. The reason that the above pictures have been placed here rather than with their respective actual localities is that their localities are not known, so this general catch all locality of Gold, California has been created for them. If and when knowledgeable people step forward and identify their true localities, we will remove them from here and place them in their true locality galleries.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Bald Mt, Browns Flat
Gold
USA
California, Calaveras Co., Sixteen - To - One Mine
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| Gold in Quartz ~9.5cm tall | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Georgetown District, Spanish Dry Diggins, Grit Mine
Gold
USA
California, El Dorado Co., Placerville (Hangtown)
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| Gold & Quartz ~4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 3.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold specimens ~3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co.
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| Gold crystals, 1.9cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals ~2cm wide | © |
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| Gold crystals, 2.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold ~14cm wide, 27oz. | © Lyla Tracy |
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Quartzburg
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| Gold in Quartz ~3cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Triumph Mine
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| Gold & Arsenopyrite 2.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Bear Valley, Diltz Mine
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| Gold, 1.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 1.8cm across | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Colorado, Colorado Mine (Colorado Quartz Mine)
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| Gold crystals, 4.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold & Quartz, 5.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold xls, 1.9cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
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| Gold crystals, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 1cm across | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold & Quartz, 5.7cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
One of the most prolific sources of fine crystallized gold in recent times (1980 to 2010) has been from this mine. Much of the gold mined is in the form of thin veins of white massive quartz completely shot full of gold, much of it very well crystallized. The gold is exposed by carefully dissolving away most of the gold with hydrofluoric acid and then further removal of the etched quartz surfaces by the use of air scribes (little hand held jackhammers). Sometimes the Quartz vein material is x-rayed before the preparation process is started to better direct the preparation process. Hundreds of fine specimens have been produced by this mine and only a tiny portion of them are pictured above.
[Rock Currier 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Mariposa Co., Whitlock District, Mockingbird Mine
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| Gold on Quartz, 4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 4.6cm across | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 2.9cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 10cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold xls on Quartz, 6.8cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co.
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| Gold, 7.5cm wide | © Edwards Minerals |
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Grass Valley
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| Gold leaves, 3.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals ~8cm wide | © |
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| Gold 1.3cm across | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 23cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Massachusetts lode
Gold
USA
California, Nevada Co., Washington District, Washington, Red Ledge Mine
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| Gold, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co.
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| Gold xls, largest ~1.7cm wide | © |
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Eagle's Nest Mine (Mystery Wind Mine)
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| Gold on Quartz, 15cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 5.7cm tall | © Edwards Minerals |
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| Gold on Quartz 3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 3.6cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 4.4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 10.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 3.3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 4cm tall | © fabreminerals.com |
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| Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 7cm wide | © RWMW |
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| Gold on Quartz, 7.3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co. East Belt District
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| Gold on Quartz, 4.2cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Forest Hill, Greenwood area
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| Gold crystals, 3.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Placer Co., Michigan-Bluff District
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| Gold crystals, 2.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Plumas Co., New Greenville
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co.
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Alleghany District, Alleghany, Grass Valley, 16 to 1 Mine
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| Gold in Quartz, 4.6cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold crystals, 2.5cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
This specimen is just a sad little example of what the mine really produced. One story is told about about a miner drilling into a mass of gold in quartz that was so rich that the bit got "frozen" in the hold and the miners were only able to retrieve it after the blast. There were so much gold in the quartz, that after the blast that chunks of gold filled quartz were hanging from the ceiling and walls and the miners had to use tin snips to try and cut the pieces down. The drill bit that was recovered has entirely coated with gold that had been smeared over the surface. It is now mostly a tourist attraction and you can buy specimens directly from the mine if you want. To find out more go to their website. [www.origsix.com]
[Rock Currier, 2009]
Gold
USA
California, Alleghany District, Alleghany, Oriental Mine
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| Gold leaves, ~12cm? | © Peter Cristofono |
Gold
USA
California, Sierra Co., Red Ledge Mine (Bank Mining Company)
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| Gold on Quartz, 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 1.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 4.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Siskiyou Co., Liberty District, Anna Johnson & Suprise Mine
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| Gold, 3.4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co.
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Jamestown District
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| Gold on Quartz, 3cm tall | © 2001 John H. Betts |
The specimen from Jamestown pictured above is pathetic compared to many of the fabulous specimens that have come from this locality. Perhaps someday we will be able to get some pictures of good ones.
Gold
USA
California, Tuolumne Co., Mother Lode (Mother Lode belt)
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| Gold xls on Quartz, 5.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
California, Yuba Co., Browns Valley, Yuba Gold field, Yuba Mine
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| Gold, 5.6cm wide, 3.5oz | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Colorado
Gold
USA
Colorado, Clear Creek Co., Idaho Springs District, Dixie Mine
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| Gold leaves, 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 1.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on Quartz, 2.7cm tall | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
USA
Colorado, Lake Co., Leadville District (California District)
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| Gold, 2cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Colorado, San Miguel Co., Telluride District, Tomboy Mine
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| Gold on matrix, 3.7cm wide | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District
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| Gold wires ~4cm wide | © |
Gold
USA
Colorado, Summit Co., Breckenridge District, French Gulch, Farncomb Hill
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| Gold, 5.4cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 6.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold ~6cm wide | © RWMW |
Gold
USA
Montana, Powell Co.
Gold
USA
Nevada, Elko Co., Tuscarora District
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| Gold, 5.6cm tall | © Dan Weinrich |
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co.
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| Gold, 2.5cm wide, 11gm | © Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals |
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District
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| Gold, 4.7cm wide | © Edwards Minerals |
Gold
USA
Nevada, Humboldt Co., Ten Mile District, Lizard Ridge Mine
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| Gold in Quartz, 5.6cm wide | © fabreminerals.com |
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| Gold, 1.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Nevada, Nye Co., Round Mountain District, Round Mountain Mine
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| Gold, 3.5cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold v. electrum, ~1.5cm? | © 2002 Thames Valley Minerals |
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| Gold crystals 6.8cm tall | © SpiriferMinerals |
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| Gold on Quartz xls, 2.8cm wide | © Collectors Edge |
In 2006 a spectacular find of gold and electrum xls were were collected by Kinross Gold Corporation. Thanks to their farsightedness this bit of Nevada's mining heritage has been permanently saved. The mine run specimens were separated into 56 lots in plastic bags and stapled to a wall for a silent auction. A few bidders were allowed into the room at a time and shortly it became difficult to see what was in the plastic bags due to the abrasions as bidders poked and lifted up the bags trying to ascertain the treasures inside. All was very secure and the lucky bidders didn't get their prizes until the cash was transferred. Many of the miners were astounded at the specimens as most who worked there had never even seen visible gold!!!! As of 2010 this appears to be a one time find and Kinross is fed up with people asking for more. The crystalization runs the gamut of gold's habits. Gold seldom makes cubes, but silver often does. I was surprised to see gold leaves studded with tiny cubes!!! The gold colour varies from butter gold to pale electrum and if harshly cleaned turns pale. There is a thin surface enrichment of very pure gold on a base of pale electrum (60% Au, 40% Ag, Bart Cannon EDS) It is the electrum that makes the cubes!!! Once all trimming and preparing was done there were probably over a thousand specimens and the prices have been increasing ever since. Initially detractors claimed these didn't have the lustre of California specimens and so should be cheap. The high lustre on some of the specimens put lie to this, but the more frequent "dull" appearance probably comes from the thickness of the gold surface enrichment. These are perhaps some of the finest electrum specimens in existence. (RWMW 2010)
Gold
USA
Nevada, Pershing Co., Antelope District, Majuba placer
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| Gold, 2.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold, 1.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
Nevada, Washoe Co., Olinghouse District, 813 Pit
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| Gold wires, 2.8cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
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| Gold in Calcite/porfery ~6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on matrix, 22cm wide | © Brander Robinson |
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| Gold in Calcite, 3cm wide | © 2004 John H. Betts |
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| Gold on matrix, 4.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Gold on matrix, 7.3cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District
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| Gold nugget ~5cm? | © 2008 Peter Cristofono |
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, Boot Hill Claim
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| Gold ~5cm? | © 2008 Peter Cristofono |
Gold
USA
New Mexico, Santa Fe Co., New Placers District, San Pedro Mine
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| Gold in Calcite, 7.5cm | © www.exceptionalminerals.com |
Gold
USA
Washington, Kittitas Co., Swauk District, Ace Of Diamonds Mine, Liberty
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| Gold in Quartz, 1.5cm tall | © Michael C. Roarke |
Gold
Venezuela
 | |
| Gold, 3.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Icabarú
 | |
| Gold crystals 1.1cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Venezuela
Bolívar, Santa Elena
 | |
| Gold, 7mm tall | © Kristalle and Crys |
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| Gold, 7mm | © Kristalle and Crys |
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| Gold crystals, 2.2cm wide | © JAF, LLC |
Gold
Vietnam
Yenbai (Yen Bai) Province, Luc Yen
 | |
| Gold on Quartz, 4.4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Gold
Zimbabwe
Click here to view Best Minerals G and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.
Edited 62 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2010 09:08AM by Rock Currier.
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Re: Gold July 19, 2009 11:18AM |
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Re: Gold July 19, 2009 05:59PM |
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Re: Gold July 19, 2009 07:15PM |
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Re: Gold July 19, 2009 09:12PM |
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Re: Gold July 20, 2009 08:49PM |
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Re: Gold July 20, 2009 09:15PM |
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Re: Gold July 22, 2009 10:39PM |
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Re: Gold July 23, 2009 12:56AM |
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Re: Gold July 23, 2009 01:07AM |
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Re: Gold July 23, 2009 01:41AM |
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Re: Gold July 23, 2009 09:24AM |
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Re: Gold July 26, 2009 08:14AM |
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Re: Gold July 26, 2009 09:14AM |
Hi Rock,
In California, it's known as the Mother Lode, not load. [en.wikipedia.org]
In the contemporary usage, a lode is a deposit of metalliferous ore that fills or is embedded in a fissure (or crack) in a rock formation or a vein of ore that is deposited or embedded between layers of rock. [en.wikipedia.org]
In it's historic roots, a lode is an old English word meaning rich source of supply. [en.wikipedia.org])
A "load" is what the gold nuggets become once I put them all in my pants pockets.
Scott
In California, it's known as the Mother Lode, not load. [en.wikipedia.org]
In the contemporary usage, a lode is a deposit of metalliferous ore that fills or is embedded in a fissure (or crack) in a rock formation or a vein of ore that is deposited or embedded between layers of rock. [en.wikipedia.org]
In it's historic roots, a lode is an old English word meaning rich source of supply. [en.wikipedia.org])
A "load" is what the gold nuggets become once I put them all in my pants pockets.
Scott
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Re: Gold August 27, 2009 08:45AM |
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Re: Gold August 27, 2009 11:05AM |
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Re: Gold August 28, 2009 09:04AM |
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Re: Gold November 07, 2009 01:46PM |
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New Locality Added: Hornitos District, West Belt, Mariposa Co., California, USAFrom Chester S. Lemanski, Jr., 19th May 2013 19:59:53