mairyand Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hi I pick up rocks that arent like the surrounding ones and was just looking through my stuff and came across this.At glance and weight I thought it to be some kinda of cyrstals in rock,because of the shines.When looking at it with a loop i see its all metal like material ,mostly seemly silver in color,maybe with grey? ,mostly made up of crystal shaped peices of this metal.It doesnt seem like its solid,like it has some tunneles in a bit and when looking in them ,they too are made up of these metal peieces.It weighs heavey and is very hard.Ive been looking online at pics and reading and it sure seems like it is platinum.Isee a copper colored flake using the loop and dirt like stuff in some of its crevices.Some of it is not in crystal like form but most seem to be shaped peices.The pichures are bad as i had to use my web cam to get shots. It is about one inch by 3/4 an inch wide with each crystal being a millimeter or smallerThank you in advance for any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted September 20, 2006 Admin Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hello Mair, My first thought would be Pyrite, or maybe even Mica, but hard to tell from the pictures. Hopefully some others will give some advice. I've never personally found any platinum here in Arizona. Thanks for joining the forums.Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onamission Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Mair,I found this back east......your picture reminded me of it again. Mine is very hard, quite heavy (over 1 pound) I tried to break it with a hammer and it wouldn't chip at all..... oh well it's pretty.Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairyand Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 hi and thank you for your response,i looked at pyrite and i saw one pic that could be the same,others the color was off.But saw the same thing in platinum,most didnt look like what i have except some from russia.I live on the east coast and it may be from here,upstate ny or cali. lol I dont remember.Mair,I found this back east......your picture reminded me of it again. Mine is very hard, quite heavy (over 1 pound) I tried to break it with a hammer and it wouldn't chip at all..... oh well it's pretty.Tomhi Tom, I live on the east coast and it may be from here also.Yours looks about the same as mine.It is pretty.Though i wish it was worth something as it would have helped me at this time. lol thanks for writing. P.S.I reallly have to stop this madness of collecting rocks!! lol naaaaaa too late for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave wiseman Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Mair,your wealth is in your curiosity and someday will pay off for you....Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted September 20, 2006 Admin Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hello Guys, I'm pretty positive it's a piece of Iron Pyrite. Pyrite is extremely hard, but is also brittle. If you smack it with a hammer (which you shouldn't do) it should shatter up pretty good. Pyrite is basically just a bonding of iron and sulphur. Platinum is extremely rare to find in nugget form. Not that its not out there, but for the most part people are not picking up platinum nuggets like gold nuggets. A platinum nugget of that size would be very valuable. It's always worth getting a good second opinion on anything you find. If you have a local University or Mineral Museum around they should be able to ID the specimen quickly. Wishing you the best,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairyand Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Mair,your wealth is in your curiosity and someday will pay off for you....Davehi dave, hehe im thinking mayyybe at my age(41) yes it'll pay of but when younger it got me into trouble.lol still does on runescape. lolIve found lots of neat od rocks .when i was very little i use to bust them open ,lol i havent any idea what i was looking for either!! maybe just to see the differance inside? i dont know . I'd love to get a metal detector and will once things get back on track with myself.(lost job,bad health hit me...bla bla bla) I did find a hugggge fossil id like to take to the college around here to learn more about what it is.thanks for your words.mairHello Guys, I'm pretty positive it's a piece of Iron Pyrite. Pyrite is extremely hard, but is also brittle. If you smack it with a hammer (which you shouldn't do) it should shatter up pretty good. Pyrite is basically just a bonding of iron and sulphur. Platinum is extremely rare to find in nugget form. Not that its not out there, but for the most part people are not picking up platinum nuggets like gold nuggets. A platinum nugget of that size would be very valuable. It's always worth getting a good second opinion on anything you find. If you have a local University or Mineral Museum around they should be able to ID the specimen quickly. Wishing you the best,Rob AllisonHi Rob,I was reminded that this probly was found in ohio Researching pyrite, i found a pic that looks much like what i have.Also that the crystals seem to have lines on them ,which i didnt see with platinum.So i think you are right .I'll check into it more and let yas know if its platinum.Thank you so much for your imput and help.with love,mair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairyand Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 ooookkkk welp curiosity got to me again and as much as i kept repeating Rob's words "which you shouldnt do" ,i didnt og as far as busting it up with a hammer ,but did take something to it jusssst a lil on an edges and squeezed.It's brittle, the part i did it to , shatterd some and some of the crystal shaped parts remained whole,the color of the pieces are silver and some of the flakes look black,,,, so i have some smaller nuggets and some flakes of pyrite seemly.Interesting stuff.And in my search for answers found more questions and some nice folks. Thanks again and i have some more questions i'll ask in another thread. hehe With love,mair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whats4supper Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Many universities with a rock lab or geology dept, and even a high school chemist can help you identify your rocks and minerals. There may be a mineralogist in your area also. many times free if you just ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGFOOT Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 mair,If it has lines through it....its DEFINITELY pyrite!If it sounds off a metal detector it may have gold in it.Sulphides(pyrite)do not sound off metal detectors.Also...if your gonna be rockhounding the rest of your life...just get some Nitric Acid... one drop on a specimen will tell ya what it is or isnt.Nitric WONT attack Platinum or Gold. Bigfoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mairyand Posted September 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Thanks guys , : ) im going to head over today to the metal detector shop .Im gathering all my finds hahaha immm sure i have some metorites!!! Theres one i hope i can find,ive moved three times in two years so i lost some stuff,hope not any of my rocks! lolI do think its pyrite because of those little lines through the crystal looking parts of that rock.Thanks for the tip on nitric acid,i looked it up and its cheap to buy.I didnt have anyyy idea where to get such stuff,good ol internet Thanks again guys i been learning alot and love it!!!with love,mair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARIZONA GUIDE Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 I have one just like it. i found here in AZ when i was a kid. Very heavy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmorgan Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Looks to me like pyrite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffdetector Posted July 16, 2008 Report Share Posted July 16, 2008 This is placer platinum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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