just some panning questions?

[amcjavelin]

ok this stream I'm been doing I have got some ok gold from so far well on my last clean up I noticed something very silvery in my pan to as well and have had lead before and lead has no luster to it like this did so anyways when I was watching it stir around it acted like gold but a little less heavy I guess you could say so being up here in maine never heard much of silver being found up here now platinum on the other hand one river has quite a bit but this was very glimery of silver so I wonder if it was or not? unfortunately I didn't take any pics of it so any idea's?

 

[au79]

Well amcjavelin, you're right. Hard to tell without photo. I'm in Vermont and find very fine silvery material when panning. I think what you are referring to is galena. Galena is found in ore bodies associated with lead, silver, copper, etc. If it were silver it would not have that shiny sparkle to it. Silver would have a dull unpolished look.

I would suggest you find a good book on rocks and minerals and learn some about your area. I am sure your State geology Dept. has reports about the rocks and minerals in your area. Just google Maine State Geology - that would be a good start.

Happy hunting!

 

[amcjavelin]

yeah this same stream that I'm doing you will also find tiny bits of green tourmaline and a gemologist had told me that legend has it blue sapphire come out of there too also I notice too a lot of pure white quartz about is big as baseballs and smokey also

 

[machineman]

could have been Mercury.