Whether you are still new to the field of gold prospecting or have years of practice under your belt, knowing what locations are likely to be gold-bearing is essential for the search’s positive outcomes. While rocks can say a lot about the chances of finding gold in a location, not all of them are a tell-tale sign that you are in the right place. Granite, with its bright colors, can be eye-catching.
You can find gold in granite, though it’ll be hard. Bedrocks like granite boast smooth and polished surfaces, and these types of surfaces don’t trap gold as well as rougher surfaces, like those of . Gold has been found in granite in the past, though, so it is a possibility.
Although granite might not be the best tell-tale sign of gold you were looking for, some other bedrocks might be. Read on to learn more!
Table of Contents
Granite: An Overview
Granite is a type of common bedrock formation you might encounter on your outings. The granite rocks surface is highly recognizable thanks to the granular texture, the colors of which can vary. Being an igneous or magmatic formation, this type of rock derives from the cooling of the lava and is extremely hard.
Due to this property, granite tends to become leveled, smooth, and polished through erosion. However, these polished rock types will not be able to trap gold, as well as other irregular formations and bedrocks.
However, it is essential to note that granite does contain quartz in percentages that can vary but can be as high as 60%. While gold is often associated with quartz, the two formations present several differences that are determining in indicating the presence of gold.
Additionally, in some places you might notice large holes in granite rock formations. These holes are known as “boil holes” and indicate nearby strong water turbulence. While this is often confused for a positive sign, it is essential to remember that too high water turbulence won’t allow gold particles to settle.
Lastly, it is worth noting that gold has been found near or within granite formations in the past. However, the particles were seldom larger than 1mm (0.04in) and contained within the quartz presence in the granite.
As we have seen, it is not entirely unlikely to find gold in granite. However, if you are looking for a rock formation that indicates the potential presence of paying deposits, granite is not among the ones to consider. Below you can find out what other types of rock can offer you a better indication.
Where Can You Find Gold?
When trying to identify placer gold or paying sediments, the bedrocks and minerals surrounding a location can indicate what to expect from your research. Generally, for the best results, prospectors look for rocks that have irregular surfaces and rough patterns.
Gold is often located as lodes (valuable mineral deposits) in veins, which are rock formations that contain lodes. As it becomes eroded from the lode, the gold particles will travel through water after reaching a stream or river course.
Once the gold particles are in the river, they will stop traveling once they get caught in crevices and irregularities. These irregularities will act as the riffles of a sluice box, by dissipating the strength of the current and trap the heavy particles of gold.
Therefore, prospectors looking for a suitable location for their gold hunting activities should look for bedrocks that are irregular and boast rough surfaces.
Bedrock Formations and Pay Streaks
Prospectors should be aware that any rock and bedrock can boast different qualities and gold-trapping properties, crevices can open length-wise or in other shapes and forms, but they make some of the most likely locations to find gold.
When looking for gold traps, it is also essential to keep in mind that they will likely be located by a water force that would have swept off lighter materials, consequently trapping valuable particles.
Lastly, pay streaks are just larger gold traps in which high quantities of gold particles have concentrated. Pay streaks are formed along a river or stream, just after the course of water changes, and the pressure diminishes, which causes the gold to drop off.
Rocks and Minerals Associated With Gold
As we have seen above, rocks that boast irregularities increase the chances that gold is to find nearby. However, understanding the different types of stones and minerals you might encounter on your outings can help you identify the right location for your search.
Before learning about the different rocks, it is important to consider that, while gold might be associated with the following minerals, far from all of them will be gold-bearing.
Quartz
Undoubtedly, quartz is the mineral that is most often associated with gold, which can usually exist in this formation’s veins. Quartz rocks can be visible in streambeds, and, if located in a gold-bearing ground, these rocks might boast sediments of gold.
One of the characteristics that gold prospectors made quartz so appreciated is that these rocks are immediately visible and eye-catching, which makes the search for gold easier.
Additionally, tracing a quartz “float” (a piece of gold-bearing rock located in other deposits that became separated from the lode) back to its original mine can help you identify the gold particles’ sources. The roughness (or smoothness) of the quartz can give you an indication of how far the lode is. The smoother the quartz surface, the longer it’s likely to have traveled, and vice versa.
Eluvial Deposit
An eluvial deposit is a kind of gold-bearing ground formed after the original lode started to erode. In this case, the gold particles have been subjected to the forces of nature, such as wind and rains, which moved them away from the lode but not yet into a streambed.
Usually, these deposits are found just below the original lode, if they are on the mountainside. The force of rain and winds might have moved the gold particles, which would have fallen towards the base of the elevation.
These deposits are usually reasonably accessible by gold prospectors, who proceed to the location’s sampling through a sluice box or gold pan. This sampling is essential to find out whether there could be nearby valuable deposits before searching the area.
Minerals
Several minerals are associated with gold. Even if these don’t directly bear gold, their lode could boast valuable deposits.
Some of the minerals found along streambeds that can indicate gold include:
- malachite
- magnesium ferric
- chalcopyrite (also known as Fool’s Gold)
- iron
- lead
- magnetite
Conclusion
Ultimately, if you are looking for a suitable location for your gold prospecting activities, granite might not be offering you the best indications. Indeed, while gold deposits have been found in the past in the quartz components of granite, the rock boasts a too-polished surface to act as an effective gold trap.
Alternatively, formations such as irregular bedrocks and crevices, as well as minerals like quartz, can be more useful in identifying gold deposits and eventual pay streaks.