New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

 

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latch  
Posted : Saturday, 30 March 2013 10:36:24 PM(UTC)
latch

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anyone found mica schist while detecting before foud 3 small pieces today very high readings on the detector thought it was silver
fiend hard and find all
1864hatter  
Posted : Sunday, 31 March 2013 7:37:28 PM(UTC)
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Mica won't set your detector off mate. if it did there would be no way I'd be able to detect in the schist country of central otago with my gold bug. perhaps you have gold in it?
And now....On sandy beaches and muddy soil, rings and coins await my coil!
latch  
Posted : Sunday, 31 March 2013 10:52:08 PM(UTC)
latch

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that would be nice if it did have gold in it,gunna go have another look tomorrow there was alot of schist around but none of it set off the detector like theese three pieces,might take the pick and fossick around abit
fiend hard and find all
Lammerlaw  
Posted : Monday, 1 April 2013 1:00:24 PM(UTC)
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It would be very unusual for it to be gold though my son has found a gold reef with amazing gold in it using his detector. Some other minerals will how ever set the detector off so it is more likely to be one of them.

This in turn is what is referred to as a 'hot rock' as it has minerals which give a response to the detector so that you might think you have something worth having.

Dont rule it out though and throw the rock away until you have had someone to look at it for you. Mica in any of its forms will never make the detector go off - the usual form of Mica in Central is Muscovite Mica which is comprised largely of silica and alumina but you will also get Biotite or 'gold' or 'black' mica as it has a golden sort of colour to it.

When you study the mica minerals you may be taught that there are two types - Muscovite and Phlogopite while others list Muscovite and Biotite then put Phlogopite into another category and include lepidote and others...but to cut a long story short these will not make your detector go 'BEEP!'

Keep you rock and look at it closer or get an expert to give an opinion.
latch  
Posted : Tuesday, 2 April 2013 12:03:45 AM(UTC)
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thanks lammerlaw i will,have done some research on mica schist it probably is a hotrock tho it doesn't look like the other ones i have found in the area,went back today and didn't find anymore
fiend hard and find all
Lammerlaw  
Posted : Tuesday, 2 April 2013 9:31:58 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: latch Go to Quoted Post
thanks lammerlaw i will,have done some research on mica schist it probably is a hotrock tho it doesn't look like the other ones i have found in the area,went back today and didn't find anymore


Take it to the Geology Department at O\Otago University or take it along to the Rock and MIneral Club which meets on the first Thursday of every month in the old church at the Deer Stalkers property in Leith Valley. Someone there might have a good idea of what is in it.

Kate1985  
Posted : Sunday, 11 August 2013 10:04:33 PM(UTC)
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funny thing you ask, just had my rock investigated thinking it was possibly rubies growing , but it is a mica schist with garnets. My neighbour has a detector, i am going to run it across tommorow its a beautiful size rock, the weight of it is amazing
latch  
Posted : Sunday, 11 August 2013 10:27:05 PM(UTC)
latch

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only found two little pieces it is interesting tho
fiend hard and find all
simon  
Posted : Sunday, 11 August 2013 10:31:02 PM(UTC)
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latch, do you have a photo of the rock. i think i may have found a couple of similar rocks recently with a detector. they didn't sound like the usual hot rocks, nor did it scream like metal or have a crisp click like gold. was real mica like. nearby there was a greenish rock that was similarly detectable. it was like cardboard but lots harder. broke some up but no visible gold. one bit did have a thin vein or quartz. when i say it was green it wasn't like the usual green schist boulders like down at gibbston. it was not like the other bedrock in the tailings either.
in the same area i had a similar mica like rock that i detected on bedrock but this one was rusted on the surface and perhaps slightly into it too.
latch  
Posted : Sunday, 11 August 2013 10:48:28 PM(UTC)
latch

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sorry man i gave them to my friend whos more into rocks than me they did come up as iron on the f2 it only beeps unfortunately,it did have some rust on one piece but my mate washed it off when cleaning it,the small rocks did look different than any other rocks in the place i found they were unique to that area,it was when the river was real low
fiend hard and find all