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mud with silvery stuff
eastcoastboys  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 3:17:13 PM(UTC)
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hi guys was down queenstown on the weekend and in this crack was this mud that looked like silver paint mixing with the water anyone no wat it is cheers
3 Silver rings $55.20 spendables 1 silver
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oroplata  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 3:37:42 PM(UTC)
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Could be tiny wee pieces of mica.
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eastcoastboys  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 4:41:00 PM(UTC)
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ok cool i brought some home and when u swirl it round with water it looks like silver paint but settles to the bottom when u leave it
3 Silver rings $55.20 spendables 1 silver
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Mudwiggle  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 7:04:50 PM(UTC)
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I'd go with mica. Often used in paints for that pearlescent look
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digahole!!  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 7:36:18 PM(UTC)
digahole!!

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If its a liquid, chances are its mercury. Poisonous, harmful if the fumes are breathed, etc. Handle with care.
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Aotea  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 7:51:40 PM(UTC)
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Gidday,
I found the same in a crevass running along bedrock in the Kawarau a couple of years back. After describing it to a geology professor here at uni, Prof Dave Craw a legend in gold- he had the opinion it was a fault, where schist (and maybe other minerals) had ground into a thich silvery paste. He suggested we dredge it to bits and along that crevass but some other bugger banged a permit over the river so we havnt gone back....so, a mini-fault and thousands of years of mechanical action is a serious possibility.
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Flintlock  
Posted : Tuesday, 11 February 2014 9:03:43 PM(UTC)
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I was at the Shotover last weekend and all the muddy water was like that. Definitely mica from the schist rocks.
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simon  
Posted : Friday, 14 February 2014 10:04:10 PM(UTC)
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I'm also sure its mica. spent several years on shotover. in the floods so much material comes downstream. the finer stuff gets deposited on the beaches after the gorges. like fine mud. and full of mica. after some floods it can be in a layer. if you dig a hole and it floods chances are you when you return the hole no matter how big is full of the fine stuff. and a heap of mica. just so much material carried suspended in the water downstream. a very active river.
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