"high sulphur"

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CLD
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"high sulphur"

Post by CLD »

So what's in this sulfur everyone keeps mentioning so cryptically? Gold?
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djui5
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Post by djui5 »

Who is everyone? Sulfur is a good sign, it means there is a possibility there are precious metals near by, but nothing concrete :)
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Post by pippinwhitepaws »

http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ozsvath ... posits.htm

hydrothermal deposits in arizona smell like sulfur
CLD
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Everyone

Post by CLD »

Come on now Randy...did you really think I meant EVERYONE? Surely you recognize the over generalization as being a "manner of speaking?" If you didn't, now you know.
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CLD
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sulphur

Post by CLD »

The reason I asked the question has to do with some samples of sulfur I collected recently that appear to have gold dust in them. Haven't tested them yet but thought I remembered a couple references to High sulfur on the site. Thank you Randy. Thank you Pippin. :D
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critter
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Iron Disulfide

Post by critter »

It's probably pyrite (fool's gold), which is a sulfide of iron, especially if it sort of glitters. Real gold is usually dull, while pyrite sort of glitters. Having said that, though, pyrite is sometimes associated with gold deposits.
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Re: Everyone

Post by djui5 »

CLD wrote:Come on now Randy...did you really think I meant EVERYONE?
No :) I just wasn't sure who you were talking about. I hadn't read anything on the forums.

You should have your samples assayed. Also, be cautious as some sulfur deposits can contain arsenic. That isn't something you wanna be sniffin if you know what I mean :lol: :lol:
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Caution

Post by critter »

Sulphur can also be associated with mercury as cinnabar so be careful with whatever it is you have and whatever you do, don't put it into water. Sulphur is relatively harmless, but sulphuric acid is very dangerous stuff.
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sulfur

Post by CLD »

Pretty sure I never said it was shiny.
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sulphur

Post by critter »

You're correct, you did not say it was shiny.
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shiny

Post by CLD »

Critter, thanks for the information. I'm guessing that there could be a fair amount of gold in there and it still wouldn't matter as it isn't a very large sample. Just something I picked up out hiking.
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Post by pippinwhitepaws »

when all else fails..dump it in nitric acid... :D
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sulphur

Post by critter »

That would certainly desulphurise the sample, but it would also create a lot of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas as well as sulphuric acid and sulphurous gases. I wouldn't want to be in the same room as all of that, but if that's what trips your trigger, then be my guest.
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Post by pippinwhitepaws »

well, duh, don't use nitric acid inside... :D
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Eggfarts and laughter

Post by critter »

Well, unless you want to have a laughing fit in a room that smells of rotten eggs and bad farts.

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Post by Cubfan64 »

For what it's worth, it's inadvisable to "test" ANY unknown with a strong acid (or weak acid for that matter) in an unvented environment.

I read on another forum awhile back that someone was recommending using hydrofluoric acid to "clean" his gold ore samples. The HF dissolved the surrounding quartz and left some really beautiful looking chunks of gold.

While that may indeed work, you better be WELL informed on the hazards of exposure to HF and be fully prepared before ever messing with it!
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Post by pippinwhitepaws »

ok cubfan..i admit i am not a chemist...
but i have seen the dirt out here and unless he picked up that yellow powder up by tuba city, he can dump it in nitric...
since the oxides in arizona run from bright yellow to deep red...little harm results from a small test...now if he was going to strip mine and leech.
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Post by Cubfan64 »

PWP - I freely admit I'm not a geologist, so my comment just belongs in the "FWIW" category, I just cringe a little whenever I see suggestions to add things to acid or base when they don't know what might happen - call it an occupational reaction I guess :).

999 out of 1000 times nothing hazardous may happen, but that 1 out of 1000 could always result in the release of hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide or other toxic/poisonous gasses.

I'll get off my soapbox now and let you all do what you want to do :)
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Post by pippinwhitepaws »

lol, but you are correct cubfan...
and nitric acid is known for being nasty just sitting there...but hey, hard rock mining is no fun...
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