what Mr. Paseo said *assess. You need a field guide to rock and mineral identification and a pocelain tile (unglazed) for the streak test. Field guide is available at any library, tile at a plumbing supply (probably free). Won't be hard to figure out what you got there. Do any look metallic? Evidence of large crystals or small? Color is the worst identifier except gold.
<< <i>I found these in Indiana in a creek that runs off the ohio river. Can anyone help me identify them. Any helps much appreciated.
[/S] >>
Pretty nifty looking Tiffany. Here's a few questions the answers to which may help us to help you identify them. ------ Are they heavy in relation to their size or light as compared to other stones common around there? (That question relates to specific gravity). ------ Did you find them more or less just laying on the surface of the ground or did you dig them up? Pan them out like gold? Are there scads of them laying about or did you have to work a bit to collect these few? ----- Do they smear or leave a colored line when scratched on the back of a shower tile or sidewalk or anything kind of rough/gritty? If so, what color is the line it leaves? (This relates to certain minerals leaving a known color streak) ----- Can you scratch the silvery colored parts with a sharp metal point like a big needle or even a screwdriver? Does that leave a little gouge or trough in the rock where you scratched it? Or does the metal tip kind of chip bits of the rock off? (This relates to hardness) ----- Welcome
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Tiffany thank you for your answers. I really don't know what those are but they are still interesting. What Bob (AuandAg) has in his hand is a genuine (and I'd call it 'large') natural gold nugget. Darn near museum quality too. ------ But we're not here to admire Bob's hand, rather to figure out those weird nuggets of yours. Light weight, hmmm. Bob's I'd imagine is quite heavy. Your's are silver colored maybe with red iron oxide (?), Bob's is gold colored with some white quartz. But if were iron oxide, you should get a red streak. Hmmmm again. BTW, that you get 2 kinds of streaks tells you that you are 'streaking' 2 different parts of your specimens. Which is correct but it's also good to note which part of the specimen produces what. Bob's specimen would yield a cool gold streak on the metal part but the white quartz would probably scratch the plate. You see both of your specimens have more than one single thing in them. Bob's has gold and quartz, your's has we-dunno-what-and-something-else. And quite possibly more than just 2 things.
------ Bob's would probably dent with a a steel tool but I doubt he's going to do that as it is unnecessary in his case. Your's also dented which I did not expect. I thought the silvery stuff might chip off. That it doesn't is interesting to me. ----- So I dunno, I think I'm stumped at least temporarily. I think you could safely say that they are not gold nuggets, but that doesn't mean they are without value or interest. I think it merely means that you've eliminated one possibility. Perhaps a internet search of such terms as 'mineral identification', 'Indiana minerals', etc would help you. Another possibility is local museums or the state geological society. ------ Keep us posted please. John
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<< <i>I found these in Indiana in a creek that runs off the ohio river. Can anyone help me identify them. Any helps much appreciated.
[/S] >>
Pretty nifty looking Tiffany. Here's a few questions the answers to which may help us to help you identify them.
------
Are they heavy in relation to their size or light as compared to other stones common around there? (That question relates to specific gravity).
------
Did you find them more or less just laying on the surface of the ground or did you dig them up? Pan them out like gold?
Are there scads of them laying about or did you have to work a bit to collect these few?
-----
Do they smear or leave a colored line when scratched on the back of a shower tile or sidewalk or anything kind of rough/gritty? If so, what color is the line it leaves? (This relates to certain minerals leaving a known color streak)
-----
Can you scratch the silvery colored parts with a sharp metal point like a big needle or even a screwdriver? Does that leave a little gouge or trough in the rock where you scratched it? Or does the metal tip kind of chip bits of the rock off? (This relates to hardness)
-----
Welcome
I really don't know what those are but they are still interesting.
What Bob (AuandAg) has in his hand is a genuine (and I'd call it 'large') natural gold nugget. Darn near museum quality too.
------
But we're not here to admire Bob's hand, rather to figure out those weird nuggets of yours.
Light weight, hmmm. Bob's I'd imagine is quite heavy.
Your's are silver colored maybe with red iron oxide (?), Bob's is gold colored with some white quartz.
But if were iron oxide, you should get a red streak. Hmmmm again.
BTW, that you get 2 kinds of streaks tells you that you are 'streaking' 2 different parts of your specimens. Which is correct but it's also good to note which part of the specimen produces what. Bob's specimen would yield a cool gold streak on the metal part but the white quartz would probably scratch the plate. You see both of your specimens have more than one single thing in them. Bob's has gold and quartz, your's has we-dunno-what-and-something-else. And quite possibly more than just 2 things.
------
Bob's would probably dent with a a steel tool but I doubt he's going to do that as it is unnecessary in his case. Your's also dented which I did not expect. I thought the silvery stuff might chip off. That it doesn't is interesting to me.
-----
So I dunno, I think I'm stumped at least temporarily. I think you could safely say that they are not gold nuggets, but that doesn't mean they are without value or interest. I think it merely means that you've eliminated one possibility. Perhaps a internet search of such terms as 'mineral identification', 'Indiana minerals', etc would help you. Another possibility is local museums or the state geological society.
------
Keep us posted please.
John