Sunday, January 10, 2016

Quartz Inclusions II

Quartz with Metal Inclusion
My thinking was that I had gold for sure but I had one further question.  It was about how to distinguish gold from Pyrite, aka Fools Gold.  I checked into that question and it involved doing physical damage to my piece of quartz.  The first test, for which I have no picture, involve striking it with a hammer.  Gold would mash and Pyrite would shatter.  I split off one of the inclusions and struck it with the hammer.  It shattered along with the minuscule amount of quartz still attached. 

Then I came to a "streak" test.  Doing physical damage to the original piece what now a hurdle in the past.  I split off another of the inclusions and made a streak on porcelain.

Streak Made with a Metal Inclusion
 The book said that gold streaks as "golden yellow."  It said that Pyrite streaks as greenish black.  I consider the streak as the definitive answer as to the identity of the included metal.  It was Pyrite!

I plan on confirming my findings with Tom Tom Kottyan next time I see him.  I hope that will be a Lowe-Volk on January 16 at 11:00 AM.

What should I reduce the price of the calendars to?  larry@larrysimages.com


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