Upcoming Rockhounding Events in Alaska

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Gold

Streak: Golden, Yellow

Hardness: 2.5 – 3

Chemical Formula: Au

Native gold is an element and a mineral. It is highly prized by people because of its attractive color, its rarity, resistance to tarnish, and its many special properties – some of which are unique to gold. No other element has more uses than gold. All of these factors help support a price of gold that is higher than all but a few other metals.

Trace amounts of gold are found almost everywhere, but large deposits are found in only a few locations. Although there are about twenty different gold minerals, all of them are quite rare. Therefore, most gold found in nature is in the form of the native metal.

Photo: Gold by Robert M. Lavinsky is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Garnet (Almandine)

Streak: white

Hardness: 7 – 7.5

Chemical Formula: Fe3Al2(SiO4)3

Garnets are a group of silicate minerals. Almandine is the most common of the garnet group and always features a red color.

Crystals of almandine often have well-developed faces and complex crystalline structures. Due to its color, almandine garnets are frequently cut and used as gemstones, but coarse varieties are often crushed for use as an abrasive.

Photo: Almandine by Rock Currier is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

sample of smoky quartz

Quartz

Hardness: 7

Streak: White

Chemical Formula: SiO2

Quartz is one of the most common minerals found in the Earth’s crust. While it is usually colorless and transparent, quartz can also be found in a wide variety of colors and a range of opacity. These varieties generally have their own name such as rose quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, and citrine.

Quartz can also be found in cryptocrystalline varieties, or quartz that is made up of microscopic crystals. These varieties include chalcedony, agate, and jasper.

Gold

Streak: Golden, Yellow

Hardness: 2.5 – 3

Chemical Formula: Au

Native gold is an element and a mineral. It is highly prized by people because of its attractive color, its rarity, resistance to tarnish, and its many special properties – some of which are unique to gold. No other element has more uses than gold. All of these factors help support a price of gold that is higher than all but a few other metals.

Trace amounts of gold are found almost everywhere, but large deposits are found in only a few locations. Although there are about twenty different gold minerals, all of them are quite rare. Therefore, most gold found in nature is in the form of the native metal.

Photo: Gold by Robert M. Lavinsky is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

sample of pyrite

Pyrite

Streak: Greenish-Black

Hardness: 6 – 6.5

Chemical Formula: FeSâ‚‚

Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. It’s pale brass-yellow color is where pyrite gets its nickname “Fool’s Gold” as it was commonly mistaken for gold by novice prospectors.

The name pyrite is derived from the Greek phrase pyrites lithos, “stone or mineral which strikes fire,” due to the fact that pyrite emits sparks when struck by iron.

Pyrite is well known for it’s cuboid crystal habit, but it can also be found in many other forms. Pyrite can form dodecahedral, or twelve sided, forms known as pyritohedra.

Fool’s gold can be differentiated from real gold by its hardness, brittleness, and crystal form. Pyrite’s streak also is a defining characteristic as it is generally greenish black to brownish black whereas gold tested on a streak plate will leave a yellow streak.

Jade

Streak: White

Hardness: 6 – 7

Chemical Formula: NaAlSi2O6

Pure jade is white in color but inclusions of iron cause it’s popular green color. Jade with manganese is lilac in color, and other colors can be found in jade with other mineral inclusions.

Jade crystals are rare and it is most often found as pebbles or boulders. Jade is made up of blocky crustals that cause a granular texture.

Photo: Jadeite by James St. John is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

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Celeste
Author: Celeste

Rocks!