(microscope photos are marked M)
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Specimen A above taken with ordinary digital camera. Photo of two ounce nugget (specimen A) found at depth of about one foot on salt lake (at level of water table) showing nugget surrounded by a crust of celestine/barite crystals.(see also below) It also has some chlorite on other side and as you can see at top right, also a bit of gypsum attached. Many of these 'supergene' nuggets have gypsum crystals attached. |
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M4x 'Platy ' nature of this crystalline gold nugget ( specimen A ) can be seen here under a low power microscope.. Most of this nugget has been encrusted with celestine/barite crystals. |
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specimenA 40x A part of specimen A showing typical blocky and stepped crystalline structure for this type of salt lake nugget. The colour of the gold in these microscope photos is pale due to the reflected light. |
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Specimen B Above Crystalline salt lake nugget found at level of water table.
This nugget was cleaned
only briefly in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove outside mud but some 'mud' still remains in the
pockets.
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Magnification of part of specimen B above through microscope showing clear evidence of a later secondary purer gold deposit which looks spongy but is actually microscopic gold crystals over massive crystalline gold.(this appears a silvery colour due to light reflection under microscope) Possibly a bacteria aided secondary deposit?
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M40x A sharp crystalline part of specimenB 40x just showing filamentous texture on one flat surface. Higher magnification with this microscope was not possible. |
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© copyrite Janet Mears 2010
These images are not to be reused without permission.