The Ultimate Guide to Identifying Minerals (Masterclass)
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- Recognizing minerals is a valuable skill that can help you find valuable gems and crystals - some of which are hiding in plain sight. You will be miles ahead as a prospector, because you can recognize indicator minerals and rocks.
This video is sponsored by High Plains Prospecting, a mail order prospecting supply shop that I am partnering with. See: highplainspros...
My discount code for you to get 5% off at High Plains Prospecting is CHRISRALPH
Because I get so many folks who want me to try to identify their rocks and minerals, I have developed this mineral Identification Masterclass. Its complete and will teach the the necessary information to help you recognize those rare and valuable minerals, ores, crystals and specimens.
For those who want to learn more about Prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available from High Plains Prospectors. (Affiliate) You can find it at:
highplainspros...
High Plains Prospectors - Prospecting Equipment and Supplies
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Classic Simple Gold Pan
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Portable Folding Aluminum Sluice Box
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Minelab Gold Monster 1000
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Minelab SDC 2300
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Minelab GPZ 7000
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The biggest problem I run into, in the field, is that those pristine gem quality samples shown in many rock and mineral identification books and charts look absolutely nothing like the minerals as they appear most commonly in nature.
That is part of why just a picture is not good for identifying minerals.
Thank you so much for all the time and preparation that you put into your presentations. I go to a monthly mineral class in Kingman, AZ led by a DANA expert and also a geologist. It has been very helpful to see their vast mineral collections and to have them share their many years of experience. This video helped to pull together more pieces of the puzzle (a puzzle that I will be playing with the rest of my life).
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it.
It always gives me a Tingley feeling when I find something that educates me. It's a welcome reprieve from searching through the thousands of fake drama, exaggerated and capslock titles begging for attention.
I wish there were more folks like you!
Yes. This is very valuable. Thank you
I found an Amethyst a few weeks ago looking for gold. The bright purple in midday sun was a good giveaway.
Sounds like a good find.
Thank you for this valuable information!
Glad it was helpful!
Watching as we speak! Keep it up man, as always pertinent information, and no bs
Much appreciated, Glad you are enjoying it
Thanks Professor Chris that was a very good lesson
Glad you liked it!
One of your images of galena says it is from the Sierra Gordo mine, which is the mine a fellow you-tuber owns. I would like to know more about tellurides and the other sulfides that occur with gold, have you covered them in more detail elsewhere? Do all of the calcite minerals glow under blacklight? Are there many other minerals that glow under blacklight? I understand that some radioactive minerals here in Texas can actually glow for a short time when exposed to air. Are there many minerals that are radioactive? Are they dangerous to be exposed to? Thanks for writing your book, it has been very helpful in my weekend efforts. I have found some small flakes in the Llano/Marble Falls area in Texas, but I am heading new adventures towards New Mexico to find better exposures since I live in Lubbock TX.
You should really go though my catalog of older videos, I think a bunch of them would interest you.
My video on Tellurides: ruclips.net/video/co1-UExjduc/видео.html
My video on how to ID minerals with Ultraviolet light: ruclips.net/video/I3Lh-uC6DGM/видео.html
My video on Uranium and radioactive minerals: ruclips.net/video/qnYeUPl05ZI/видео.html
always good when you post
I appreciate that. Glad you enjoy it!
Good stuff 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for sharing this knowledge. We truly appreciate you
You are so welcome, thanks for subscribing.
great teacher hi garimpohobby Brazil 💥
Glad you enjoyed it.
I've run into sand stone with various levels of speckling, and typically, there are a lot of iron staining, which is fine, but the one that I have the hardest time is when its inky black.
Even though there is a lot of iron in my region, there is also zinc, and traces of other metals, but I can't know which it is by its color.
Maybe I need to try washing it in acid and see if I get a measurable amount of any metallic salts which I can isolate, crystallize and then identify.
I know that sometimes one can heat minerals and with a method known as 'light diffraction' one can see bandwidths of light known to be specific to certain metals and minerals.
Measuring the light emissions off a mineral requires very special equipment.
@@ChrisRalph 911 Metallurgist has a diagram and parts list for building one cheaply at home.
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your valuable knowledge. I love your videos! I have ordered from high plains with your discount they had a great price on a gold monster 1000 that will replace my worn-out gold bug. 🤠 from Pahrump
I'm glad you found the video helpful. And the Gold Monster 1000 is a great detector.
Thank you for this information. I grew up hiking, mine hunting, and gold panning rivers in western Washington. I moved east when I had kids almost 6 years ago. Now im 35 and my 5 year old, she loves gemstones and rocks. And loves gathering and collecting. So im doing my darndest to learn as much as I can so her and i can do some hounding together as she gets older and we hike. I live smack in the middle of Idaho/washington gold country.
It's great that you're getting your daughter into the hobby, it's a great way to bond with her and explore nature.
Future geologist. ❤
Now that I’ve completed the course do I get a certificate ? LOL
Yes, I'll give it to you the next time we are out prospecting together.
@@ChrisRalph Deal !!!!!!! LOL
lol Original and funny
I'd love to find tungstates!
But that's a mineral never found in my district.
You can't find what isn't there!
I’m good with Leveright !! LOL
Me too!
Thank you, you know, it's worth having an expert's opinion, today I found it for the first time, it's magnetic and fluorescent, it's about 3 cm, best regards.
Best of luck to you.
Thank you sir.
Most welcome
And i subscribed. This guy is awesome
Glad you enjoyed the content.
Thank you for your intensive exploration of minerals! Great show! What was the pink mineral combined with the manganese in the photo of the manganese examples? ❤
Pink minerals with manganese are usually Rhondonite or sometimes Rhodochrosite.
I have 12.65 acres in the deep south. Anyway an overseas company is wanting to restart gold mining in the area. Ive found a nice nugget on my property myself. They had my property tested including other people's property. Results on my property are 14ppm at the highest and 4ppm on the Lowest. They offered me $31,000 a year for 10 years to mine. 8 years of mining and 2 of restoration and planting of trees. Is that a fair deal or should I ask for more?
Normally you get a small percentage of the gross production, like 1 to 2 percent in addition to the payment. I would not sign without a percentage - all the deals I have with mining companies include a percentage.
Normally deals include a small percentage of the gross production from your property in addition to the payment. Its often from 1 to 3 percent. All of the deals I have with mining companies for my claims include a percentage. Even if you only get 1% it will likely be a lot more than $31,000 a year.
Yes sir, the % is apart of the main deal. This is a separate deal because my residence is also on the property. This is a separate inconvenience type deal. They told me my home will lose a lot of value during mining and it will be inconvenient from the noise etc. Just trying to wrap my head around all this.
No, sign the contract right now. As we are entering a severe economical depression these tiny ppm rating of your terrain will worth nothing as gold price will drop to sub-1000 level. Of course all market predictions are subjected to risk, but if I would be you I would sign immediately
Yes. Wisdom. Sign a deal soon. Get a percentage also counter with your offer, they might take it good luck to you. I’m happy you have some success there.
I’d like to share a trick with all the gold panners out there. If you have unidentified specs in your gold pan that appear to be gold, but you’re not quite sure simply take a nail or something similar to that and try to crush it. If it crushes it’s not gold. I can’t give you all my tips because I gotta make a living here lol
sounds good.
Mr Chris what are dolomite?
Dolomite is a rock related to limestone, but with both magnesium and calcium carbonates.
Have you ever read Paul W. Klipsch's patents, the ones that aren't about speakers horns?
Uh, no.
At one time, my grandfather gave me a 37,000 karat emerald garnet set in quartz carbonate.
My mother's second husband found it, stole it from me, and sold it for a whole lot of money, out of which I got nothing.
Not much of a guy to do that.
@@ChrisRalph He is an evil individual.
Last I heard, he was a person of interest in the suspicious death of his own father.
Hi Chris Ralph I had a question. What if there’s white rocks like quarts all over an area under all trees and all around? Is that an indication of gold in the area?
Quartz is super common and the most common mineral on earth. But gold is rare. Quartz I with no gold is pretty common. Test for gold to see If gold is present.
So I have a question... I live In putnam county indiana, I had found this dark blue/gray rock with clear quartz crystal in and throughout it. I did find it within a bed of fill rock so it had to of been brought to where I found it. It's two separate pieces but most definitely same rock. They both have small spots with a few little things of gold on them but it's It's extremely spread out throughout the hole rock. I do 100% believe it's gold due to multiple test I've done. So first question is what potential specimen of rock would I have? I can't find anything that looks fairly close. Like kyanite dark blueish to grey maybe maybe. I have seen another quite like how mine is. That and I really do belive there formations are completely different but I honestly don't know. Would you have any guesses? Secondly is it still work trying to brake, grind, and pan it even though I know there's not a ton of gold in it? Like I know there's no big deposit hidden in it but it's full of just super small golden spots but I mean that seriously can't weigh a ton right? It's maybe a little bigger than a football altogether so nothing to crazy big but also nothing Uma just willingly want to carry around for fun. I've had it for over a year and have nothing to show for it with my research and major interest in it. Thank you!!!
two broken pieces with tiny specs is not worth much. in fill gravel, it could have come from as far away as Canada.
Also considering I live in indiana any thing you would suggest I keep an eye out for or anything to rock hounding area tip or comments are also greatly appreciated from you. I understand your from Nevada but just for the off chance you know anything about my state I'd love to hear. Maybe even make a video of areas and what they are rich in throughout the states would honestly be awesome. I think a lot of people would enjoy that and potentially other continents after that. Regardless thank you for the videos and help you have provided me throughout my year of learning. Your very interesting and informative and a huge shout out to you for that!
You've seen my video on Midwest gold, right? That video shows where the glacial remains are and that is where the gold is.
teach them to identify leaverite (leave er right there). they wont bother you do much. 😂🤣😂🤣. have a good day
No, because 99.99999% of everything is leaverite. Its the good stuff you want to recognize when you go past it.
@@ChrisRalph whoops (to). spelled it wrong. have a good day
Is sphalerite an indicator mineral for gold?
In some rare circumstances, yes, but usually, no.
Old Moly is put into high PRESSURE greases.
Its also important in a number of steel alloys.
You forgot UV light, it is awesome for identification, for example you could point UV light on cinnabar and get pure mercury out of it
I did a whole video on UV light mineral identification.
Are rock identification apps - helpful and accurate?
I've not used them, I don't think they could be accurate.
I'm very sorry sir. Would you mind helping me identify my stones?
Watch that video. It will tell you what you need to know. I get quite a few people every day who want me to ID their rock and mineral photos. I do not offer a mineral ID service, mostly because it’s not as easy as you think. Usually, minerals cannot be identified from just a picture.
So basically double back .... Okay
Not sure what you mean by "double back"