So I finally got around to looking more closely at the heavies from last years panning season. I was originally panning for gold but later discovered after some research that there's almost no gold in the area where I live. However, after even more research I discovered there are numerous known kimberlite and lamproite intrusions in the crust in my area. So I went to one of these locations with my gold pan and shovel and started digging and panning in a creek downstream. I should note that my panning skills aren't the best and I might have been too careful and leaving quartz in the pan.
Hello Frenchman:
Your pics show good indicator minerals...you're in the right spot for sure. What you're showing here is spot on for what you'd expect to see when prospecting near an eroded kimberlite pipe. A couple of the clear grains might be tiny diamonds but there is also some quartz in the pics. Don't get too hung up on clearing out all the quartz from your pan as you might very well discard a diamond or two in the process.
I'd keep collecting the heavies and run them at home, just like you're doing. From the coloration of the garnets, I'd say it is just a matter of time until you collect an unmistakable diamond crystal!
ASTROBLEME
Welcome to the forums Frenchman!
I hope to do a few panning trips this year for diamonds. Looks like you are on a trail already. Awesome! Keep at it.
There is tons of great information here. Thanks for sharing your finds with us.
Thanks for the replies! I can't wait for all the snow to melt away so I can go digging! Any tips on how to identify possible diamonds? I'm doing scratch tests on a tungsten carbide button bit used in blasthole drills with little luck. Are any of the thermal conductivity testers any good on rough stones? I realize identifying tiny irregular crystals are hard without proper equipment.
I've added some more pictures of bigger grains:
I belive I found one! A teeny tiny one! Scratches tungsten carbide easily, leaves no powder and has characteristic diamond luster/shape as seen in the pictures below:
I believe heat is another test... apply heat to it (boiling water or flame) and then touch it (or if you're really fancy, use a IR thermometer lol) and if it isn't hot, it's a diamond. If not, you'll burn your hand and be hesitant to do it again lol
Just boiled it in a glass of water in the microwave and put it straight into my mouth. At first I thought I lost it because I could not feel anything but then I realized it was just the same temperature as my mouth, which suggests excellent thermal conductivity. I'm afraid fire will damage it.
Cool! I live in the Fort and I've been pouring over geo maps scheming places to pan diamonds. bunch of diamond pipes west/northwest of town. I'm pretty new to panning in general but it's pretty much the same as gold?
So I think I found a likely spot that is downstream of a pretty big diamond pipe, one that is claimed. The stream flows through a corner of forest service land downstream of the claim and the land is forest service land. So now I need to find out if anyone has Placer or other claims on that spot I'm scheming.
The geology of this area is pretty interesting, a gigantic ring dike structure from a massive granite intrusion, all kinds of stuff along the ring and it's shot through with Kimberlite pipes.
Astrobleme has you on the right poop. Those last pictures might possibly be a diamond. Try soaking it overnight in a plastic container with just enough Whink to cover it. Careful, that stuff contains hydroflouric acid and can be very dangerous if spilled or fumes inhaled. Get some at Walmart in the rust remover department. If it is a diamond, it will clean up and look better. If it is anything else, it will etch (frost) the surface. Hope that helps. I have panned many nice diamonds out of the creeks in your area, just be careful that you don't trespass. Most of the forest service roads accessing the creeks are locked. But nothing should stop you from walking in and trying. A bucket with classifiers, a saruca, and a shovel is all you need.
Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)