I just registered on this site and wound up on a page with two gorgeous pieces of jewelry. I will try to attach it here. Is this what a vein looks like that has gold in it? And what is the blue?

The ad says its an opal cut into a heart. It looks like a gold vein Yosemite Sam would find. That's cool.

Cute In reality tho, is this what a gold vein looks like if it were on a larger scale? I would like to know what the white is (Quartz?) then the blue (?) then, I assume, gold? I am attempting to make arrangements for a trip to Colorado (I'm in Houston) as soon as I find the right partner. I lost my last partner of 14 years to stroke. I have been single for a little over a year and really want to retire in Colorado, grow medicinal weed and prospect for gems. However, if I'm in a gold pocket, I would like to know before I give up on it for lack of gems. I have never prospected before and need to know as much as possible before the big trip. Any advice, tips or information will be readily noted.

Silky

Welcome to the Colorado Prospector forums Silky. Glad to have you on board, make yourself right at home browsing around.

Very sorry to hear about your partner and best of luck finding someone to prospect with as well as your future prospects here in Colorado. You'd really enjoy Colorado in retirement I bet.

That was an Australian Boulder Opal pendant that Denise cut from some rough we purchased for cutting. The blue is actually the opal vein and the yellow is running along the opal seam between the seam and the matrix ironstone. Pretty as it is, there are no gold inclusions in the stone darn it.

Welcome Silky!

That is a beautiful pendant. Cool!

Thank you for the warm welcome! I didn't assume that the gold was actually gold, I was trying to look at it as if it was on a much larger scale. If so, is this what a gold vein looks like? I read somewhere (I believe it was one of the questions posed by the hit show "Prospectors") that only 20% of the Earth's gold has been found. Thinking about how much gold I've seen in my life, 80% more is tons and tons. That's a sobering thought and enough to make me want to go prospecting. I don't intend to prospect for it as it's the aquas and smokey quartz I'm actually going after. But if we are in a gold vein, I'd like to know what it looks like in the ground. Is it surrounded by white quartz? If I were to ask this question, what would the answer be? "How do you know when there might be gold where you're rockhounding?" I've only seen gold on the Prospectors show once and it was bit a tiny attached to what looked like a white quartz just laying on the ground. Like I said, gold is not what I'm going to Colorado for, but it sure would be nice!

Silky

Gold can be visible in quartz but it all just depends on where you are and how the gold is carried in that area. There's are almost endless variations and possibilities with gold. I've been a rock hound for a long time but gold is special and its a different kind of hunt. It's much more than chasing pegs.
Most of the gold hasn't been found yet but I am trying my best.
Good luck on the crystal hunt!

I would say that if the yellow color in the heart pendant was more metallic looking it would look like a little native gold vein running through the rock. Most native gold veins I have seen pictures of are gold forming in quartz veins. Not all gold veins show shiny yellow gold though. It is sometimes mixed with other vein material that can look way different. The pegmatite that forms smokey quartz or beryl(aqua) can also act like a "vein" or line of material through the host rock and can make branching structures like gold veins.

Just wanted to add my

Thank you. I am trying to get a trip planned in the Spring to go and do some of my first prospecting and living in my 6-man tent and cook by the fire. I haven't been camping in a long time and it sounds like a lot of fun up there. I think I should get a big dog tho cause I am just a little woman by myself and I don't know any of the locals yet. I'm sure it's safe. I would need to meet some of the claim holders and see if they will let me do some digging on their property because I hear that getting one is an act of congress and takes too long.

Where is your two cents?

Hi Silky, I'm glad to offer another welcome to CP!
I'm very sorry to hear of your loss, sincere condolences. Life can really throw us some wicked curve balls. I think you have a good handle on things. Perseverance.
It sounds like a nice adventure that you're planning. We're all here to help you make the best of it.

Hi Silky! I am one of those claim holders. Staking a claim is not that hard itself and the best part...you don't need to ask permission from anyone. It is your right! The key is knowing how to do it right. You came to the right place!

I usually don't invite people up to my claim who I don't know unless they are a Colorado Prospector Club Member. You should have a good look around the forums and site. 90%+ of the info here is public and free. If you like what you see from Club Members like myself then you should consider getting a Club Membership.

Are there 4-wheelers for rent for climbing the mountains or do i have to walk all the way? My car is not a FWD so I have to leave it down the hill. Please tell me there are!

What are you planning exactly?