how to spot silver and gold in a rock that contains Garnets?

Question

I think i may have this situation

Answer 1

Garnets are a family of common rock-forming calc-silicate and aluminum silicate minerals, found in high temperature metamorphic and igneous rocks, as well as alluvial placers. The only common type of mineral deposit that could reasonably be expected to contain gold +/- silver with garnet would be a skarn. They are heavy and resistant to weathering and therefore they can accumulate in placer deposits - but you said you have a rock.

Identifying gold and silver in a rock containing garnets would be the same as identifying gold and silver in any other rock.

Most silver is found in nature as a mineral - in other words silver is usually combined with other elements such as sulfur, lead, and arsenic as a compound. Native silver is very rare.

Gold is usually found in its elemental form. Native gold (called visible gold or "VG" by geologists and prospectors) is quite rare, but can be identified by its bright yellow color, metallic luster, lack of oxidation, malleability and generally amorphous character. It can be further determined by high conductivity and specific gravity.

Muscovite mica is commonly mistaken for silver by non-specialists, and phlogopite mica, pyrite, and chalcopyrite may look like gold to the untrained eye.

If you still think you've really got gold and silver, most mineralogy departments at your local university could check it out for you, or you could ask for a geochemical analysis at a laboratory like ALS Chemex, Acme Labs or Omac Labs.

www.alschemex.com
www.acmelab.com
www.omaclabs.com

Answer 2

Silver is a shiny grey substance, and gold is a shiny yellowish substance.