Where to find platinum nuggets - identify platinum nuggets - Geology of platinum deposits and ores

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  • čas přidán 9. 11. 2019
  • If you want to learn to find platinum nuggets, watch this video! In this video I talk about where to find alluvial placer platinum nuggets in the USA and around the world. You can find platinum with a metal detector if you know where to look. I also talk a lot about what platinum nuggets look like and how to recognize and identify platinum. I also talk about the geology of platinum deposits and what platinum ores look like. Watch and you will learn about platinum deposits all over the world. I also talk about platinum minerals and the types of minerals platinum, palladium and the platinum group metals are associated with in the earth.
    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 on from High Plains Prospectors. (Affiliate) You can find it at:
    highplainsprospectors.com/pro...
    For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
    nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe...
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Komentáře • 1K

  • @timothylittlefield
    @timothylittlefield Před 2 lety +5

    Great job introducing platinum.

  • @juananayalomeli73
    @juananayalomeli73 Před 3 lety +20

    Just started watching your videos, and immediately subscribed; this is exactly the kind of information i have been looking for. I love how rich and informative your videos are, and thank you for taking the time to make such good content for us greenhorns, who want to get into prospecting. : )) And I am looking forward to purchasing you book very soon.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +7

      Glad it was helpful! Lots more videos coming - this morning I put up a new video on Rare earths.

    • @shanelocke237
      @shanelocke237 Před rokem +2

      He's more of a professor prospector than a professional prospector don't you think?????

    • @shanelocke237
      @shanelocke237 Před rokem +1

      His book tought me literally to find fists full of gold

  • @RandyLunn
    @RandyLunn Před 4 lety +5

    Thanks again Chris. My grandkids and I are loving your videos.

  • @juliebooth3376
    @juliebooth3376 Před 4 lety +16

    Thank you , I just love your videos and can’t wait to read your book .I really appreciate the time and effort you put into making these videos and explaining everything so clearly . You’re amazing , keep up the great work , we don’t learn enough about our environment and surroundings as we should in school . It’s shocking how little most people really know about basic elements and nature . . Have a great day .

  • @hippiblue
    @hippiblue Před 3 lety +7

    I bought a tea pot at a yard sale, made of platinum in West Germany, worth $2500 on line.

  • @jamesdavis5096
    @jamesdavis5096 Před 3 lety +3

    This is so awesome. I finally had some time to watch it again. Please keep this coming and go even deeper... with the mining- extraction locations just like you are doing..

  • @phyllisparmenter818
    @phyllisparmenter818 Před 4 lety +15

    Chris, I figure I would be the luckiest woman on this earth if I could find a gold nugget !!! I would be so busy looking for gold, I would probably overlook anything other than a piece of gold. That’s OK though, I would just be happy taking in The Great Outdoors and coming up with a little or big nugget of gold. As I continue to watch these videos, the countryside is absolutely gorgeous. Everyone of you seem to have a special place (or your claim) to share with us. Water running through a little canyon with clean (litter free) areas that you can just sit and enjoy. Beautiful waterfalls without graffiti sprayed all over the rocks. I just couldn’t think of anything better !!! Truly God’s Country. Thanks a million.

  • @stevenhigby3512
    @stevenhigby3512 Před 4 lety +6

    Great video back in the day when they were panning in the creeks, they had no idea what the platinum nuggets were so they would dump them off to the side and leave them.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @Terralandia
      @Terralandia Před 3 lety

      czcams.com/video/QKqpv5cmCpM/video.html

  • @quidelicia1
    @quidelicia1 Před 4 lety +14

    Hi Chris. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Its complicated to find some information about platinum. One more follower!!

  • @templeviewgate
    @templeviewgate Před 4 lety +4

    Chris blessed as you are ....you know what ... Many miss all these adventures of enjoying the nature with sense of treasure hunting...money may be might not be an option for me but yes trying out natural vastness as small ant makes me feel blessed with pleasure ...and yes of course with knowledge through your videos makes trip more enthralling.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      I do admit that I have been blessed may times over. I do have a lot of fun getting out and exploring - its not always about the money. Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @templeviewgate
      @templeviewgate Před 4 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph Thanks Chris. Honourably sharing your pleasures in India. Thanks a lot.

  • @myhandyman1
    @myhandyman1 Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks for doing these shows I share them with my friends.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      thanks for sharing. Glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @luckyeagle7789
    @luckyeagle7789 Před rokem +1

    Great video on Platinum, Chris... thanks! I have purchased several copies of your book; for myself and to give to friends who are whan-a-bee Gold Prospectors. You are the best!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      Awesome, thank you for the kind words!

  • @AnvilDragon
    @AnvilDragon Před 3 lety +5

    One small gold mine in the south end of the Panamint Valley California revised their operation to also recover platinum. People can get so focused looking for gold anything else of value goes unseen.

  • @californiamotherlodeprospect

    Middle fork American river has some platinum, I've read stories of historical finds and have actually found a small platinum nugget from there as well. Always keeping an eye out for the stuff!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +4

      The middle fork (American) is one of those places I've intended to prospect more seriously but have done only a little. One of these days! Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @razzledazzle1816
      @razzledazzle1816 Před 3 lety +2

      @@ChrisRalph you seem to know what your talking about so I have this question for you have you ever heard of minerals and gemstone rocks being pushed out of the ground on their own and I'm talking within an 8 hour period and multiple ones forming trails and when they are gathered together and put in piles together they react to each other positively and negatively forming patterns and symbol shapes in very precise ways. This is a very serious question and I do hope you can give me some feedback and I appreciate your time sir, thanks.

    • @user-dk9ch7qu7e
      @user-dk9ch7qu7e Před rokem +1

      Find the big ones

  • @CherrysJubileeJoyfully
    @CherrysJubileeJoyfully Před 7 měsíci

    Sir. ... you may have just helped me make my dreams come true!
    God bless you 🙏 truly. I love you and yours unconditionally.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 7 měsíci +1

      So nice of you, glad the video was helpful.

  • @selfsufficientmama9648
    @selfsufficientmama9648 Před 2 lety +5

    I sent you an email with a picture of what I believe is my platinum nugget that I recently found while gold panning in Oregon. Thank you for sharing your information with us all. 💙

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety +1

      Its almost always impossible to ID minerals from photos. So I do not offer a service to ID minerals for folks.

    • @user-lf4td9xr4v
      @user-lf4td9xr4v Před 2 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph Do you happen to know how do we get platinum nugget identified?

    • @user-lf4td9xr4v
      @user-lf4td9xr4v Před rokem

      @@user-dk9ch7qu7e Thank you!

  • @michaelpaul2581
    @michaelpaul2581 Před 2 lety +3

    Hi Chris. Thank you so much for not only sharing your knowledge, but for doing it in a positive, friendly, fun, academic, and joyful way. I stumbled upon your videos in the last month or so and I was wondering as I begin to prospect, what your thoughts are on how drones are used in prospecting. Could you please give suggestions of usage. Thanks

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety

      I appreciate that! Drones would be used to explore around a property and take a look before you start hiking around.

  • @markfothebeast
    @markfothebeast Před 3 lety +21

    This is by far, the most in depth explanation of everything I was looking for. I am no geologist but I just like to dig holes in the ground and find cool things plus locate fossils. So today I had went gold panning for the first time. And what I see from my finds look more like platinum where the gold should be sitting in the pan. Now, this area is very interesting because this area was impacted by a meteorite 450+ mil years ago (Rock Elm WI). This area is very unique in ways. It also contains a rare mineral named reidite. This type of thing gets me all interested.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +4

      Glad you enjoyed it.

    • @markfothebeast
      @markfothebeast Před 3 lety +3

      @@ChrisRalph We need more people to be interested in this subject. So THANK YOU for creating videos on this topic! Younger generations need to learn this knowledge from these videos.

    • @peteralimpolos5203
      @peteralimpolos5203 Před 2 lety +3

      Hi I have some meteors stone collection. But I don't know how to classify it. Or what metreors that I have found and collected. If someone interested. I want to sell it.

    • @Sniped671
      @Sniped671 Před rokem

      @@peteralimpolos5203 hmu, I would like one piece if possible.

    • @fahdalnomanyfahdalnomany6320
      @fahdalnomanyfahdalnomany6320 Před rokem +1

      Thank you, I wish you happy times and benefit from you a lot.

  • @360.Outdoors.Videos
    @360.Outdoors.Videos Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks so much Chris for all your generosity to teach us .
    Greetings from Europe 😊

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @360.Outdoors.Videos
      @360.Outdoors.Videos Před 4 lety

      Sorry my phone made an error . i wanted to say generosity and express gratefulness

  • @georgezink6338
    @georgezink6338 Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks.for shsring your knowledge .its really great of you.

  • @richardrobertson1331
    @richardrobertson1331 Před 4 lety +12

    Up to 70% of serpentine (California's state mineral) can be asbestos, so crushing this ore for platinum has its risks. In the early days of mining in Russia, platinum was so abundant and resistant to rusting that they made frying pans out of it. Expensive metal detectors with higher frequency ranges will pick up platinum in rock, if the content is high enough. A short distance off Route 80 in the foothills of California, I have found platinum with my Minelab metal detector, set on A/M (all metal), platinum sets off the alarm with a numerical code reading of 32. It's difficult to process this ore, so other than sending in an assay it is simply sitting in a few buckets in my storage locker. Every time I'm in that area I pick up a little more and someday I may have enough to pay someone else to process it. Cheapest processor I have found, so far, has a $2,500 minimum charge. Very interesting video, Chris. Thanks for doing such a great job with it, as usual.

  • @chungrigby5006
    @chungrigby5006 Před 3 lety +3

    Thanks for all the good information. I will purchase your book. I own 1000 acres on Arizona/New Mexico border where gold was mined in the old days but know very little of what to look for. I have many canyons here with black sand and bed rock so I am researching and testing. I will be watch your videos to learn more. Thanks

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +1

      Test around on your property to see what the possibilities are. The book will give you more of the basics.

  • @gloriawright9289
    @gloriawright9289 Před rokem +1

    i enjoy your videos they have taught me alot in the last 3 months thank you

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem +1

      I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them.

  • @ronlarson6530
    @ronlarson6530 Před 2 lety +1

    Hey Chris, it was nice talking with you today!
    See 26:13 for what I was talking about, in the Seattle area...
    I enjoy your videos when I can't get out (rain/snow) ;)

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety +1

      So I said the platinum was from Washington state and yes, there is platinum in Washington. I mentioned that if you are in the Seattle area or other places in Washington, you might want to follow up on these occurrences. I did not say these nuggets are from the Seattle area.
      From a Washington state Report: Platinum occurs in a number of places in this State and small amounts are produced almost every year as a by-product of placer gold mining. The platinum probably occurred originally very sparingly disseminated through certain basic igneous rocks and as these have been weathered it has been freed and collected along the streams with the sands and gravels. Localities are known to occur in the Cascade Mountains, where such rocks are exposed over large areas and along the st reams flowing from them platinum may be expected.
      A small amount of platinum has been produced from the south fork of Lewis River in Clarke County. Negro Creek, near Mt. Stuart, and Mad River in Chelan County are said to have produced some platinum. Near Anacortes in Skagit County platinum is said to occur in a massive chromite. Platinum is also reported from Slate Creek, Similkamene district, Little Mt. Chopaca; and near Riverside, Okanogan County; from placer gold mining of the beach sand in Clallam County; and from black sands at Beards Hollow in Pacific County.

  • @BullProspecting
    @BullProspecting Před 4 lety +3

    Hello chris! I seen you on discovery channel also! It looked and sounded like you! God bless you for all you do!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      It was actually the history Channel, but it looked and sounded like me because it was! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! May Gold bless you as well!

  • @sjmontinijr
    @sjmontinijr Před 3 lety +3

    Hello Chris, writing here o congratulate You for the great work you`re been doing here, teaching or at least enlighting people on how to start prospecting, and I am one of those whom are geting to learn here, my intent is to (soon enough) make an youtube chanel to pass on everything i am learning here with you and also other great prospectors, as I`m from brazil and am living here atm, my goal is to make a chanel in portuguese/english so people from here can learn mining language in english and maybe people from around the world learn the portuguese mining language, I hope you don`t mind the passing on of your knowledge. And once again, Thanks for Your great work here!

  • @smokenwhisky9163
    @smokenwhisky9163 Před rokem

    Thank you for this wonderful introduction to PGM’s!

  • @DaleDuffy
    @DaleDuffy Před 4 lety +1

    Another informative video, I hope your book arrives in the mail tomorrow, can't wait to read it. Thanks again, Chris...!

  • @jonasjones8828
    @jonasjones8828 Před 4 lety +39

    I grew up in Silverton Colorado. As kids we would sell rock specimens to the tourists who came in on the train. Wonder how much money we lost.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +4

      Hard to say...... Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @greggorsantonio4542
      @greggorsantonio4542 Před 4 lety +3

      What color were the rocks you, as kids, sold.....pink?? Grey?? Blue/Green?? If so, you still made money by selling, per say, just not all the money....wink.

    • @shawnbogstie2827
      @shawnbogstie2827 Před 3 lety +2

      @@ChrisRalph Thanks for the lesson. BTW, it's "per se" not "per say". My lesson to you. lol. Have a good day, sir.

    • @jeffmccrea9347
      @jeffmccrea9347 Před 3 lety +3

      ...Wonder how much money we lost...
      That's hard to say. What was the growing rate for #2 aluminum then? 🤣

    • @Steveman27
      @Steveman27 Před 3 lety +1

      If they were common and abundant and had no precious metals or gems instead of them, then you didn't lose anything. I would have worried more about the tourists possibly overpaying. And with a name like Silverton, it sounds like silver was plentiful in that town.

  • @workingfortheirfuture
    @workingfortheirfuture Před 4 lety +4

    Just double clicked today, although I shamefully admit I’ve been watching and always been learning for a while now.
    I find quite a bit of serpentine in my area (interior BC) which is often encasing calcite and always has black crystals studding them... chorolite (?) or something I thought.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +2

      There are like more than 1000 minerals that come in black, so could be a lot of things.

  • @michaeldonovan6076
    @michaeldonovan6076 Před 7 měsíci

    Thanks Chris super educational and great to be educating myself from your videos so love the videos,
    Thanks for the Geology.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 7 měsíci

      Thanks. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it so much.

  • @bradmoberly6164
    @bradmoberly6164 Před rokem

    Amazing job replying to comments. I have never seen a content creator do that. Lovedtje video

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      It's one of my "things" that I do reply.

  • @robertsnyder5149
    @robertsnyder5149 Před 4 lety +45

    I found a platinum nugget above Canyon City Oregon with my metal detector.Yes it was a real one it was in a dry creek bed below an old adit dug into serpentine. It was 1 1/4 in. long by 3/8 in thick. Canyon creek has all kinds of green to black serpentine.

  • @UncleBildo
    @UncleBildo Před 3 lety +21

    Still trying to catch up with your old videos, love 'em! Would love a re-visit on platinum group metals and prospecting for them in the US. I know Northern Cal, SW AZ, and a few places have a little, but it'd be quite interesting to know more about prospecting for it in the regions, how to spot it etc. With the price of platinum, rhodium, etc currently, it's time to go scratch around some hillsides! Keep up the good work! I cannot believe you don't have a lot more subscribers! We need to point more rock geeks at your channel!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +2

      It's very rare and is found in very few places. Oregon is one you did not mention.

    • @IsAmericaforSaletoChina
      @IsAmericaforSaletoChina Před 2 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph I live next to it :) I would also like to know more about it.

    • @mattmatt6572
      @mattmatt6572 Před rokem +2

      I've got a friend who thinks he has a silver nugget but watching this I kinda think he has platinum. How can you tell between platinum and silver? I know where I'm at in copper country wasn't a place you mentioned for finding platinum but also I know we have at least trace elements of the platinum metals groups coming out of our copper mines here.

  • @AidanDoesaSurvival
    @AidanDoesaSurvival Před rokem +1

    Today I'm about to go out to a B grade placer for platinum and it's group metals out in California.
    Just wanted to say Thanks for the inspiration to get out and start prospecting, and for the videos and all the helpful advice therein. Keep up the great work!👍
    (I Will update this comment after I get back with anything that I find or don't find .)
    Update, found 1 speck of platinum and a whole lot of black sands with what might be some extra extra small iridium specks.
    Had lots of fun but lost a pan and classifier to the river.
    Further prospecting is needed to determine if there is enough platinum to work the area.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem +2

      Have fun, and I am interested to hear what you find.

  • @austint.6627
    @austint.6627 Před 2 lety +1

    Absolutely loved this, thank you. definetly subscribing

  • @rainrunner8893
    @rainrunner8893 Před 2 lety +4

    Thanks for this video not much info out there on wild platinum 😀..I’ve found what I believe to be very small platinum pickers when prospecting in the south west mountains of curry county OR also a bit in the beach sands after a big storm….Im very excited now about the time I found a chunky rock unusually heavy for its size w/ streaks/crystal matrix of grey looking metal found in a creek bed…I’m desperately now searching for that dang rock after watching this video. 😂

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety +3

      Best of luck in your prospecting. Glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @walinga70
    @walinga70 Před 4 lety +4

    I've had a large rock for 30+ years, no one seems to have the same opinion on what it is but many want to buy it. Love to find someone who REALLY knows. Looks like Platinum.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      Find someone locally who knows rocks and minerals... Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @walinga70
      @walinga70 Před 4 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph tried that, they wanted to buy it for 600$ but couldn't say for sure what it was. Then we showed some gold buyers that came here, they said it was silver and offered 500$. It's extremely heavy, should weigh 5 lbs but weighs 15. I'll just keep it on my shelf forever. 😁

    • @Dan0rioN
      @Dan0rioN Před 4 měsíci

      @@walinga70 Why don't you get it tested?! Smh..

    • @walinga70
      @walinga70 Před 4 měsíci

      @@Dan0rioN the closest place to me is about four hours away. A rock and gem show came near here they said it was silver and offered 600$ not really interested in selling it just want to know what it is. I also have a place I dig black rocks much like Apache tears but not. No one seems to know what they are either. I have several great mysteries 😆

    • @Dan0rioN
      @Dan0rioN Před 4 měsíci

      @@walinga70 order a testing kit.. Everything is a mystery if you don't make proper effort to find out what it is

  • @zengarden8592
    @zengarden8592 Před 2 lety +2

    Thank you so much for your info. Great video.

  • @lastofus456
    @lastofus456 Před 3 lety

    Thank You.
    You Have Been a Big Help.

  • @bentationfunkiloglio
    @bentationfunkiloglio Před 3 lety +6

    Wanted to thank you for your great videos! I'm a hobbyist prospector and very much enjoy the science.
    Quick question on the topic of platinum nuggets and magnetism. Certainly, pure platinum is not magnetic. However, I've read that metallic platinum containing iron is at least as common as pure platinum. This information was on the Internet, so it has to accurate, right ? :)
    Assuming that you agree with the above comments, how would you go about identifying ferrous platinum metal (short of sending suspect metal off for assying)? It's specific gravity will be significantly less than pure platinum (given that it is a mixture of platinum and iron), it can have at least some iron oxide covering it, and it will be attracted to a magnet.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +2

      This type of platinum has only a tiny amount of iron, and it not magnetic and does not rust.

    • @bentationfunkiloglio
      @bentationfunkiloglio Před 3 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph : Apologies, my terminology might be a bit off. The following is a link to mindat.org. Discusses Ferroan Platinum (10% to 50% iron -- can be magnetic, depending on amount of iron) and links to info about Isoferroplatinum (~7% iron -- not magnetic), and Tetraferroplatinum (~23% iron -- is magnetic). Additional googling required to find information about proportion of iron to platinum.
      www.mindat.org/min-1509.html

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +2

      The high iron platinum is extremely rare. Amounts of a few percent are more common.

  • @Luke30dude
    @Luke30dude Před 4 lety +3

    Hello I just finished watching you video, I enjoyed it btw. Anyway my grandfather past away last year. While cleaning out one of his small barns I found a gray metal bar that he or possibly his father made. My great grandpa was a miner and my grandpa helped him also. The bar is 8” x 3.5” x 1.5” and weighs 10.4 lbs. it was exposed to the weather but has not rust or corrosion on it. I’m curious as to what it could be. It’s similar in color to the platinum nuggets in your video. How might I go about identifying it? I’m located in central California. Thanks

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      Zinc? lead? Stainless steel? Tin? pewter? there are plenty of possibilities, so impossible to say without testing. That's so light a weight, it could not possibly be platinum. A platinum bar that size would be 30 pounds. I'd guess pewter or zinc as the most likely, but who knows. ....

  • @Ukepa
    @Ukepa Před rokem

    Thanks a lot! I learned a lot from this video.

  • @randythomas219
    @randythomas219 Před rokem

    Great video, wish I would have seen this when it first came out. I spent a couple of years of working in Alaska and this would have been good to know to give me something to look for when I had time off from work

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      There are platinum nuggets in Alaska....

  • @zoltanbozzay3797
    @zoltanbozzay3797 Před 4 lety +4

    @chris ralph, professional prospector thanks for the great video. and been enjoying your book

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      That's great. Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @Terralandia
      @Terralandia Před 3 lety

      czcams.com/video/QKqpv5cmCpM/video.html

  • @garygraham2513
    @garygraham2513 Před 4 lety +3

    I live close to the gold areas of Prescott and Wickenburg. I've been told that platinum shows up in these areas as well. Any history of that? Thanks for your vids.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      There is no confirmed platinum nuggets in Arizona, but there are reports that it has been found. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @kenbobca
    @kenbobca Před 9 měsíci

    Hi Chris, great video. Rock collecting, Rock hounding, metal detecting and the like are in my blood. My Grandmother taught all of us kids about these activities ever since we were knee high to a Grasshopper. I truly enjoyed your video and have marked your Web site. Thank you.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 9 měsíci

      Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful for you.

  • @AaronJohnson-ql7kw
    @AaronJohnson-ql7kw Před 2 lety +1

    Thank you for the videos I have learned a lot thank you very much

  • @coreymerrill3257
    @coreymerrill3257 Před 4 lety +4

    Pgms! I love them! So much! I have pgm flu instead of gold fever.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      The PGM flu -= I love it! Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @ogremgtow990
      @ogremgtow990 Před 4 lety +1

      If you have PGM Flu pick up a good chemistry book and learn how to processes PGM's from ore and placer finds.

    • @coreymerrill3257
      @coreymerrill3257 Před 4 lety

      @@ogremgtow990 i live in ny . so im not allowed to keep anything of value that i find so there is no point , pretty sure i make a cupel with a lead sponge and remelt it in a bone ash crucibal . at tht point id do acid washes to disolve and suspend everything but the pgms , once the pgms are seperate, i would wash it with disgilled water to remove any acid left over and melt it again to make the platinum ingot. As far as refining the differant pgms into individual elements, id have to have almost a commercial level fo pgm ore to make it worth the expenses. Good Idea though.

    • @ogremgtow990
      @ogremgtow990 Před 4 lety

      @@coreymerrill3257 Good luck finding a furnace that gets to a temp of over 3300 degrees F which is the melting point for most platinum group metals. Besides you forgot about the Arsenic and Sulfur dragging up the PGM metals in any acid. How do I know. I do Ore refining. So start with a good chemistry book because any heating Flux also takes the contaminated metal into the flux.

    • @coreymerrill3257
      @coreymerrill3257 Před 4 lety

      @@ogremgtow990 like i said. It doesnt matter, I live in new york state.
      You sure seem to be bothered by something, what is it and how is it my problem?

  • @garylawlor2288
    @garylawlor2288 Před 4 lety +4

    Hello from Ireland bud. I enjoyed your video. The Irish government are undertaking a massive survey of the country's minerals and have discovered good amounts of platinum in my home county. The survey is called Tellus if your interested in giving it a look. Check out the east coast

  • @craig3388
    @craig3388 Před rokem

    Great job and easy presentation so everyone can pick up on the facts.

  • @user-fw2tt5gs3s
    @user-fw2tt5gs3s Před rokem

    Thanks alot.
    I have platinum in my area so I will go and find out now.

  • @danzoller7397
    @danzoller7397 Před 4 lety +3

    Enjoyed a lot, definitly answered a couple ?'s of a claim ive been workin im sure i got a lil plat.nuggie ! It has to be its not mercury i find that too lol! Yeah gonna be gettin that book for x-mas!

  • @robertdutyheavydutyprospec6944

    I was just doing a little research and was wondering, where would I sell these nuggets if I were to find them? And also seen on eBay where people are selling similar looking nuggets calling them meteorites. Thank you for your time.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +20

      Color is a bad way to do metal analysis. Platinum which worth about $1000 per ounce is pretty much the same color as mild steel which is worth $30 a ton. The meteorites are largely an iron steel rich in nickel. They are definitely not the same thing. Platinum can be sold to refiners. I plan to do a video on turning your finds into cash in a couple months. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

    • @ecv03
      @ecv03 Před 4 lety +6

      I would like to see that video.

    • @grantrennie
      @grantrennie Před 3 lety +3

      @@ChrisRalph that would be a great video

    • @americanmeteoritefan9670
      @americanmeteoritefan9670 Před 2 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph I believe I found a beautiful nugget on a steep lake bank near Mariposa CA, I did see serpentine on the roadcut on the highway going there.
      It was a beautiful luster, like the butter of metals in my opinion. I sold it for a small amount to an eager rock trader at a rock show.
      Though he insisted it was a simple camp nugget, he was extremely eager to buy it from me.
      It seemed to warm in my hand as I remember it. Heavy, not light at all.
      I wasn't looking for it but was looking at gravel beds in the lake basin.

    • @dorseyblack9833
      @dorseyblack9833 Před 2 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph I used to find platinum in my sluice box when I was dredging for gold in the Trinity Mountains, albeit not very much, but it was present. Those were the days....

  • @stevemoren286
    @stevemoren286 Před 4 lety +1

    I was exploration drilling at the Stillwater Complex in MT. back in 1979-80. Very interesting area. We hit it big! I do believe that a South African company is running the operation now. Ps. I live now real close to Duluth and a mining co. named Polymet has been trying to get approval from the environmentalists for about 15 years now. I think they are getting close. I know that they have drilled thousands of holes core sampling and figure that it has 10 times at least the PGM as the Stillwater Complex. I wish them well. We need those rare minerals!! Great presentation on this little known subject!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      Thanks for the kind works. Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @abdihakiinmaxamed5904
      @abdihakiinmaxamed5904 Před 2 lety +1

      I sent you an email with a picture what I believed is my platinum nugget i found sea shore in Somalia.

  • @garyanddoris6022
    @garyanddoris6022 Před 4 lety

    Most enjoyed the educational video...thank you...

  • @Hoosier420812
    @Hoosier420812 Před 4 lety +3

    I found a rock recently that resembles a geode but it’s flat and there is a round circle in the center that’s made of metal. I believed it would be iron but it’s not magnetic. Inside is solid metal, outside looks like a regular geode with small crystals. Anyone familiar with anything that sounds like that?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      Doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard of. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @jjomalley8986
    @jjomalley8986 Před 4 lety +4

    I need a hobby when I retire, I guess I'll have to move for the metals I love, I live in N.E. Pa. Lots of rocks, but not the right ones, and laws are not for the people!

  • @shaunhall960
    @shaunhall960 Před rokem

    I'm a jewelry artist and you have peaked my interest.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      Coming in 2023 I will have a number of videos on crystals and gemstones.

  • @danieljhf7301
    @danieljhf7301 Před 2 lety +1

    I liked your presentation! Good information! Thanks. I will probably get your book.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety

      Glad it was helpful! I think you will find the book helpful also.

  • @skyblueeyes9968
    @skyblueeyes9968 Před 2 lety +4

    Omg thank you so much!!! What I found was in a wet- weather creek back behind my house where there is over 5000 acres of untouched woods here in the ozark mountains. It wasn't a nugget but more like a smashed mushroom.... small though like a nugget. It had a lot of black and brown in fact that's what color I thought it was but I could see what looked like shiny pencil marks bleeding through it. I noticed it was bumpy and had shiny spots like pencil heads chunked here and there. I thought it was odd that there was litter there cuz I have lived here 50 years and the 2500 acres my house sits on has been in my family since my ancestors settled here during the trail of tears. But I thought it must be a piece of aluminum can. So I had to get in the creek to get it out. But once I did it was obviously not. For one reason it was way too heavy. Well I had a 10 week old puppy that got ahold of that rock one day and chewed and chewed and chewed that rock clean! I had actually washed it with water and soap but that little slobbering puppy got down in those cracks I guess and when I came home and found it all I saw was what looked like a shiny piece of silver with very little of the brown and black left! It was still the same shape as it was before the puppy got ahold of it! The foothills around me have been declared as prehistoric volcanos and we have huge elephant rocks that are suppose to be prehistoric lava. I'm in southeast missouri where quartz limestone and almost every other element and mineral is. In fact there are lead mines, silver mines, copper mines, colbalt mines, all with in thirty miles from my house. There is rumored to be a gold vein going across our county that's over five miles wide. I don't know how to go about finding out what this is but I bet there's more somewhere on that mountain where the water flows down and feeds that creek during our rainy season. There was not a bit of rust and it was in the bottom of the creek bed. We also have several artesian wells all around here. No salt water here though! We are land locked! I live in Madison county missouri. Please give me advice on what I should do now.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety +1

      I wish you the best of luck in your prospecting efforts but I get many requests for help, training, evaluations, mineral ID. etc. every day. There simply is not enough time as I have many projects and commitments of my own. This is why I do not offer a service to consult and do all the things I am asked to do every day.

    • @Al-yf7tm
      @Al-yf7tm Před rokem

      Take it to a place that buys jewelry, like a pawn shop - they can test it...

    • @user-dk9ch7qu7e
      @user-dk9ch7qu7e Před rokem

      Find more platinum

  • @warrenlightning8137
    @warrenlightning8137 Před 4 lety +3

    Where in Alberta Canada is alot of platinum?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +5

      Near Whitecourt in Alberta. Google platinum in Alberta and you will find a government report on it. Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @dwightstjohn6927
      @dwightstjohn6927 Před 4 lety +1

      @@ChrisRalph interesting country. spent a year in Windfall, Alberta. the biggest moose and biggest grizzly in the Alberta record books are there. pack two cans of bear spray!!!!

  • @adventuregrammy9979
    @adventuregrammy9979 Před 10 měsíci

    Great video! Fascinating stuff. A professor once took us on a field trip to nearby Paradise, California, where a bunch of serpentine rock is located, and told us about it being asbestos. It’s a beautiful shade of green.

  • @edduarte2063
    @edduarte2063 Před 2 lety +1

    Great knowledge thank you very much

  • @boneyfreak9197
    @boneyfreak9197 Před 4 lety +3

    There's easier ways. When I was a contractor I was giving the homeowner the rundown on what we contracted for on his home he just purchased and he drove up in a Toyota pickup and parked it in his driveway where I was waiting. We went to the backyard to finalize the expansion plans which took all of maybe 10 minutes and walked back to his vehicle, he gets in and starts it up...loud as hell...in that 10 mins someone had come by and stole his hot catalytic converter.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      I wouldn't call that easier... Glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @BILBO1
    @BILBO1 Před rokem

    Always great !

  • @nathandevine908
    @nathandevine908 Před rokem +1

    Thank you very much your video has been very informative I appreciate the information thank you

  • @kevinauld4367
    @kevinauld4367 Před 3 lety +2

    I've noticed in refining preshess metals and e-wast old silver and gold tend to have trace amounts of platnum group metals mixed in .

  • @Gms788
    @Gms788 Před 9 měsíci

    Thanks for the video leaning from you❤

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 9 měsíci

      You are so welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @billandpamwalsh4668
    @billandpamwalsh4668 Před 3 lety

    Thank You Very Much For The Information

  • @josephzerbe2945
    @josephzerbe2945 Před 2 lety +1

    Great info thanks!

  • @desicadoke5603
    @desicadoke5603 Před 2 lety +1

    I reside along a river which runs down from the geysers in Northen Calif close to Mendocino and Sonoma Counties lots of Serpentine here as well along with garnets, river jade and quartz I would love to learn more about what gems and minerals are indigenous around here, I'd be thrilled and would enjoy your expertise and experience rockhounding.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 2 lety +1

      There is some Jade and there are some traces of platinum in places, but not a lot of gold in that region.

  • @ironkh615
    @ironkh615 Před rokem +1

    Thanks for info!

  • @rehmankhan3991
    @rehmankhan3991 Před 4 lety

    Very informative ,, thank-you

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +1

      Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @josephatnsana5410
      @josephatnsana5410 Před 2 lety +1

      Am Josephat Bernard Nsana from Tanzania I have such nuggets with the features you are describing how can I get in touch with you!

    • @josephatnsana5410
      @josephatnsana5410 Před 2 lety +1

      Your contact information please!

  • @tucsonbubba1574
    @tucsonbubba1574 Před 2 lety

    Love your stream!

  • @michaelbezoski3096
    @michaelbezoski3096 Před rokem

    Great educational video. Subscribed. Thank you

  • @robertsnyder5149
    @robertsnyder5149 Před 4 lety +2

    My nugget resisted scratching too and that's convinced my old ining partner that it was platinum.

  • @christurley391
    @christurley391 Před rokem

    Thanks for the video

  • @JonKinchIsLegit
    @JonKinchIsLegit Před 3 lety +1

    Great video Chris some great information had found some platinum nuggets gold panning on the Similkameen river in British Columbia and by nuggets I mean pieces the size of a grain of rice lol .

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +1

      Similkameen river in both BC Canada and Washington state USA, is a known source of platinum.

  • @selwynbeck2356
    @selwynbeck2356 Před 3 měsíci

    Chris, thanks for the lesson. I found two rough, dull, dark grey rocks that were rather heavy along the path of a dried-up river bed. It had no inclusions and I did not have a magnet with me. Both rocks rang up a solid 7 on my Equinox. I assumed that they contained iron even though it had no rust. But it still bothers me and will go back to get them.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 měsíci

      Some iron minerals do not look like rust.

  • @tylerdurdan2557
    @tylerdurdan2557 Před rokem

    I love all of your videos, Super informative and exciting! I'm a new prospector getting in to this awesome hobby and need all the help I can get ha ha. Have you ever mined in Utah before?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      You want a book called gold panning in Utah by Dan (I can't remember his last name) - you can find it on Amazon.

  • @tomweidler8910
    @tomweidler8910 Před 4 lety

    Nice Done Indeed Sir.
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Sincerely Tom Weidler in Las Vegas Nevada 😎👍👍

  • @charlesmambourg4447
    @charlesmambourg4447 Před rokem

    Thank you.

  • @analytics8055
    @analytics8055 Před 10 měsíci

    I loooove platinum!!

  • @HALIYALBETAGERIVLOG2024

    Best information sir.👍

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety

      Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @barrycampbell5359
    @barrycampbell5359 Před 4 lety +1

    very informative ralph

  • @koltoncrane3099
    @koltoncrane3099 Před 3 lety +2

    A great book someone could write is about speculation of Spanish silver in southern Utah coming from silver in petrified logs. I read somewhere some think the silver the Spanish found in the desert were from silver deposits in petrified logs. That’d be cool to find a log with silver in it. It’d be a beautiful specimen for collectors.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety

      I'm really a miner and not a treasure hunter. I've never done books on hunting things like Spanish silver. There is a spot with gold in petrified wood in Nevada.

    • @richardrobertson1331
      @richardrobertson1331 Před 3 lety +2

      kolton crane, that area in southern Utah is known as Silver Reef, mainly a sandstone base rock area. At the time of its discovery no one believed silver would precipitate in sandstone, but it did. The miners would sometimes find pockets with buried trees that had all of its carbon replaced by depositing silver. It was so rich in silver that no samples were saved. And, yes, it would make an interesting book. The same type of precipitate occurred a little northeast of that location near Moab. Here, uranium was deposited, not silver, in trees trapped in ancient rivers. Silicone deposits in trees, as well, and we call that "petrified" wood, aka agate and jasper.

    • @Otis-Tank
      @Otis-Tank Před rokem

      I'm in s Arizona and I explore where old trees were. Giants. Anyways, in the creek beds, I find that the bottom sides of certain pieces are silver in color with black flakes on them. Look at my channel petrified reality. I have videos of these locations proving they were trees

    • @Otis-Tank
      @Otis-Tank Před rokem

      @@ChrisRalph it's my belief the old silica trees, used quartz, as it's sap. I've proven this on my channel. All mountains are old trees that were cut down

    • @bobmarley6065
      @bobmarley6065 Před rokem

      ​@@Otis-Tank 😢

  • @doozerxxx5031
    @doozerxxx5031 Před rokem

    Very informative 👏

  • @rhondasisco-cleveland2665

    Fantastic. Have you ever looked at what was attached to the Australian reef area about the time it’s thought to have been developed? I did.

  • @booberbuildsforts
    @booberbuildsforts Před 10 měsíci

    great explanations. you say sprinkled a lot, and some repetition.

  • @nhragold1922
    @nhragold1922 Před 4 lety

    I get some small pieces in mariposa. Nothing to write home about but its definitely there!

  • @jamesmayo8536
    @jamesmayo8536 Před 3 lety +1

    I've that shirt. I'm expecting THE encyclopedia by mon.thanks for sharing.

  • @danafisher8017
    @danafisher8017 Před 3 lety +1

    Good stuff Cris.

  • @Mega6501
    @Mega6501 Před 4 lety

    I’ve been to south of Oregon borderline of California on Grants Pass there I prospected for gold and found a tiny piece of platinum and a lot of lead.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety

      Glad you enjoyed the video.

    • @clevercalico4432
      @clevercalico4432 Před 4 lety +1

      California specimens we found copper, palladian, boxite (aluminum) and gold. Palladian was trace amounts in Folsom, and some in Redding Shasta area.

  • @Imaculantsky
    @Imaculantsky Před rokem

    Just getting started on my journey into gold panning, I live in the Pacific Northwest up by port Angeles WA, just wondering if you know the area maybe you have a tip of what to look for, I love your videos and will always recommend!! Stay golden

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před rokem

      Sorry, I've not been through that area.

  • @jeffreyallen3796
    @jeffreyallen3796 Před 10 měsíci

    I like my area of Northern California. Thank you Chris and would enjoying a day of prospecting with you and I could run the camera for you also.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 10 měsíci

      Northern California is great, perhaps we will run into each other one of these days.

  • @suthat7021
    @suthat7021 Před 11 měsíci

    Thank you

  • @Steveman27
    @Steveman27 Před 3 lety +2

    Given how there's lots of videos about platinum in automobiles, that makes it sound like it's very common. Like, imagine being an auto mechanic, and spending all day around all that platinum inside those cars.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 3 lety +1

      There are tiny amounts of platinum and palladium in all gasoline powered modern car exhaust systems - these are the catalysts that make the catalytic converters work. That does not mean they are common. The auto makers use as little as possible because the stuff is expensive.

  • @robertsnyder5149
    @robertsnyder5149 Před 4 lety +1

    The John Day,Ore. area has lots of chrome mines too.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Před 4 lety +2

      Yep, Chromite and platinum are a common association.

    • @Mega6501
      @Mega6501 Před 4 lety

      I’ve been in that area looking for gold once and found one speck but I didn’t know there was chrome there.

  • @minnieearhart221
    @minnieearhart221 Před 4 lety

    Awesome video 👍👍