Hidden in My Backyard… Did I Find Gold?

Описание: While replacing a section of fence, I uncovered a rock with a bright yellow metallic shine. At first glance, it looked a lot like gold. But appearances can be deceiving — especially in granitic rocks.
In this video, I break down the real geology behind what this could be, and how to tell the difference between real gold and some of its most common look-alikes.
We take a closer look at three classic imposters:
Mica — which can flash bright yellow or silver when light hits it just right
Iron oxide staining — which can coat rocks with rusty yellow films
Pyrite (fool’s gold) — the mineral that fooled miners for centuries
I explain how gold actually forms in granitic systems, why quartz veins matter, and how mineral-rich fluids can deposit gold deep underground.
Then we go beyond looks and run real identification tests:
The streak test on unglazed porcelain
A malleability check to see if the material dents or flakes
The results might surprise you — and they show just how convincing nature’s imposters can be.
If you’ve ever picked up a rock and thought, “Is this real?” — this video is for you.

🪨 Have you ever found something that fooled you? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for watching!
DAVID — Rocks In Motion!

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📝 Credits & Notes
🏡 Rock specimens: The granitic rock shown in this video was collected from my backyard in the Cascade foothills of Washington State. The Rock Shed - Pyrite (fool’s gold).
🎥 Video footage, photography, and edits by Rocks In Motion.
🎙️ Voiceover: Natural narration recorded by the creator.
🧠 Select educational diagrams and illustrations generated with AI.
📷 Gold bullion (AP 001) — Slav4 | Ariel Palmon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Biotite mica specimen — James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Mica – Silicate Mineral — B. Domangue, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Estonian Museum of Natural History specimen — Estonian Museum of Natural History, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Pyrite on matrix specimen — Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Quartz-gold hydrothermal vein rock (Hollinger Mine, Timmins, Ontario, Canada) — James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#goldprospecting #rockidentification #mysteryreveal #oddlysatisfying #geology