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White Quartz vs Gold Quartz: 90% of Prospectors Get This Wrong

Part Time Prospector

131,343 views

⚠️ Warning: This is not a hype video.
This is a serious deep-dive into how gold actually forms, why some quartz carries gold and most doesn’t, and how real gold prospectors tell the difference in the field.

If you’ve ever asked:

Why is this quartz barren?

Why do gold nuggets form in some veins but not others?

What does mineralized quartz actually look like?

Why do some quartz reefs crumble while others form “China walls”?

This video answers those questions from a geological first-principles perspective.

⛏️ What You’ll Learn in This Video

✔️ How quartz veins form from deep magmatic and hydrothermal systems
✔️ The real difference between mineralized and unmineralized quartz
✔️ Why “buck quartz” is usually barren of gold
✔️ How faults, dilational jogs, and pressure changes control gold deposition
✔️ The role of iron, sulfides, and country rock chemistry in gold precipitation
✔️ Why most gold formed 2–10 km underground but is now found at the surface
✔️ How erosion and weathering destroy mineralized veins over time
✔️ Why laminated quartz is a critical clue for gold prospectors
✔️ How piezoelectric quartz and earthquakes may explain nugget formation
✔️ Why highly mineralized veins rarely stand proud at surface in WA

This knowledge is essential for anyone involved in:

Gold detecting in Western Australia

Quartz reef prospecting

Understanding gold nugget formation

Reading geology in the field

Hard-rock and alluvial gold exploration

🟡 Who This Video Is For

Beginner and intermediate gold prospectors

Detector operators wanting less trash, more gold

Anyone confused about quartz veins and gold

Prospectors tired of chasing white, barren quartz

People who want geology explained simply—but correctly!

Terms other people find this video by:

gold prospecting
gold detecting WA
how gold forms
gold in quartz
mineralized quartz
unmineralized quartz
gold nugget formation
hydrothermal gold deposits
quartz reef gold
Western Australia gold
hard rock gold
detecting gold nuggets
geology for prospectors
gold bearing quartz
dilational jog gold
fault hosted gold deposits

Buy me a coffee, it would be really appreciated!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brucepro...

20 Comments

@Part_Time_Prospector Creator 8 months ago Pinned

Video brought to you by

https://www.GoldProspectingWA.com

Please like and subscribe is this video was of use to use.

@user-qc4cf7jx9f 8 months ago

I'm a geologist and that was a great explanation of best chance of finding mineralised qtz vs barren.

@Live4oldcars 3 months ago

Gold is where you find it. Ive found it in all types of quartz

@MrThedocholiday 7 months ago

This is now my second or third video I’ve watched from you now. I’ve been considering enrolling in a higher educational geology course so I can learn this stuff, but have t been able to find anything affordable. You’re offering information that is college or university level geology & I’m super excited to watch your videos so I can learn this stuff. And while I may not have a degree when I’m done, I will have the knowledge to prospect like I want to. Thank you so much for helping myself & others who can’t afford to attend college geology courses or university level education in this specific field of expertise. I can’t stress enough how thankful I am for your content. Godspeed friend!

@FsquaredRookie 3 months ago

7.5cm ~ 3inches

@bradleywalters7950 8 months ago

Mate, unreal video! I haven’t seen any body break it down this well, Keep up the content!

@Jimmy-yu8fe 1 month ago

Thanks so much for the class! It was amazing! I love learning about this.

@manny410 1 month ago

Thank you so much for the info! I learned so much from it.

@plettingable 1 month ago

This is well articulated
Aland synthesized for any level of listeners.
Brilliant teacher.Geology geophysics simplified.

@TrevsOutbackandGoldAdventures 8 months ago

Thanks for the detailed description of mineralisation.

@Mmm-y5w8o 8 months ago

Cheers mate keep it coming I have so much to learn

@yew100 4 months ago

thanks mate, I enjoy learning off you. keep them coming.

@Xzanthorroea22 8 months ago

Great video ,thanks for passing on your knowledge and taking the time to make it.

@Nomadabout 2 months ago

Great explanation.
If I could make a recommendation it would just be more photographic representation but probably the best description I have watched on the process.

@TheBrubaker2 8 months ago

Thank you for a very informative and instructive video Bruce. I particularly like the example photos placed as you are discussing a topic as it gives me an EXACT visualization of what I might see in the field.

@JPFORGE-x3j 1 month ago

Extremely helpful information Sir...!! I am recently fascinated with geology trying to understand the different geological maps as well as prospecting and the consideration if I am completely wasting my time with prospecting in the area I live in which is the state of Maine which is actually abundant in quartz including the mineralized quartz with the high iron content and rust appearance...yet I have not found any gold as many say is not worth looking for in this region...thank you for sharing your knowledge with people like myself who are very interested in prospecting and geology but have very little knowledge...I subscribed to your channel along with my thanks...!

@howitstartsmm 4 months ago

thank you for sharing your time and knowledge

@deanhervatin2801 8 months ago

Great work, keep it up. Cheers.

@Rory-w8x 2 months ago

That piezo electric compound shock treatment/mineralising/natural earthly effect, that you cautiously described, is worthy of a Noble prize..

@Ladyslipper888 3 months ago

Thank you for this video it has helped me to understand quarts vein more. I did know about the oxidation of the quarts and gold. It was interesting to hear exactly how it forms in between other forms of rock. Thank you once again and i subscribed to your channel.