Ironstone's Crown Jewel

Ironstone’s Crown Jewel is the world’s largest piece of crystalline gold. [cite news | url=http://www.touringandtasting.com/assets/client/File/Ironstone%201%20page.pdf | title = Murphys, California: Ironstone Vineyards | publisher = Touring and Tasting | accessdate = 2008-08-09 ] At 44 lbs., it is substantially larger than the Fricot "Nugget" (13.8 lbs) [cite web | url = http://parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=588 | title = California State Mining and Mineral Museum | accessdate = 2008-08-20] and the Whopper (11.7 lbs.) [cite web | url = http://www.golddredger.com/16-1mine.htm | title = A Visit to the 16 - 1 Mine | accessdate = 2008-08-20] , the next two largest specimens.

Crystalline Gold

Gold is usually found in an amorphous state: the atoms are connected, but not aligned in a nice crystalline structure. Under certain circumstances, the gold atoms are deposited in a crystalline structure. See Crystal structure - cubic face-centered for a drawing of the arrangement of the gold atoms. Such is the case for this sample.

History

One form of gold found in California is gold in quartz which is often hard-rock mined in vertical or horizontal shafts. This contrasts with placer (loose gold, often nuggets) and fine gold that has been recovered by hydraulic mining.

The gold specimen was unearthed at the Sonora Mining Co. mine in Jamestown, California on December 24, 1992. Along with other gold-heavy quartz pieces, the gold was first believed to be bits of damaged machinery.

A number of days later, the materials were examined and found to be full of gold. The “Crown Jewel” was the largest of the pieces, weighing in at 60 lbs.

Word of the find first hit the press on December 31, 1992. [cite news | title = Gold: 60-pound nugget unearthed | last = DeLacy | first = Ron | publisher = Modesto Bee | date = 1992-12-31]

The find caused the Gold Trust and Reinsurance company of the West Indies to make a $20 million offer for the Sonora Mining Corp. of Toronto, Canada. [cite news | url = http://www.winepi.com/images/gold%20articles/gold%2001%2012%2093.jpg| title = $20 million stock offer for Sonora Mining Corp. | last = DeLacy | first = Ron | publisher = Modesto Bee | date = 1993-01-12 | accessdate = 2008-08-07]

The National Enquirer even picked up the story. [cite news | url = http://www.winepi.com/images/gold%20articles/gold%2001%2028%2093.jpg| title = Tabloid digs into the gold nugget story | last = Payne | first = Paul | publisher = Union Democrat | date = 1993-01-28 | accessdate = 2008-08-07]

Many of the smaller specimens of crystalline gold were sold at a Tucson, Arizona gem show. [cite news | title = Gold show to feature richest strike | last = DeLacy | first = Ron | publisher = Modesto Bee | date = 1993-05-23]

In April 1993, the Sonora Mining Corp. offered the gold specimen as a bond to Tuolumne County, California. The County ultimately declined the offer. [cite news | url = http://www.winepi.com/images/gold%20articles/gold%2004%2002%2093.jpg
title = Mine offers county a golden deal | publisher = Union Democrat | date = 1993-04-02 | accessdate = 2008-08-07]

Among those seeking to buy the specimen was the French government. [cite news | url = http://www.jckonline.com/article/CA6252161.html | title = A Nugget of a 44-pound gold nugget leads to a museum, a jewelry store and hopes for a tourism industry in Murphys, Cal. | last = Heeger | first = Jack | publisher = JCK (Jewelers Circular Keystone) Online | date = 1997-08-01 | accessdate = 2008-08-09 ]

Display

After acquiring the gold-bearing rock, John Kautz, proprietor of Ironstone Vineyards, had the sample etched with acid and most of the rock removed by tweezers. This process took over a year. What resulted is the specimen that has little original rock in the upper part, and more original rock in the bottom part.

To display “Ironstone’s Crown Jewel,” Mr. Kautz had a three-story building constructed at Ironstone Vineyards. The upper story includes a vault to hold the gold specimen along with the Jewelry Shoppe that sells items that include unusual “gold in quartz” jewelry.

California Governor George Deukmejian opened the exhibit at Ironstone Vineyards.

The specimen is available to be seen during normal Jewelry Shoppe hours at no charge.

Name

The name "Ironstone's Crown Jewel" comes from Kautz family usage and promotional materials for the winery. It's the "crown jewel" among the "jewels" of the historic Alhambra Theatre pipe organ, the caverns, the extensive gardens, the historic gold mining equipment, etc.

References

External links

Articles on finding the specimen [http://www.winepi.com/Ironstones%20Crown%20Jewel.htm]