Viral Cave In Deli Serdang Called Has Gold Flakes, Geologist Gives An Explanation

Video footage showing the many golden flakes sticking to the cave wall has gone viral on social media (IST)

MEDAN - A video showing gold flakes on a cave wall in the tourist area of Goa Tao 8 Putri in STM Hulu District, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra has gone viral.

In addition to showing the golden yellow flakes, the recorder in the video narration explains that residents are prohibited from taking them, because the location is sacred.

"In the cave there is a lot of gold, but you can't take it, guys. It is said that this place is still very sacred," wrote the uploader in the video narration.

Regarding the post, the Head of the Regional Management (Pengda) of the Indonesian Geological Experts Association (IAGI) of North Sumatra, Gustam Lubis gave an explanation. According to him the yellow flakes on the cave walls are not gold.

"So it's not gold. It's (a mineral), it's an ordinary metal, its association is in rocks," said Gustam to reporters, Thursday, September 2.

According to Gustam, the appearance of the metal was due to the presence of sulfur in the cave.

"So there are rocks containing iron, then there are sulfur elements. So the rocks are around reacting with the sulfur elements and produce pyrite minerals. The chemical formula is FeS2, so there is iron and sulfur," said Gustam.

Gustam also explained that the rock that surrounds the cave is a type of limestone and pyrite that came out of the rock crevices. He also emphasized that it is very easy to distinguish pyrite from actual gold.

"So if you distinguish it from gold, it's gold, if we usually test it, it's rubbed. If it's rubbed it's still yellow, it's gold, if it's rubbed, the color changes," said Gustam.