Weight Measurements for Gold Miners

Whether you are a novice to mining or an old timer at recovering gold, sooner or later the time will come when you'll want to weigh your finds and find out just how much of the yellow metal you have. If you don't have one already, buy yourself a scale (either the older balance type pictured above or one of those new-fangled digital models) and use the following as a guide:

Gold Panning Kits
Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors

24 grains = 1 pennyweight

20 pennyweights = 1 troy ounce

12 troy ounces = 1 troy pound

If you are one of those miners who prefers the avoirdupois weight system, here is a troy-to-gram conversion chart:

1 grain = 65 milligrams

1 pennyweight = 1.555 grams

1 troy ounce = 31.104 grams

1 troy pound = 373.248 grams

Remember, gold's symbol on the Periodic Chart of the Elements is Au (from the Latin word for gold, "aurum"). Gold is a noble metal with a very high density and specific gravity, which means it is typically quite heavier than the other elements around it including water and larger, less dense rocks, sands, or gravels. Gold rarely if ever tarnishes and is highly malleable (soft enough to be flattened, shaped, or worked) and extremely ductile (can be drawn into very thin wires or "threads").

There you are. A morsel or two of information on gold measurements that may prove helpful.

Good luck out there my friend!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part IV"

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

5 Tips for Novice Gold Miners

2

If you're a newcomer to the world of small-scale or recreational placer gold mining, here are a few tips that may smooth your transition from "greenhorn" to "sourdough:"

Gold Pan Kit

1. Educate Yourself

Take the time to learn all you can about gold and gold mining BEFORE you rush out the door gold pan in hand. As in any pursuit, there are many fine points to be considered and studied in gold mining, small-scale or otherwise. For a newcomer to placer mining these include the geology of gold, stream hydraulics, deposition physics, mining history, and a good understanding of placer gold mining equipment, tools, and recovery processes. Whew! Sounds like a lot to learn, doesn't it? In some ways it is, but not all of this is meant to be learned overnight. And if you take the time to learn something about gold and gold mining first, you'll be a much more successful miner in the long run.

2. Stick to Basic Tools and Equipment

If you're a gold mining novice, it makes absolutely no sense to spend hundreds or perhaps even thousands of dollars on fancy and costly mining gear like motorized dredges or highbankers. Keep it simple and learn how to walk before you run. A good gold pan, a few hand tools, and a 5-gallon bucket for carrying gold-bearing gravel are about all you need to find a bit of gold early on. Buy the fancy gear later, after you have the basics down, feel more confident about your mining knowledge and abilities, and are ready to move more material and get more gold.

3. Keep Your Expectations in Check

As a would-be gold miner, maintaining a positive outlook is an asset. But remember, this is 2008, not 1849, and the likelihood of you (or I for that matter) striking it rich gold mining is slim indeed. Unfortunately, many newcomers have visions of gold pans overflowing with flakes and nuggets and it can be quite sobering for them when the realization sinks in that gold mining is, for the most part, very hard work for very small returns. Let's do a bit of math. Even the most experienced recreational or small-scale miners these days average between 1-3 pennyweights per day. Hmmm...there a 20 pennyweights in a troy ounce of gold. Why, that's only about 1/10 of an ounce of gold per day! Get the picture? Keep your expectations in check and you'll be a happier, less frustrated miner because you understand that recreational mining is not some "get-rich-quick" scheme but a love and an avocation that can pay a bit back in return.

4. Learn How to Sample Properly

Using proper sampling techniques, methods, and approaches is the most important thing you can do to ensure your chances of successful gold recovery out in the field. Many newcomers to recreational mining fail to realize this and race around willy-nilly grabbing dirt and gravel from here and there, with no rhyme or reason to their madness and very little gold gained in the process. But you, you're different. You understand that a systematic sampling approach is your best bet to finding good gold values, perhaps even those hidden paystreaks or pockets that others have missed. Use proper sampling techniques and you'll be well on your way to becoming a miner with a reputation for getting the gold.

5. Watch, Listen, and Observe

You can learn more in a day from an experienced miner than you could in a month from a dozen prospecting or gold mining books. And, truth be told, most experienced placer miners are more than willing to help newcomers get a handle on things, if they open their ears and don't become royal pains in the proverbial rear. So put your fragile ego aside and learn to watch, listen, and observe. See how other miners work, what little "tricks of the trade" they employ, and what sorts of tools and equipment they use.

If you follow these tips conscientiously, I guarantee you'll graduate from good ol' Greenhorn University magna cum laude.

Above all, have fun out there!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Important Dates and Discoveries of the California Gold Rush"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/09/important-dates-and-discoveries-of.html

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Nugget Shooters Hit It Big in Alaska

The Big Ones Keep Turning Up

So you thought exceptionally large gold nugget finds were a thing of the past? Not in Alaska, where the big ones keep turning up to detectorists, nugget shooters, and large and small-scale placer miners.

Metal Detectors
Mining Equipment
Treasure Hunting
Gold Concentrators

Many of these beautiful finds are taking place in areas where old bucket-line dredges worked gold-bearing gravels.The bucket dredges tended to work straight channels and paying material was often pushed or dumped to either side as they progressed forward. Savvy nugget hunters who work these tailings are, in many instances, having a field day. (NOTE: The detectors mentioned most often are the Minelab series and the Fisher GoldBug II.)

Here are just a few of the larger Alaskan nugget finds in troy ounces. Most of these have been found since 1983 (many medium nuggets of 1/4 ounce-3 troy ounces and "smaller" nuggets weighing less than 1/4 troy ounce are being recovered regularly in the more productive areas):

294 oz., near Ruby
122 oz., Ganes Creek
62.5 oz., Ganes Creek
42 oz., Nolan Creek
33.85., Ganes Creek
8 oz., near McGrath

Productive Areas

Notice how the name Ganes Creek keeps turning up in this list? Although by no means the only spot in Alaska that continues to produce large nuggets, it is one of the best known (and open to detecting, dredging, and highbanking for a fee). Other productive areas are near Chicken and Ruby, the Hammond River, Crow Creek, McGrath, and Moore Creek, to name a few. Like Ganes Creek, some of these areas can be hunted or mined on a "pay-as-you-go" basis. (A simple web search can provide you with additional details).

So if that golden dream is chipping away at your resolve or you are just plain tired of working your rear off all day for a pennyweight or two, perhaps an Alaskan adventure may be just what the doctor ordered. Maybe you'll come home with the find of a lifetime or, at the very least, with a larger nugget than you ever dreamed of finding in the Lower 48.

I know one thing.....late at night when my own bedrock dreams take hold, I can hear the call of the wild in my ears....so who knows? Maybe I'll see you on Ganes Creek.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Million Dollar Nugget Found with Detector"
http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/11/million-dollar-nugget-found-with.html
(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Placer Mining Equipment: the Spiral Wheel Concentrator

2


No matter how efficient the type of placer mining equipment you employ, there will always be a small percentage of very fine or "micron-sized" flour gold left in your black sand concentrates after you've removed the larger gold pieces (i.e., nuggets, coarse flakes, "pickers," etc.). Often, this very fine gold is nearly invisible to the naked eye and seems to defy any and all attempts to recover it.

Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors
Gold Concentrates

One very effective way to accomplish this task is by using a "spiral wheel " concentrator. What's a spiral wheel concentrator? In essence, it is a motorized "automatic" panning system designed specifically for fine gold recovery from black sand concentrates.

(Image at upper right: "Gold Genie" Spiral Wheel Concentrator from Black Cat Mining, BlackCatMining.com)

How does it work? The spiral wheel concentrator works on the same principle as a gold pan, but is designed and configured to maximize gold recovery far beyond that of a pan by using a specific set of operating parameters or recovery elements, including:

• optimum recovery angles,
• adjustable water flow,
• centrifugal forces,
• continous action,
• double angle riffles,
• recycling tub, and
• multi-speed rpm recovery rate (in some models).

The basic components of a spiral wheel concentrator are the spiral wheel (or pan) itself, a 12-volt pump and motor powered by a car battery, an adjustable water flow sprayer or washer, a support stand, a recycling tub, the pan's center recovery "cup," and assorted tubing or hoses.
What are the advantages of a spiral wheel concentrator?
Efficiency (up t0 95% gold recovery to about 500 mesh size)
Portability (typically weighs 20-30 pounds and can be broken down, transported, and set up easily)
Running Time (usually 6-8 hours on a full battery charge)
Can Use Recycled Water (the recycling tub uses as little as 3 gallons of water, an asset in dry placer areas)
High Processing Rate (up to 100 pounds of black sand concentrates per hour)
Sturdy and Dependable (if maintained properly)
Ease of Clean Up (most models use a gold recovery "cup" that can be easily removed from the center of the pan or wheel and then replaced after the gold has been removed from the cup)

Mr. Rebates - Cash-Back Shopping at over 1000 Stores!

There aren't many disadvantages to using a spiral wheel concentrator but at least two items should be addressed:
1) Cost (as low as $200.00 on up to $500.00-$700.00 depending on the brand and type of spiral wheel concentrator you are interested in. For someone with good mechanical and fabrication skills, building a spiral wheel concentrator might prove to be a cost-effective and challenging do-it-yourself project)
2) Function (spiral wheels are made for recovering fine gold from black sand concentrates and are not designed for use and abuse as primary pieces of mining equipment like a highbanker or sluice box. Although they can function as such, only small amounts of gold-bearing material can be "fed" into them AFTER it has been screened or "classified" to a very small mesh size first)
There are other effective means of recovering fine gold from black sand concentrates such as mini-sluices and bowl concentrators like the "Blue Bowl," and these may provide the grist for another post later on. In the meantime, you may want to check out one of the name-brand spiral wheels like the "Gold Genie" pictured above.
Take care and good luck.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Mining Questions and Answers, Part 11"
http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-mining-questions-and-answers-part_24.html

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

6 Bedrock Sniping Tips

Bedrock crevicing or "sniping" for placer gold in a drywash or stream can be a rewarding experience for recreational miners. Sniping doesn't require lots of expensive equipment, but what it does require is knowledge, experience, patience, persistence, and perseverance.

Gold Pans
Gold Panning Kits
Mining Equipment

You're already ahead of the game if you possess the last three attributes and experience will, of course, come with time. So it's up to me to provide you with some gold sniping tips to speed up the entire process and point you toward success. Here goes:

1. Search for areas of bedrock with minimal amounts of overburden: if you're like me, you have neither the time nor the inclination to shovel off 5 or 6 or 10 or 15 feet of overburden to get to the good stuff on bedrock. Granted, the closer bedrock is to the surface the more likely it has been worked, but just the opposite can be true as well.

2. Choose rough, highly fractured bedrock over smoother, more water-worn bedrock: the smoother and more water-worn a section of bedrock is, the easier it is for placer gold to be swept out of shallow potholes and cracks in high water flow conditions.

3. Focus on fractured bedrock where the cracks, fissures, and crevices run perpendicular to the stream flow: these types of cracks and crevices will trap gold much more effectively than fissures running parallel with the direction of the stream flow. Makes sense, right?

P&S Fishing Tackle

4. Check large boulders or other large obstructions sitting atop bedrock for cracks and fissuring: these types of obstructions can be good gold traps as well if they have cracks or fissures. Clean these crevices out the same way you would if they were part of the bedrock.

5. Clean out even the smallest, shortest, and narrowest cracks and crevices on bedrock: these are the crevices that others will bypass either from laziness or from assuming they carry little gold. Trust me, just the opposite is true in many instances.

6. Remove every bit of material from a crack, crevice or fissure: the best gold will be at the bottom of even the smallest crack or crevice. Your "sniping" work is not complete until that crack or crevice is so clean it shines.

There you have it. 6 simple tips for increasing your gold recovery rate from bedrock.

Now get out there and get sniping!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Mining Questions and Answers: Part 3"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-mining-questions-and-answers-part_2984.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Gold Mining Questions and Answers, Part 11

Once again, here are my answers to your Bedrock Dreams questions about gold mining:

What are the Trinity River mining laws? I assume you mean the Trinity River area in Northern California. The same federal and state mining laws governing claims, dredge permits, public areas, etc., that apply to the rest of the Golden State apply to the Trinity River as well. You may also want to check to see if there are additional local (county) regulations that apply to this locale too.

There's a guy online selling maps and info to ancient rivers of gold. Is this for real? Yes, ancient gold-bearing channels and streambeds do exist. The Tertiary Channels of the California Motherlode Region are a good example. In the old days these were worked using hydraulic mining processes. Waldemar Lindgren, a well-known American geologist wrote about these ancient auriferous streambed gravels in his classic, "The Tertiary Gravels of the Sierra Nevada of California." However, when someone is trying to sell you "inside" information on where to find these ancient streams you must ask yourself this: "if I had specific information on the locations of immensely rich ancient gold gravels would I sell that knowledge to others or would I secretly recover all that gold myself and become a wealthy man?" I rest my case...

Where is Union Flat campground and can I pan there? Union Flat is a state-run public campground along California State Highway 49 (the "Gold Rush" highway) on the North Yuba River between Downieville and Sierra City. Yes, you can pan or sluice there and run dredges or high bankers with the proper dredge permit. Be advised that Union Flat has been worked pretty hard over the years by other recreational miners though.

Gold Locations


Who was Karl Von Muller? The late Karl Von Mueller was a well-known treasure hunter and "owl hooter" who started his treasure hunting and prospecting career back in the 1930s. He wrote a number of books on various aspects of gold mining and treasure hunting that are classics and that contain insights and information not found in most books of this genre. Von Mueller and Warren Merkitch (the "Merkitch Sifter" inventor) were long-time associates and friends.

Is bedrock that's above the waterline worth working? Well, it's always worth checking out thoroughly, that's for sure. The problem with exposed bedrock that is easily accessible is that, more than likely, some other gold sniper has beaten you to the punch and has already cleaned it out. However, DO NOT assume this is always the case. In my experience I have found that most bedrock snipers or crevicers work the larger and easier to get to cracks and crevices and often leave the smaller cracks alone because they assume they cannot contain much gold. WRONG! It's amazing how much gold can be recovered from a very narrow or small crack or crevice.

Carhartt Wear
Wolverine Boots

Why is crystalline gold so much more valuable than regular gold overall? Primarily because it the rarest form of natural gold and because it is highly prized by specimen collectors who will pay top dollar for the better pieces. That's essentially it.

Do those underwater gold snipe scopes work? Yes they do, and quite well I might add. I use the "Peek AU" sold by Black Cat Mining (BlackCatMining.com). The only problem I have with using the scope is that I must stoop over pretty far since I am well over 6' in height. After a bit, my lower back starts bothering me. But the Peek AU works beautifully and is well-constructed.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Can I Make a Living Gold Mining?"

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part IV

Here is the fourth and final post in my series on placer gold locations in Arizona. I'll finish things up by covering Yuma County:

Treasure Hunting
Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors

Yuma County: Nearly every watercourse and area of bench gravel in the Tank Mountains contains placer gold. Very coarse placer gold can be recovered using drywashers at the east foot of the mountains, especially in locations below the Puzzles, Golden Harp, Ramey, and Regal Mines.

If you travel about 30 miles northeast of Dove into the old Castle Dome District there are many old hard-rock mines and placers that once produced decent gold values. Southeast of the old Big Eye Mine gold placers can be found in area gravel deposits.

There were very rich placers in all the gulches and some terraces about 2 miles west of Dome. Monitor Gulch was one of the richest of these. Additional placers containing good placer gold values can be found in the drainage canyons around Muggins Peak. In fact, it would be worthwhile to check any bench or gulch gravels within a 8-10 mile radius of Muggins Peak, as the likelihood of getting "color" is quite good.

There is a 60-acre parcel of gold-bearing gravels in the Kofa District 27 miles southeast of Quartzite. Be advised, however, that bedrock in some areas here is buried under as much as 70 feet of overburden!

The "Potholes" Placers exist on both sides of the Colorado River not far from Laguna Dam. Many of the bench gravels and drainages north and west (California side) and north and east (Arizona side) of the dam contain gold. I worked this area with a drywasher many times and can confirm that decent gold values can be recovered in these placers. Additionally, it is said that placer gold can be found in bedrock depressions and tributary gulches all along the Colorado River in this area.

On the La Posa Plain outside of Quartszite are the Plomosa Placers, drywashing territory carrying decent gold values. Other gold placers in the area can be found at La Cholla, Middle Camp, and Oro Fino. Rich placer gold "seams" can be found in some of these placers at bedrock.

Six miles east of the of the Colorado River along the west side of the Dome Mountains extensive placers can be found. In fact, all the area washes, gulches, and arroyos carry varying amounts of placer gold that can be recovered using a drywasher. Especially rich placers were onced worked nearby at Goodman and La Paz Arroyos.

The Trigo Placers are about 20 miles from Quartzite at the west foot of the Dome Rock Mountains. Arroyos and ancient bench gravels in this area contain placer gold in the form of coarse, flat grains. Nearby, additional placers can be worked in low-laying areas near the Kofa Mountains (these placers were once quite rich in terms of gold values recovered).

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In Harquahala Gulch southeast of Salome placer gravels were worked extensively in the late 1800s. And again, all drainages in the Tank Mountains should be sampled for placer gold.

I hope these "information-rich" posts on Arizona placer gold districts and locations have proven helpful to you. Let me know how you do in some of these locations, OK?

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part III"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-in-southwest-arizona-part-iii.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Gold Mining Safety Tips

In my previous post I covered some of the risks involved with recreational or small-scale placer gold mining and now its time to list a few tips for making your mining endeavors safer:

Treasure Hunting
Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors

Crushing Injuries:

When working around or under large rocks or boulders keep your body and extremities positioned away (as much as possible) from areas of potential collapse. Or, better yet, brace or "shore up" the area you are working by replacing those areas already dug or "cleaned out" with some of the larger rocks you moved out previously. This helps to counterbalance the "imbalance" created by removal of material underneath such obstacles and can prevent potential rolling or collapse.

Always stay aware of what you are doing the entire time and don't assume that a big boulder won't move on you....I nearly had my right hand crushed on a recent trip to the North Yuba River in California's Motherlode in just such an incident. NEVER ever crawl partway underneath a large boulder or obstruction to get at gold-bearing material, no matter how good that dirt may look. If you have to, use a prybar or a "come along" to move that nuisance out of the way, or get someone to help you. Again, be safe and work smart, on the surface or underwater (if you are dredging).

Heat Exhaustion:

Gold mining, for the most part, requires a great deal of hard physical effort that is not for the faint of heart. Add this to the fact that many mining activities are performed under the hot sun, and it is easy to see that serious trouble can be just around the next corner. Use your common sense when working in areas where high daytime temperatures can occur or are the norm. Keep yourself well hydrated, periodically take rest breaks in the shade or in your tent or RV, and stay out of the sun during the hottest time of the day.

Know the the warning signs of potential heat exhaustion and take action immediately if these symptoms appear: fatigue, weakness, feeling faint, nausea, severe headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, or sudden irritability. Be especially careful in desert or dry gold areas where excessive heat and lack of water and shade can prove problematic.

Dehydration:

Remain well-hydrated when out in the field conducting mining activities by drinking plenty of water or "Gatorade" type sports drinks (these replace lost electrolytes). Sodas and juice are OK too, but they don't do as good a job at quenching your thirst. Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages when mining. Aside from the fact alcohol will negatively influence your decision making processes if you drink enough of it, you'll dehydrate at an accelerated pace.

Hypothermia:

If you're mining in colder climates or at elevations where the weather can turn nasty quickly in the fall or spring, make sure you are dressed for the occasion. One good way of doing this is to "layer" by wearing successive layers of light-to-warm clothing that can be added or removed as required. Take along a warm hat and gloves, as well. I never was much on cold-weather mining, but if you are, make sure you are prepared for any eventualities.

Drowning:

There are a number of ways of reducing the possibility of this life-threatening event: use the "buddy system" when deep-water dredging; avoid trying to cross fast-flowing or deep streams, especially if you are carrying mining gear or wearing waders; and by being a decent swimmer if you decide to "cool off" by diving or swimming in the cold waters of a mountain river. Again, avoid alcohol consumption and use plain old common sense.

Carhartt Wear
Wolverine Boots
Dickies Work Clothes

Slips and Falls:

When mining (especially in locations with water) wear boots, work shoes, or tennies (not good for preventing crushing injuries, by the way) that have a "gripper," non-slip type of sole. Many of the rocks and bedrock surfaces along a gold-bearing stream can be as slippery as ice. Don't be in a hurry, watch where you step, and where possible, support yourself with items such as prybars, long-handled shovels, a walking stick, or something similar.

Animals, Reptiles, and Insects:

The best advice I can give you here is "leave those wild critters alone!" They are called wild for a reason and are not meant to be poked, prodded, or otherwise manhandled. Avoid potential snake bite by being vigilant and careful when reaching behind, moving, or stepping over rocks, logs, or boulders during mining activities or when hiking to a new site. If necessary, wear insect repellant to keep those pesky little flying nuisances at a distance.

Being Trapped/Asphyxia:

Stay out of old mines, "coyote" holes, or the vertical tunnels or shafts the old timers dug to get at bedrock gold in streams or drywashes. Despite your curiousity, remaining above ground in the fresh air and sunshine is a "far, far better thing to do."

Sun Damage/Skin Cancer:

This one is essentially a "no brainer." When out and about (especially at higher elevations or in the desert Southwest) cover up by wearing long pants (have you ever tried to mine in shorts and bare knees? OUCH!), a long-sleeved shirt, and a wide brimmed hat of some sort. "Slather" all exposed body parts with high SPF sunscreen lotion. You may not appear as the mining stud or studette you'd like to be, but you won't have a plastic surgeon carving away on you later either (something I know about personally).

"Valley Fever"/Respiratory Problems:

Wear a dust mask or lightweight half-face respirator when working in dry placers, especially if you are goinng to be running a drywasher to get your gold. Even a kerchief or piece of cloth tied behind your head and used in this manner (like the bad guys in an old western movie) is better than directly breathing in dust, fine silica, or bacteria.

A Final Word of Advice:

The absolute best safety tip I can give you is this, use the "buddy system." If something does go awry, one of you can help the other and vice versa. This is especially true for deep-water dredgers who spend the bulk of their time mining fully immersed in water. Remember the old adage, "two heads are better than one."
These things said and done, get out there and get some gold! (Safely, of course...)

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Getting the Gold: Some Thoughts on Crevicing"

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Gold Mining Safety Risks

Gold mining can be potentially dangerous work, particularly if a miner violates basic safety principles. Granted, small-scale or recreational placer gold miners won't be facing the extreme hazards that most hard rock or lode miners face, but the risks are there just the same.

Gold Pans
Gold Panning Kits
Mining Equipment

What are some of those risks?

Crushing Injuries:

Placer miners, at some point or another, move large rocks and boulders or dig underneath and around them to get at the gold. Anytime these activities take place, there is a risk for crushing injuries to the extremities such as fingers, hands, arms, feet, and legs. For dredgers working underwater, there is also a risk factor for similar injuries to the torso.

Heat Exhaustion:

There is always a risk for heat exhaustion (sometimes known as a "heat stroke") anytime miners are working placers in areas with high daytime temperatures. These don't always have to be dry or desert placers either. They can be areas in the mountains with plenty of trees and running streams such as the California Motherlode Region where working in direct sunlight in mid-to-late summer can become very hot work.

Dehydration:

This risk is closely related to the previous factor, but it can happen anytime, anywhere if a miner fails to maintain an adequate fluid intake.

Drowning:

Obviously, this risk factor is associated primarily with stream placers where large volumes of running water exist or where deep holes or pools can play a part. Deep-water dredgers are especially at risk, but they are not alone here. This risk is an "equal opportunity employer" for all miners.

Slips and Falls:

These risks are very common for placer miners, but they should never be underestimated. A twisted ankle, serious muscle strain, or worse yet, a broken bone or a concussion can be life-threatening in remote areas, especially if excessive heat is added as an additional factor.

Animals, Reptiles, and Insects:

Critters in the wild are always problematic, with the risks for miners running the gamut from simple annoyances to life threatening situations if the miner is, once again, working in a remote area far from help or anti-venin.

Hypothermia:

This risk is always a possibility anytime a miner is working at higher elevations, more northern locations such as Alaska or Canada, or in conditions where weather changes can occur abruptly and quickly.

Cuts or Puncture Wounds:

Anytime tools such as picks, shovels, prybars, crevicing tools and the like are involved there is always a risk for cuts or puncture wounds. If deep or particularly severe, these can be potentially life threatening.

Being Trapped/Asphyxia:

Always potent risks if a miner falls into (or deliberately enters) small tunnels, vertical shafts or "coyote holes" once used by the old timers to get at bedrock paystreaks and pockets. Invariably these are poorly ventilated with little or no shoring whatsoever on the sides or "roofs."

Sun Damage/Skin Cancer:

Don't blow this risk off simply because you can't see the detrimental results right away. Unprotected skin bombarded with the sun's radiation and UV rays can, with time, create many skin problems including cancers of varying types that can be life threatening (melanoma) if not caught early.

"Valley Fever"/Respiratory Problems:

Respiratory problems from breathing lungfuls of dust, fine silica particles, and bacteria can be a real threat to placer miners, particularly in dry placer or desert areas such as those found in southeastern California (i.e., Imperial and San Bernardino Counties) and many areas in Arizona.

Wolverine Boots
Dickies Work Clothes

So, as you can see, gold mining has inherent risks that we all need to be aware of. Ultimately we, as individual miners, are responsible for our own safety and must take the necessary precautions and actions to prevent "bad" things from happening when we are out in the field.

In my next post, "Gold Mining Safety Tips," we will discuss specific ways to minimize or avoid these risks.

Until then, be safe out there.

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

How Gold Deposits are Formed

2



(A crystalline gold specimen from the California Motherlode Region.)


As most of you already know, gold typically occurs in fractured "host" rocks (granite, schist, quartz, etc.) as veins or lodes. The Sierra Nevada Batholith (the source of the California Motherlode Region's gold) is a good example of this sort of deposit on a grand scale.

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Gold Pans
Mining Equipment

Most lodes are formed when super-heated fluids composed of various chemical constituents circulate through mineralized zones containing gold (Au), chemically bond with it, and then transport it to new locations in the earth's crust. The physical differences of various types of rock as well as the chemical composition of the fluids driven into and around them account for the vast array of various types of lode gold deposits, some of which are outlined below:

1) "Smoker" Au Deposits: These deposits occur wherever superheated waters spring up from vents ("smokers") in the ocean floor which are typically created by tectonic activity along the earth's crust. When this happens, metal-rich minerals including small amounts of gold are deposited in the zone where the superheated, auriferous water is mixed with the cold seawater it makes contact with.

2) High-Sulphur Hydrothermal Au Deposits: Hydrothermal gold deposits usually form when gold-laden water is superheated by magma (molten rock) in the shallowest layers of the earth's crust along lines of past volcanic activity. The chemical fluids in these sorts of deposits are sulphur rich, something that caused many an old timer to call these types of gold ores "sulpherets." (The gold deposits found near Summitville, CO are a good examples of high-sulphur hydrothermals.)

3) Low-Sulphur Hydrothermal Au Deposits: These deposits are very similar to the previous deposit type, with gold forming under similar conditions in similar regions. The main difference is, of course, that the mineralized chemical fluids involved are low in sulphur. (Gold ores found near Round Mountain, NV are low-sulphur hydrothermals.)

4) Microscopic or "Invisible" Au Deposits: Formed when specific chemical interactions take place between super-heated fluids and sedimentary rock, "invisible" deposits derive their name from the micron-sized gold particles that typify them. But don't let the terms microscopic or invisible fool you. These types of deposits can be very "rich" in terms of gold values (but require massive operations to mine). (The Carlin and Meikle Mines in Nevada are good examples.)

5) Uplift or Batholith Au Deposits: Typified by the extensive gold deposits of California's Motherlode Region, batholiths form when extensive fracturing of the earth's crust occurs and tremendous uplift takes place as mountain ranges rise (i.e. the Sierra Nevada Mountains). As this uplift takes place, mineralized hydrothermal fluids flow into rock fractures and cracks, usually of a quartzitic nature (these superheated fluids are created by extremely hot metamorphic rocks buried deep beneath the earth's surface).

6) Greenstone Belt Au Deposits: These are very ancient gold deposits geologically speaking (older than 2 billion years), and no longer form on the earth today. However, examples of these ancient deposits can be found in Australia, Canada, and Africa in various locations.

7) Placer Au Deposits: Over the course of millenia, fine gold, flakes, and nuggets are worn away from their source lodes by heat, cold, pressure, and erosion and begin "migrating" into low-lying areas such as benches, streambeds, gulches, washes, and the ocean floor. These easily worked deposits are called "placers" and they are the bread and butter of most recreational or small-scale miners.

So there you have it. You've just completed the basic Bedrock Dreams Geology 101 course.

Congratulations!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Mining Questions and Answers: Part 12"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/08/gold-mining-questions-and-answers-part.html

(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Placer Mining Equipment: the Suction Dredge

2


(Proline 5", 3", and 2.5" suction dredges from Black Cat Mining, BlackCatMining.com)



Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors
Gold Concentrates






The suction dredge is the single most efficient piece of mining equipment for recovering placer gold from a river or stream. Dredges can process large amounts of auriferous ("gold-bearing") material and are quite good at recovering everything from "pinhead" flour gold and small flakes on up to large nuggets. Essentially, dredges are just gasoline-powered "vacuum cleaners" that can be floated on pontoons or used from a stream bank (the latter being the usual province of highbankers or very small dredges).

Dredge Categories: Suction dredges are typically categorized according to the diameter of the unit's intake hose, which can be as small as 2 inches and as large as 8-10 inches or more. However, most recreational or small-scale placer miners in the United States use dredges with intakes of 2.5, 3, 4, or 6 inches, since these are the types most commonly sold by suppliers. The larger the diameter of the dredge's intake hose, the more material it can process (usually expressed in terms of cubic feet per hour).

Requirements and Limitations: One thing all dredges have in common (regardless of their intake hose diameter) is that they require large volumes of water to operate correctly and efficiently. Obviously, larger dredges with wider intake hoses require greater volumes of water while smaller dredges with corresponding smaller intake diameters can be successfully employed on smaller streams carrying much less water.

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Dredge Components: The standard components for most dredges are:

1) Gasoline engine(s) providing power for the unit;
2) Water pump or "venturi" jet creating suction and expelling water;
3) Intake hose and suction nozzle acting as vacuum "attachments;"
4) Sluice box(es) for processing auriferous gravels and trapping the gold;
5) Pontoons, inner tube(s), or other flotation devices for supporting the dredge on the water's surface; and
6) Breathing apparatus such as a "hookah" line for diving underwater.

Types of Dredging: There are essentially three main types of dredging activities:

1) Deep water where diving experience is a must, the dredger is fully immersed in water reaching depths of 15-20 feet, and he or she is using an air line ("hookah") to breathe;
2) Shallow water where diving experience is not mandatory and the dredger is (typically) only partially immersed in water depths of 2-5 feet; or
3) Surface dredging where overburden is shallow or bedrock is nearly exposed and cracks and crevices can be easily vacuumed.

Advantages: There are a number of advantages associated with using a suction dredge:

1) Large volumes of auriferous material can be processed rapidly;
2) Dredges are extremely efficient "gold grabbers;" and
3) They can be extremely cost-effective if operated properly in productive areas.

Disadvantages: Often, with every advantage comes a concurrent disadvantage. Dredges are no exception to this rule:

1) Fairly substantial initial financial outlay ($1,000-$6,000 depending on the dredge type and size);
2) Like all things mechanical dredges require a certain amount of maintenance and repair, and they can break down ;
3) They are often bulky and cumbersome to transport or carry and require additional tools, gasoline, and materials that must also be transported or carried.

Safety Concerns: Safety concerns should be first and foremost in any dredger's list of important items, since there are some inherent dangers involved with running the larger intake dredges at greater depths. I recommend the "buddy system" for those placer miners who will be working fully immersed underwater. Hookah breathing lines can twist, kink or foul and large rocks or boulders beneath the surface can suddenly shift or move, trapping the dredger. Be smart and be safe. No amount of gold in the world is worth your life, pure and simple.

Permits: I can't think of one state in the U.S. that does not require an annual permit for operating a suction dredge (and highbankers with a suction nozzle). Before you dredge any location, make sure you have researched any and all permit requirements for that area and that specific location. Save yourself from potential legal hassles and fines, OK?

Until next time, be safe out there.

If you liked this post, then you may want to read: "Gold Mining Safety Tips"
http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-mining-safety-tips.html
(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part III

Here is the third Bedrock Dreams installment on gold placer areas in the State of Arizona. In this post I begin by listing placer districts and locations in Pinal County:

Treasure Hunting
Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors

Pinal County: Erratically distributed placer gold has been found at the west foot of the Slate Mountains.
The once famous Canada del Oro Placers can be found about 4 miles south of Oracle near the northwest base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Nearly all the arroyos, drywashes, and gulches in this area contain good gold values, even though this area has been worked hard over the years.
Santa Cruz County: Near Harshaw both elluvial and alluvial placer gold has been reported in a condensed 1-square mile area between Sonoita Creek and Alum Canyon.
Six miles north of Nogales, placers of the same name can be found in Guebabi Canyon.

The Oro Blanco Placers are located in the Rusy and Oro Blanco region. These placers were once very rich, especially in Oro Blanco and Viejo Gulches. Also check the nearby hillsides as they contain bench and terrace placer gold deposits. Additional rich placers were once worked near the mouth of Warsaw Creek and a few miles north of the Mexican border.

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If you go 9 or 10 miles south of Patagonia about 5 miles north of the Mexican border, you will find the Patagonia Placers, extensive gold placers that were once heavily worked and proved very productive in terms of gold values.

Near the old Mowry Mine additional placers can be found in Mowry Wash. These placers are in ancient Quaternary Period gravels and were also quite rich. Other low-laying areas and drainages around and below the Mowry Mine contain placer gold values as well. Many of the nuggets recovered in this region were in excess of 2 troy ounces and were quite coarse.
The Palmetto Placers consist of nearly 320 acres of Quaternary Period gravels about 6 miles northwest of the old Three "R" Mine.
Over 100,000 troy ounces of lode and placer gold were produced in the Ruby area in the vincinity of the Old Glory, Austerlitz, and Margarita Mines.
The Tyndall Placers were rich ground at one time at can be found at the base of the Grosvenor Hills southwest of Salero.
Yavapai County: In the Black Canyon District (Bradshaw Mountains) productive placers were once worked near the Agua Fria River below the old Howard Mine. In and along Black Canyon small placers still produce gold and nearly all the watercourses and drainages in the region will carry some placer gold as well.
In American and Mexican Gulches between Arrastra Creek and Cleator there are fairly extensive placers that were once highly productive.
The famous Humbug Creek Placers extend for some 20 miles along Humbug, French, and Cow Creeks. Fine and flake gold can be recovered from overburden gravels here that are sometimes more than 20-feet deep. If you can get to bedrock though, expect to recover some very coarse gold and nuggets.
North of Black Canyon City near Bumblebee, rich placers were once worked in gravel bars.
The Weaver-Rich Hill District continues to be very "rich ground," producing many placer gold nuggets, especially for savvy electronic propsectors and nugget shooters. IMPORTANT NOTE: To the best of my knowledge, the Rich Hill area is completely claimed up, so please be careful not to trespass there.
Placer gold can be found in the Eureka Placers along Burro Creek and in nearly all the area gulches, washes, and bench gravels (some 18 miles northwest of Hillside Station).

There is placer gold in Placerita, French, and Cherry Gulches as well as in Blind Indian and Mill Creeks southeast of Kirkland.
Very productive placers were once worked along Model Creek in Peeples Valley.
Near Pine Flat, almost all the watercourses and drainages in the area of the old Cumberland Mine contain placer gold.
Nearly every creek in the Prescott area contains placer gold.
The upper reaches of Granite Creek contain the Granite Creek Placers, which were heavily worked beginning in 1860.
In New England Gulch (5 miles south of Prescott) very rich placers existed until they were "worked out." Additionally, all the benches, drainages, watercourses, gulches, and washes in this region contain some placer gold.
The Hassayampa-Groom Placer District is on the west slopes of the Bradshaw Mountains. These placers produced thousands of troy ounces of gold.
Rich placer ground can also be found at Rock Springs below the old Maggle Mine.
(In the fourth and final installment of this series of posts on Arizona placer gold locations, we will finish up with Yuma County.)

Take care until then.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part II"
http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-in-southwest-arizona-part-ii.html
(c) J.R. 2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Gold Mining Questions and Answers: Part 10

 (Section of the North Yuba River in Northern California.)

Here is the 10th installment of answers to your "Bedrock Dreams" gold mining questions:

If I am cleaning the gravel from the top of a clay layer to get gold, should I dig down into the clay too? Remember, clay acts as a type of "false bedrock" that usually prevents placer gold from moving down further, despite gold's high density and specific gravity. On a recent mining trip to the N. Yuba River in California's Motherlode Region I sluiced a stretch of gold-bearing gravel sitting on top of a reddish clay layer and did fairly well in the gravel itself. However, when I actually sampled the cobbled rock trapped within the clay I didn't find a thing. Over the years in many different mining locations (except one specific location that comes to mind), this has always been true for me. Still, it won't hurt to take a few samples from the clay itself to see if anything's there. Remember to break up or "puddle" the clay thoroughly before panning your samples though.

Gold Pans
Gold Concentrators  

I am pretty new to this gold mining thing and was wondering if there is still some good gold to be found out there? Well, there are many variables to consider first. Most, if not all, of the "easy-to-get" gold was recovered long ago from both wet or dry placer locations in the U.S. This said, many self-proclaimed experts like to state that only 75% of the world's gold has been recovered to date. If this is indeed true, then there is still plenty of gold out there to be found and recovered. However, if by "good gold" you mean large nuggets, big paystreaks, or 100-ounce pockets, then my answer to you is, "not likely." It takes knowledge, experience, hard work, and the "right" equipment in the "right" place at the "right" time to find decent amounts of placer gold...but will you find a bit of gold in your pan if you are in a gold-producing area and know where to look.

Some veteran miners I know say that you never forget when and where you found your first gold nugget. True? No doubt about it. I found my first placer nugget in an old tailings pile outside of Nevada City, California about 30 years ago. It's much like other good "firsts" that happen in your life. You never forget it!

I want to join a prospecting and mining club. Know any good ones? Although I belonged to a small mining club when I was first starting out as a small-scale gold miner, I've not been involved with clubs for a very long time. I don't like crowds and prefer "going it alone" most of the time or with one or two experienced partners. Two of the largest organizations these days seem to be The New '49ers and Gold Prospector's Association of America (GPAA), so you might want to do a bit of research on them or better yet, talk to someone who is a member. I'm partial to the New 49ers, but that's me... One piece of advice though...some of these clubs charge big bucks for memberships these days. Make sure it's worth your while if you decide to join.

 (Gold suction dredge.)

Are suction dredges safe to operate for just one person? Only if they are very small (with a suction intake of 2.5-3 inches) or you are not going to be fully immersed underwater. Larger dredges require a "hookah" breathing apparatus and you will be underwater a good deal of the time. If you work alone your entire personal safety rests on the premise that nothing untoward will happen (you get nailed by a large boulder underwater, the hookah line gets fouled, etc., etc.). When running larger dredges I urge you to use the "buddy system" and partner up with someone you can trust. That way you can watch each other's backs, just in case.

Do you think it's worth the time and effort to use a "come along" to move large boulders out of the way to see what's underneath them? Tough question. Moving large boulders and other obstructions in low-pressure stream areas can be very demanding and back-breaking work. So it's a judgement call. I can tell you this though. I've seen some very nice gold and many pretty nuggets recovered this way by various miners over the years. Many years ago up on Ramshorn Creek south of Downieville, CA I ran into an old timer who was a "master" at this and had the gold to prove it, including a substantial number of small and medium-sized nuggets. It was his specialty, you might say. So if you're in a good area, why not give it a try and see what you recover.

What's the best gold pan? It's amazing how often this particular question pops up! But to answer your question, my all-time favorite gold pan is the Garrett "Gravity Trap" family of pans. I don't use anything else. So that's my pan of choice. ("Gravity Traps" can be purchased from Black Cat Mining, BlackCatMining.com, a supplier I highly recommend.)

Which do you like better? Wet or dry placers? I'd have to go with wet placers here. Obviously the availability of water is a key qualifier, since it is so much easier to process gold-bearing material with an abundant supply. However, I have worked many dry or desert placer areas as well, and there is something to be said for the lonely beauty of those regions. Ideally, a well-placed miner would have a claim with plenty of water high in the mountains he or she could work during the summer months and a desert gold claim for those cooler fall, winter, and early spring months when the desert is much more "user friendly."

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2008

(Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com)

Getting the Gold: Some Thoughts on Crevicing

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A Proven Method for Getting Gold

A proven method of getting gold in a streambed is by crevicing, or "sniping" as many placer miners call it. You may not be able to move cubic yard after cubic yard of gold-bearing gravel like you would with a suction dredge or highbanker, but what crevicing lacks in quantity can often be compensated for in terms processing ease, mobility, and potential returns for minimal monetary outlay.

Gold Pans
Gold Panning Kits
Mining Equipment

Let's face it. Not all of us can easily expend thousands of dollars for placer gold mining equipment like large suction dredges, trommels, higbankers or various and sundry other high-end pieces of motorized or mechanized gear. Additionally, not all of us want the multitude of hassles associated with transporting, packing, maintaining, and operating this equipment. What we want is a more direct approach that requires little except a modicum of placer mining experience and knowledge of stream hydraulics and gold deposition physics. And, a few hand tools that are easily carried in a backpack or 5-gallon bucket. Finally, most of us realize we are not going to "strike it rich" out there and just want to get some gold and have a good time doing it. This is where a good crevicer or "sniper" steps in.

It's All a Question of What Works Best

In an earlier post I discussed some of the issues and equipment involved with underwater sniping for gold but in this post I want to stress that crevicing or sniping can be done without using snipe tubes, snorkels, face masks, or wetsuits. It's all a question of what suits your gold-mining temperament. Some folks love getting wet and muddy while others like it high and dry. Some want to break their backs getting at the gold while others prefer taking it slow and easy. If you are a retired person or a current (or prospective!) AARP member, you probably know what I am talking about here.

Above-the-waterline or drywash crevicing can fill all these voids and, if done well, can provide the "sniper" with endless opportunities for recovering decent amounts of fines, flakes, and small nuggets and even the occasional hot "paystreak." Why is this so? Because a good sniper is only going to be processing material that has already been "concentrated" by stream hydraulic action (though this may become more problematic in dry placer areas). Let me give you a hypothetical example:

You run six 5-gallon buckets of auriferous bench gravel through your sluice box and recover 1.5 pennyweights of gold after clean up. Meanwhile, your prospecting buddy who is an avid sniper has been busy cleaning out a small bedrock crevice that looked promising. After leaving the crevice sparkling clean your partner pans out 1.5 pennyweights of placer gold. The gold recovery was equal between you two, yet who had to move more dirt at greater physical effort?

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In the final analysis, whatever works....well, works! You don't always have to be some placer mining "magnate" hauling a trailer, gas cans, "come alongs," and a 6" dredge. If you're not trying to make a living at placer gold mining (and most don't), mine your way, not someone else's way.

And in the process, have fun.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Prospecting Clubs: to Pay or Not to Pay?"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-prospecting-clubs-to-pay-or-not-to.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part II

Here is the second of my Bedrock Dreams posts on Arizona placer gold districts and locations (many of which are dry placers, by the way). This post begins with placer mining areas in Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix urban area:

Maricopa County: There are minor placer gold deposits from lode mines in the Cave Creek District, less than a hour's drive north of Phoenix.

Approximately 45 miles northwest of Phoenix are the San Domingo placers. Old Woman Gulch, a tributary of San Domingo Wash, is an extensive placer area that was once known for producing large, coarse nuggets. Additionally, just about all the smaller washes in this region carry heavy black sands and fine placer gold.

The Hassayampa Placers can be found less than 10 miles southeast of Wickenburg and below the mouth of San Domingo Wash. These placers have been very productive over the years and continue to produce placer gold for small-scale and recreational miners.

In the drainages around and near the Vulture Mine, gold can be recovered by drywashing gravels and by working the older tailings piles.

Mohave County: The Lewis Placers, known for producing coarse gold, are just a few miles southwest of Kingman.
About 6 miles southeast of the Lewis Placers are the Lookout Placers which contain widely disseminated but coarse wire gold.

The Gold Basin Placers can be found by an unpaved road branching off Highway 93 (somewhere near the north end of Red Lake Place). These placers are extensive but have also been worked hard by other miners using drywashers.

You can find the King Tut Placer District by driving 70 miles north and west of the Gold Basin Placers. These placers are nearly 8 miles in length and have produced quite a bit of placer gold over the years.

In the Silver Creek area there are many small placers downstream from the old U.S. Highway 66.
Many small to medium-sized gold placers can be found near Pierce Ferry, an area accessible from Highway 93 north of the Chloride turnoff.

The Chemehuevis Placers are located in the foothills of the Mohave Mountains about 18miles southeast of Topock.

The "Old Spanish Diggings" can be found near the Red Hills at the southwest foot of the Mohave Mountains. Additionally, this area contains Printer's and Dutch Gulches, placers that were once very rich.

Pima County: Gold placers can be found along Arivaca and Las Guijas Creeks in the Las Guijas Mountains. In the pediments at the north foot of the mountains large scale placer operations were once conducted and most of the drainage courses here contain some placer gold.
Approximately 6 miles west of Continental you can find numerous dry placers along the upper course of Amargosa Arroyo. Some placer gold also exists in thin hillside gravels here as well.

The Greaterville District lies about 35 miles southeast of Tucson. Nearly all the gulches, washes, arroyos, terraces, and benches here contain placer gold. The most productive areas were located in and along the following gulches: Boston, Kentucky, Harshaw, Sucker, Graham, Louisiana, Hughes, and Ophir.
Seventy miles north and west of Tucson are the Quijotoa Placers, a very extensive placer area covering nearly 100 square miles. However, some of these placers may be on Pima Indian land, so be careful not to trespass.

Costplustools

Abundant and coarse placer gold was once recovered south of Pozo Blanco, about a mile from the west foot of the Quijotoa Mountains. Many smaller placers were worked a few miles north of this location as well.

Placers along the north slope of Alder Canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains once produced abundant placer gold in the form of flat, coarse pieces.

Approximately 5 miles southeast of Baboquivari Peak (in the mountains of the same name) you can find placer gold in the benches and gravel bars (Baboquivari Placers).
At Papago, 30 miles southwest of Tucson, rich gold placers were once worked along Ash Creek.
The Old Baldy Placers lie some 60 miles south by southeast of Tucson at the northwest base of the Santa Rita Mountains in Madera Canyon. These placers were once extensively worked and may prove problematic since significant amounts of overburden cover the paystreaks here.

(In "Gold in the Southwest: Arizona, Part III," I'll start with placer gold locations in Pinal County.) http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-in-southwest-arizona-part-iii.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Gold Mining Questions and Answers: Part 9

Here you are. Part 9 of answers to questions about gold mining submitted to Bedrock Dreams:

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Gold Pans
Gold Concentrators

Which kind of drywasher is better, an electric one or a puffer type? I'm not entirely clear what you mean by "an electric one." Are you speaking of a motorized drywasher powered by a 12 volt battery or do you mean an electrostatic vibrating type drywasher? Whatever the case, I don't necessarily think one is better than the other. Quite often, the conditions you will be working in out in the field will dictate (to a great degree) what the best piece of mining equipment to use is. I myself am partial to the gas-driven, motorized "puffer" style drywasher, since I used one to reasonable success for many years. However, I have seen other types of drywashers do an admirable job as well, so it's essentially your call.

I've been highbanking an area of old bench gravels and getting lots of old nails, lead and black sands, but not much gold. I know you have said that the iron and lead are "indicators" of gold, so what's up? Yes, I've stated in some of my posts about sampling and sniping that old nails, oxidized iron, and lead are good indicators for gold in that these items tend to follow similar deposition patterns as placer gold in a streambed or drywash. If you read a bit closer you will also notice that I said these things are "signs and portents," not guarantees. Unfortunately, if you are not getting much, if any, placer gold in these gravels it probably means you are running material that has already been processed successfully by others. Essentially, they took the gold and left you the iron and lead. I myself have run into this problem in various locales, including a famous dry placer district here in New Mexico. Have you tried sampling above and below the gravels you are currently running to see if decent gold values exist in a different stratum?

I was thinking of taking a crevicing trip to the California Motherlode, but waiting till August when I suspect the water levels are down and more bedrock is exposed. What do you think of this idea? I think it's a great idea if you plan on doing underwater sniping or even above water crevicing and have the knowledge, experience, and tools to be successful at it. Some very good placer gold values can be recovered at low water this way for little expense or material outlay. The biggest problem you will be facing however, is the lack of access to areas to mine. For the most part, the few areas in the Motherlode open to the public for recreational mining or panning have been beaten to death by others over time and the other, better areas, are either claimed up or on private property. Unfortunately, it's a dilemma we all face these days.

Is there any stream gold in Arkansas? Yes, there is supposed to be some placer gold in the State of Arkansas. Where and how much I could not tell you since there is no record of significant gold production in the state. I recommend you pull up the State of Arkansas Geological Survey homepage (http://www.arkansas.gov/agc/) and see what they say about this. In the meantime, if you want to pan for diamonds instead of gold you might try Crater of Diamonds State Park.

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On a hike in the mountains I found some quartz rocks with these little metallic gold-colored cubes in them. Is this gold? If it is, I'm rich! I hate to ruin your dreams of instant wealth but what you found there sounds more like iron pyrite, or "fool's gold," than real gold. Why do I say this? In your description you use the term "cubes," which is the typical crystal formation of pyrites. Take a hammer and give one of these "gold-colored cubes" a good tap. If it's pyrite it will shatter. Also streak test one of these cubes by grinding it against another hard rock surface. If it streaks a greenish-black color it is definitely iron pyrite and not gold. For more information on how to determine real gold from iron pyrite, read my post in Bedrock Dreams titled "Fool's Gold."

Who gets richer from gold mining, miners or the guys who sell miners books, videos and mining gear? Somehow I get the feeling you already know the answer to your own question! Who gets richer? The guy selling the miner what he needs (and sometimes what he or she doesn't need). That's who. It's been that way since the Days of '49. But we all need mining gear at one point or another, so it's important to find a good shop. I myself use Black Cat Mining, BlackCatMining.com, a family run business in Halsey, OR.

How many pennyweights are there in an ounce of gold? There are 20 dwt (pennyweights) in a troy ounce of gold or 31.1 grams.

I live in Fresno, CA. Is there a good place to pan for gold close to Fresno? Head for Highway 41 and Coarsegold, a bit north and east of Fresno. If there are any open areas, find a spot along Coarsegold Creek and get to work. They didn't call it "Coarsegold" in the old days for nothing!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Main Placer Gold Areas of the Yukon Territory"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/09/main-gold-placer-areas-of-yukon.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

"Reading" a Stream: Drywashes

2



In earlier posts on the subject I covered some of the basics of placer gold deposition as it relates to stream courses with continual water flow. Drywashes can, however, pose a different set of problems for the small-scale miner.

Gold Concentrators
Metal Detectors
Gold Concentrates

Intermittent Flow Often Means Intermittent Gold

In drywashes or other stream courses with only occasional or intermittent water flow the basics of gold deposition and stream hydraulics still apply to some degree, but at the same time these stream "reading" factors can become quite problematic or downright frustrating to prospective placer miners. Why is this? The answer is, in essence, quite simple and direct.

In arid or desert placers where water flow is essentially restricted to sudden thunderstorm downpours, brief seasonal flooding, or other intermittent events, the bulk of the stream course's placer gold is in a transitional state. Granted, significant amounts of gold may still be found on bedrock, behind larger obstructions, or in low pressure portions of the streambed but in a drywash there is nearly the same likelihood that pockets or paystreaks of gold will be scattered throughout the stream course at various points, levels, and depths that seem to defy conventional logic governing gold deposition in running streams.

Think Outside the Box When Working Dry Placers

For example, in areas that only receive rain during sudden torrrential downpours from thunderstorms in the summertime, drywashes acting as drainages for higher elevations are usually in a flash flood state, with tons of rock, gravel, and other debris being swept downstream with great force and speed. This includes placer gold. When, just as suddenly, this flash flooding stops, the placer gold that was in suspension just seconds earlier is deposited wherever it is "dumped" at the moment stream hydraulic action ceases.

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So, placer gold in drywashes can frequently be found in erratic pockets and paystreaks that often do not conform to the physics of gold deposition in a running stream with consistent hydraulic action. This creates a new set of problems for any miner attempting to "read" a drywash. Often, drywashes pose a "hit-or-miss" type of placer mining that can either be immensely rewarding or just as frustrating. When it comes to gold deposition in dry placers, thinking outside the box is a definite asset.

Until next time, be safe.

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Use Your Gold Pan First: Part 2

2


(Garrett "Gravity Trap" gold pan from Black Cat Mining, BlackCatMining.com)

We've already discussed the true function of a gold pan in "Use Your Gold Pan First: Part 1." And, if you read that post closely you should realize that one of the most important things you can do to improve your chances of successful gold recovery is to use your gold pan to sample thoroughly BEFORE operating any piece of mining equipment (i.e., dredge, drywasher, sluice box, highbanker, etc.).

Yes, stream hydraulics and the principles of gold deposition physics will dictate, to a great degree, where you will begin your search for gold, but unlike the examples of would-be miners I mentioned in my earlier post on this subject that you CANNOT afford to be lazy and assume that good gold values will be recovered just because you are working the gravels of an inside bend or other low-pressure or likely gold deposition area. USE YOUR GOLD PAN FIRST. Sample, sample, sample.

I've covered proper sampling in some earlier posts in Bedrock Dreams and I suggest you read these because I am not going to "re-plow" the same ground here. But what I am going to do is give you a few hints and tips on how to effectively employ your gold pan before running large amounts of material through a piece of mining equipment, whatever that may be.

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Here's what I look for when performing my preliminary sampling with a gold pan, regardless of whether I am sampling a gravel bar; the area behind large, low-pressure obstructions; bedrock; bench gravels; or any other likely looking spot:

1) If there is no gold in the pan: If I find nothing in a certain number of test pans at different depths and locations I don't waste another second but move on to another likely looking location for additional sampling.

2) There are pieces of oxidized iron or lead in the pan but no gold: Definitely worth a second look and additional sampling. Bits and pieces of oxidized iron, old nails, rusty conglomerates, shot, and deformed lead fishing weights are good indicators that I'm on the right track since they tend to follow the same deposition patterns of placer gold. However, I must qualify this somehwat. They DO NOT guarantee I will find placer gold along with them, especially if I am unlucky enough to be sampling areas that have already been worked over pretty well.

3) There is gold in the pan along with pieces of oxidized iron, lead, and coarse black sands: Ok, now we're talking. If a reasonable number of test pans hold up with consistent results, this may be a very good location to set up my equipment and start running larger amounts of material.

4) How coarse is the gold in the pan? Am I finding a few microdots of flood or flour gold, small flakes, or a chunky piece I can pick up with my fingers? Here's the way I tend to assess things: If I'm finding lots of flood gold as opposed to an occasional flake or two or even a chunkier piece, I'll work the area showing the most gold. If I am getting a nice chunky piece or two per pan, or every third pan or so, I will make that my area to work hard by processing as much material as I can with the appropriate piece of mining equipment. It's a judgment call of sorts. Do you want to recover lots of fine gold or would you rather try to recover the heavier pieces even though they are less frequent?

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In the final analysis, you must decide which area you are sampling is giving you the best gold "showing" and the best potential gold return recovery rate for the estimated amount of material to be processed. As you can see, this not an easy task most of the time and requires knowledge, foresight, experience, good sampling techniques, and a bit of luck thrown in for good measure. One thing I can tell you for sure is that a haphazard or half-hearted sampling approach won't cut it in the long run. You'll come up short the majority of the time.

"USE YOUR GOLD PAN FIRST!"

Good luck out there.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Gold Mining Questions and Answers, Part 11"

http://goldbedrockgold.blogspot.com/2008/07/gold-mining-questions-and-answers-part_24.html

(c) J.R. 2008

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com