Years long debate over motorized prospecting in Washington rivers continues

DizzyDigger

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Dec 9, 2012
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Concrete, WA
Detector(s) used
Nokta FoRs Gold, a Gold Cube, 2 Keene Sluices and Lord only knows how many pans....not to mention a load of other gear my wife still doesn't know about!
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/l...cle_f8a7f8dd-3022-54cb-959a-7abd723288a0.html

Chuck Wilson and Kim McDonald share a love of outdoor recreation and nature. But they’re on opposite sides when it comes to suction dredge mining.

Wilson, president of the Washington Prospectors Mining Association, said he first started panning for gold at age 3. His prospecting has since expanded to include suction dredge mining, with the Sultan River in Snohomish County a favorite spot.

McDonald also fell in love with being outdoors in waterways at an early age, with a particular passion for fly-fishing in the Peshastin area. An ecologist and forester, she still combs the waterways but now also notes the negative impacts of those not following the rules.

Suction dredge mining is a motorized prospecting method that uses a high-pressure gasoline-powered water pump to vacuum up rocks, gravel and sediment from the bottom of rivers and creeks. The material is filtered through the machine and back into the river in a process that helps separate out minerals, such as gold or jade.


You can read the whole story at the link...
 

russau

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May 29, 2005
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St. Louis, missouri
I also loved dredging the streams and rivers back when I was able todo so ! To much now for this beat up ole body now , BUT I still love to talk about it !
 

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