4 Hours of effort pays off

[DizzyDigger]

Didn't pay off much, but I sure didn't go home empty handed (this time!..lol)

Creeks, rivers and drainage's are everywhere up here, but there are very few
that actually hold any color worth digging. Finding those spots is always a
challenge, and rather than head for the "mainstream" locations others go to,
I prefer to head up into the bush/timber and and see what I can come up with.

Got lucky the other day, and found me a new spot buried way up in the high
country. Loads of overburden, but the gold there is a little heavier than the
hyper-flat, beat-to-death flood/float gold we find down in the lower elevations.

Don't know who was up here in the past, but the ground has been worked
before. I suspect it was the Chinese, as there was a small amt. of mercury in
the cons when I panned it out.


(penny for size reference)

I know it ain't much, but it'll add up over time. Going to head back up there again
in a couple days when the weather improves, and hope to do better next trip!

 

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[vpnavy]

Outstanding DizzyDigger.

 

[TerryC]

Color is color...by the flake, by the nugget, or by the pound! All adds up! Nice. TTC

 

[DizzyDigger]

Color is color...by the flake, by the nugget, or by the pound!
All adds up! Nice. TTC

About all there is in my area is glacier gold flakes and fines. Although I've heard stories
about lode gold being found in some areas, I've never seen evidence of a hard rock mining
operation anywhere near here. Still, just like any watershed the trick is to find the gold,
then find the spots where quantities of it are pocketed up.

I'm currently re-working all the concentrates in my new concentrating jig. So far
the results have been good in a couple tests using just a few teaspoons of material,
but the big test will be tomorrow when I re-run the 1/2 bucketful. Hopefully I can add
another pic of all these fines and super-fines that came out of the already worked
concentrates.

 

[Jeff95531]

I feel just like you do DD. I rather miss on my own than hit on a known. I like the hunt. Finding gold on your own rocks!

 

[KevinInColorado]

I feel just like you do DD. I rather miss on my own than hit on a known. I like the hunt. Finding gold on your own rocks!

Same here! If you show me where to dig it ain't prospecting, it's just digging! :P

 

[DizzyDigger]

First run of the cons through my new concentrator did not go well,
but that was most likely due to the pan I had it running through.

I'm classifying it all down to about 16 mesh, and then will re-run it
tonight with a different catch pan on the vibration platform. Goal is
to super-concentrate the fines in hopes of recovering a higher
percentage of them.

I feel just like you do DD. I rather miss on my own
than hit on a known. I like the hunt. Finding gold on your own rocks!

I enjoy getting out into new areas, and will often just go "roadin' " for a few
hours a week. Often have to clear roads of the downed trees from the previous
winter as I go up into the high country, but it's worth the effort just for the views.