Crackin and crevicing

[MadMarshall]

Well I done with the politics for a bit and I am still not 100% so I am taking it easy. One of the most effective way for a small scale miner to find gold. And also requires the most basic of tools.. Now when I am on the hunt for a crack or crevice I am of course looking for Gold but their are a few other things that I feel are important. I have come to realize that a crack relation to the river or creek has little to do in deteriming if gold is present. The size of the crack I feel does play a role..For me it is more common to find good gold in very small cracks then say one that is wide.. Cracks can be tricky in the sense that allot of times gold will not be uasually distributed evenly thruout the crack.. In most cases gold will collect in places and work itself somewhere and collect.. These collections areas can be tricky to find.. Allot of Times I noticed these collection areas to be tucked away so to speak.. Allot of cracks give off the appearance that they end or bottom out.. most often I find this not the case.. Sometimes cracks will seem to go straight into bedrock and disappear.More often I find that by taking a few inches of the bedrock I can re exspose the crack and allot time gold will collect in these spots. A lot of cracks open into small pockets when you dig deeper. Often when I bottom out in a crack the crack is far from over..Cracks often continue pretty deep into bedrock.. If possible break down the supposed bottom of your crack..It might just continue and the gold content can get better..Pay attention to what kind of bedrock you are in.. Different bedrock seems to play a huge role in creivicing.. The whole time I am cracking I am trying to figure out the path of my gold and how it is traveling to these collection spots.. Now this is where it get's tricky becouse often when breaking bedrock for gold Quite a few of hidden cracks and fractures may appear but most likely only a few will show signs of gold.. Now it is not uncommon to find more then one collection areas in a single pay crack though they can be in well hidden. An invisible layer of dirt.. Often when cleaning out a crack some people seem to be content with just taking the dirt and sweeping.. It is very common for dirt to be present in thin hard layers on the side or bottom of cracks exspeacially thin cemented cracks. This dirt often has gold and can look very much like rock... get in the habit of scraping the sides and bottom of your cracks a broom just aint enough. Pay attention to the sediment in your pan!! Small river worn rocks? No river worn rocks just blacksand? Each pan out of the crack should be telling you a story on how the gold got their and how it ended up where u found it.. Which way it's traveling and so on... Well I hope this help a little Anyway I hope all is having a great year..

 

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[IdahoJake]

Thanks for your insights. Much appreciated. Also, I'm a big fan of your vids. They've inspired me to look at the bedrock on my claim differently. Keep em coming bro!

 

[MadMarshall]

I am always trying to decipher gold so to speak. And in doing this I have noticed some distinct differences in cracks and how I look at an area. Obviously allot of cracks are just recent flood gold usually these cracks are easy to Identify. Most often the gravel is not hard pack always there is some gap in the crack. Not uncommon to see lead fishing weights ect ect. Now even if the gold is recent and the crack's value seem's really not to be worth the time and their is still a possibility of the crack having a pay pocket. Type of bedrock can give you hints on which cracks may be worth it to explore deeper.. Now all bedrock for the most part I have found gold in (in a Known gold locations)But different types of bedrock has different tendencies and traits in it's relation to gold.. I find it difficult to explain.. Anyway their is no such thing as a crack crevice fracture ect ect that is too small..I can not stress that enough .Also never dismiss dirt from looking at it or never assume their is no gold in that little bit of dirt. It is difficult thing for me to explain why some cracks I will dismiss quickly and other I may spend hours or days before I dismiss it.. (not always does this time pay off)..But I do know that I only get better at reading cracks and gold.. Not only in finding the cracks but in exploiting them quicker.. Each crack is different though it's hard to explain..
Maybe you can see the difference for yourself.. I will do my best to explain each area in relation to gold found.. Now this first video(I know I know any excuse to for me to post a vid) This type of bedrock has proven to be very friendly with gold.. now in some places this crack fracture is paper thin but often opened up the closer to the river. There were multiple hidden cracks and pockets and collections of gold. The best pay areas actually being about a 6 inches to a foot beneath bedrock.. nice gold has been found on that side of the river but nothing compared to the small area of the pay zone. The gold is chunky to flakes dust is present but not allot. Look at the area in relation to the river..


Now this video is not quite half a football field downriver on the opposite side.. Now this area was allot wider in the pay zone and the cracks seemed to always run the same direction of the river.. Now like I said the pay area was wider but the tendacies of the gold were quite different..So is the Bedrock.. now on this side nice chunky gold was found but also allot of dust and the gold was shallower the pursuit of hairline fractures on this side proved worthless.But on the other hand if the cracks filled with sediment turned out to pay great. Lead and crap were very common and more material was definitely moved from this side of the river compared to the first location just upriver.. Also this area proved to have only little over half the gold content that upriver had. The moss pays alright on this side.. This side was worked relative quickly so that a blessing in itself.

Now I intend to get up early tomorrow and try to get some work done so I must stop babbling. I hope some of this provides useful in your pursuit of riches...

 

[707Dut]

I am always trying to decipher gold so to speak. And in doing this I have noticed some distinct differences in cracks and how I look at an area. Obviously allot of cracks are just recent flood gold usually these cracks are easy to Identify. Most often the gravel is not hard pack always there is some gap in the crack. Not uncommon to see lead fishing weights ect ect. Now even if the gold is recent and the crack's value seem's really not to be worth the time and their is still a possibility of the crack having a pay pocket. Type of bedrock can give you hints on which cracks may be worth it to explore deeper.. Now all bedrock for the most part I have found gold in (in a Known gold locations)But different types of bedrock has different tendencies and traits in it's relation to gold.. I find it difficult to explain.. Anyway their is no such thing as a crack crevice fracture ect ect that is too small..I can not stress that enough .Also never dismiss dirt from looking at it or never assume their is no gold in that little bit of dirt. It is difficult thing for me to explain why some cracks I will dismiss quickly and other I may spend hours or days before I dismiss it.. (not always does this time pay off)..But I do know that I only get better at reading cracks and gold.. Not only in finding the cracks but in exploiting them quicker.. Each crack is different though it's hard to explain..
Maybe you can see the difference for yourself.. I will do my best to explain each area in relation to gold found.. Now this first video(I know I know any excuse to for me to post a vid) This type of bedrock has proven to be very friendly with gold.. now in some places this crack fracture is paper thin but often opened up the closer to the river. There were multiple hidden cracks and pockets and collections of gold. The best pay areas actually being about a 6 inches to a foot beneath bedrock.. nice gold has been found on that side of the river but nothing compared to the small area of the pay zone. The gold is chunky to flakes dust is present but not allot. Look at the area in relation to the river..
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRIlDaXgee0&list=UUv-ig5HP3v0FHPfWnuFefMA

Now this video is not quite half a football field downriver on the opposite side.. Now this area was allot wider in the pay zone and the cracks seemed to always run the same direction of the river.. Now like I said the pay area was wider but the tendacies of the gold were quite different..So is the Bedrock.. now on this side nice chunky gold was found but also allot of dust and the gold was shallower the pursuit of hairline fractures on this side proved worthless.But on the other hand if the cracks filled with sediment turned out to pay great. Lead and crap were very common and more material was definitely moved from this side of the river compared to the first location just upriver.. Also this area proved to have only little over half the gold content that upriver had. The moss pays alright on this side.. This side was worked relative quickly so that a blessing in itself.
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72rnlGWFUfM&list=UUv-ig5HP3v0FHPfWnuFefMA
Now I intend to get up early tomorrow and try to get some work done so I must stop babbling. I hope some of this provides useful in your pursuit of riches...

So first off would like to thank u for all knowledge I have gained from your videos and posts.I have lurked for a while trying to learn.I started prospecting about a year ago and love it and try to get out as much as possible.I watch ur videos and try to copy what I see in hopes of getting my first nugget or even decent size picker.Spent the last two days bustin bedrock at the Yuba river but the search continues.So on my way home today thinking what I am doing wrong and that it must be the cracks that I am choosing cuz it is not lack of effort as i am no stranger to hard work and I sure wish someone could explain what to look for or what not to look for.Then bam come home hop on tnet and see ur post like u were reading my mind.So I had to make my first post and let u know how much I appreciate the time and knowledge u put into helping others and that I will continue to learn and work untill I find that damn first nugget.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Marshall, if people will take the time to read and watch the video's you just posted
they'll get one hellofa education into finding gold in those bedrock cracks. I learned
more in your two posts (with video's) than I could have in months of being out there
busting bedrock myself!

707...welcome to T-Net!

 

[MadMarshall]

I woke up early and still have this cloudiness in my head due to medication I think. I am home for the day and tomorrow I have minor surgery to remove the broken tooth and the wisdom tooth next to it. Most likely I will not be able to go out till Thursday or Friday at the earliest..Oh well I rather be patient and in good form then increase the chances of hurting myself more..Though I admit I am getting a little crazy in the house. So I figured I kill a little time and ramble a bit..
Profit obviously is a concern of people who are trying to make a living at finding gold. And should be taken in to account. Different styles of mining have their own daily costs. I have seen allot of prospectors run equipment and breaking stuff. And when they find gold all of a sudden they seem to think they are making money but in truth their is certain amount of gold they must find per day to just cover gas equipment ect ect.. How many hours did it take for how much gold? for example lets say it takes 10 dollars in gas to drive to my worksite each day I use hand tools so other then breaking tools I do not have equipment cost daily. Any half way decent job should pay 10 dollars an hour so if I spend 8 hours working I should be able to walk away with 80 bucks. So the way I see it for an 8 hour day prospecting I need to average 3 grams of gold at least 4 days a week. Now their are other factors to pay attention to Current Gold price How you sell your Gold Taxes ect ect. Now gold is tricky and it can be difficult to find places to find gold to add up and pay.. Well I guess the ability of the prospector and his determination will see him succeed or fail. I do believe that it is not very far fetched to believe their is still payable gold out there. I have found area's that I have worked and some that I am still working that have given up ounces of gold..( I never ever pulled more then 9 grams in a day YET)But I can honestly say I have worked areas for months that have been well worth my time. Now hard times are not uncommon with gold as it ain't easy to find payable gold spots. I make up for this by prospecting multiple areas and having different dig sites not putting all my eggs in one basket so to speak. Current Weather and the river flow stages and acsessability to a digsite should be taken into account..Does no good to be dependant on just one site. Now looking for locations can be costly and time consuming not to mention frustrating..Experience and time will make this less of an issue. I spend allot of my time with gold.. Not only am I doing the actual prospecting I spend an equal amount of time Arm Chair prospecting.. Doing research looking at maps trying to find any tid bit of information. I wake up thinking about prospecting I go to sleep thing about it.
Well I hope this helps a little. Let it be said that I may not be correct in all my posts and I am in this learning as well. I do my best.

 

[707Dut]

Marshall, if people will take the time to read and watch the video's you just posted
they'll get one hellofa education into finding gold in those bedrock cracks. I learned
more in your two posts (with video's) than I could have in months of being out there
busting bedrock myself!

707...welcome to T-Net!

Thanks Dizzy
I will continue to read learn and apply all the great knowledge on this website

 

[sidvail]

MM - thank you. This was exactly what I was looking for. Like others, I have learned more in this post on cracks and crevices than in any other post, article, story or video. I kick myself for the way I've left cracks in the past. I'm breaking those suckers wide open now

 

[IDdesertman]

Tons of great info and vids. Thanks!

 

[mellowyellow]

MM-- sorry your not feeling good .. But loving these helpful hints and vids.. Def an art to learning / breaking bedrock.. An art that I am trying to learn as well.. Not as easy as it looks..

Thanks for all the info and knowledge brotha..

 

[MadMarshall]

Three teeth gone My jaw aches but other then that good to go..
I appreciate the comments.. I would like to comment on safety for a minute. Not only can the tools cause injury the very environment is riddled with places that one can get hurt.. Moving rocks and breaking rocks require safety.. Safety glasses are very important when breaking rock.. Always pay attention to what you are doing. If you are moving big rocks use common sense. I figure it is best to have a partner in crime if able. Tell someone where you are going.. Most of it is common sense but it is easy to get complacent and overlook such important details. Keeping an eye on yourself is more important then gold..

 

[707Dut]

Hey MM in my opinion you

 

[707Dut]

Oops premature send

In my opinion you are making it work bro couldn't ask for a better office no boss to answer to and making a decent living.I use to work with a guy who was a carpenter in the winter and mined all summer all he talked about was getting back out mining.He would tell me as a carpenter he knew what he was getting paid and it was always the same but as a miner he made a decent living and there was always that chance of finding that honey hole.That was about 10 yrs ago and it been in the back of my mind ever since.Due to a injury my carpenter career was cut short so with my free time started getting into prospecting and I'm hooked.I have lived here all my life and didn't even know about all the history and beautiful areas in the motherlode untill I started prospecting.Now if I could just figure out how to make it pay a decent wage and make it my job then I would never work another day in my life because doing something you love is not work right.So the days I can't prospect I spend arm chairing it trying to soak up ass much info as I can in hopes one day I can make a decent wage and call myself a small scale miner too.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Sorry to hear it ended up needing three teeth removed. Any thought to wearing a football helmet and mouth guard? (JK I think...)

 

[mjarvis]

Mm. You have great insite and great vids thanks. We need guys like you to help the inexperienced guys like me!!

 

[707Dut]

Spent the day honing my bedrock skills today at Mineral Bar.If I ever find the gold I'm gonna be deadly cuz I've about narrowed down the spots that it ain't .