Processing flood gold

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

Prospected the claim last weekend and found some positive test pans on the top of a gravel/sand bar. Took only the top 2-3" of a 3' by 10' area. Sluiced the pay dirt and brought home 1.5 liters of concentrate for final cleanup. Classified to a 20 mesh and ran through our cleanup sluice twice.

Thanks for all the cleanup tips I learned here.

Here's the results!!

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Nice job finding the paydirt. Watching the water flow in your cleanup sluice is hypnotizing

 

[Fullpan]

Need more details ! - first, for us dummies, 1.5 liters = ? Second, did you have boulders, cobbles to deal with ? or just an eddy spot with mainly backwash flood sand/pebbles ? And when will we see the vials and total amount - it looks like over 5 grams just eyeballin - congrats ! p.s. You said before, that your claim was pretty high in elev. - did you have trouble getting in ? snow/mud ?

 

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

Since you asked, Fullpan, I called it out at 1.5 liters because I forgot plastic bags and we packed up our cons in two 1 liter water bottles

The area that we dug was small cobbles with sand on top and then another thin layer of cobbles with no boulders. We tested left and right to find the good areas and also tested at a depth of 6" and also 1 foot. Found no gold at and depth so stayed within a couple inches of the surface pulling out rocks and cobbles, and then shoveling up all the remaining material.

Still trying to figure out why the god was there. It was the inside of a turn but gold seemed to only be in a certain area. Spent most of the time digging the positive areas and can't wait to go back and test further. Going to have to rethink the way we look for gold since digging and dredging and crevicing didn't produce anywhere near the amount that we got. Seems like a broom and dustpan or a vacuum might be more the tools of choice. There were also a lot of flat rocks with a good growth of some moss like material that could be natures's version of miner`s moss but that's for next time.

Claim was easily accessible, no snow or mud but there were a couple downed trees on the path so can see some future trail cleanup. Water was a little higher than the previous trip but it must have been raging during the rains from a couple weeks ago. Our log bridge was completely gone with not a trace!!

As for our total, wish it could have been 5 grams but it did almost match all the gold we had gotten the previous year. So that part was really exciting as was watching it all appear in the sluice.

So, Fullpan, hope that answers your questions and now for the money shot!!

 

[russau]

Need more details ! - first, for us dummies, 1.5 liters = ? that is one and one half big beers

 

[Goodyguy]

When you're shut in with cabin fever it sure helps to hear every detail, it's almost like being there.
Thanks for the ride a long.

GG~

 

[KevinInColorado]

Good solid prospecting and I see a couple of decent sized flakes in there with the fine stuff. Did you get a weight on it yet?

 

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

Good solid prospecting and I see a couple of decent sized flakes in there with the fine stuff. Did you get a weight on it yet?

No, I didn't. Was the first cleanup ever that we probably could have weighed. It has already joined its brethren in the gold jar. But next time. . .

 

[huntsman53]

Since you asked, Fullpan, I called it out at 1.5 liters because I forgot plastic bags and we packed up our cons in two 1 liter water bottles

The area that we dug was small cobbles with sand on top and then another thin layer of cobbles with no boulders. We tested left and right to find the good areas and also tested at a depth of 6" and also 1 foot. Found no gold at and depth so stayed within a couple inches of the surface pulling out rocks and cobbles, and then shoveling up all the remaining material.

Still trying to figure out why the god was there. It was the inside of a turn but gold seemed to only be in a certain area. Spent most of the time digging the positive areas and can't wait to go back and test further. Going to have to rethink the way we look for gold since digging and dredging and crevicing didn't produce anywhere near the amount that we got. Seems like a broom and dustpan or a vacuum might be more the tools of choice. There were also a lot of flat rocks with a good growth of some moss like material that could be natures's version of miner`s moss but that's for next time.

Claim was easily accessible, no snow or mud but there were a couple downed trees on the path so can see some future trail cleanup. Water was a little higher than the previous trip but it must have been raging during the rains from a couple weeks ago. Our log bridge was completely gone with not a trace!!

As for our total, wish it could have been 5 grams but it did almost match all the gold we had gotten the previous year. So that part was really exciting as was watching it all appear in the sluice.

So, Fullpan, hope that answers your questions and now for the money shot!!

View attachment 951294

If you can post a few pics of the gravel/sandbar and the stream, some of the more experienced Prospectors on here, may be able to tell why the Gold accumulated where it did and/or where else to test. That is really a great haul from such a small area, so you all did very well. Congrats and by the way, from the amount in the Gold Pan, it appears that there is at least a couple of grams of quality Gold!


Frank

 

[KevinInColorado]

No, I didn't. Was the first cleanup ever that we probably could have weighed. It has already joined its brethren in the gold jar. But next time. . .

looking at it I'd guess a quarter gram or so...congrats on getting a decent haul into your vial! I bet it looks great in there

 

[Goodyguy]

You found the path that the gold took (paystreak) I'll wager that it most likely was oriented in a fairly straight line between two bends.
Although at flood stage it may have wandered somewhat to either the right or left of center.

GG~

 

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

If you can post a few pics of the gravel/sandbar and the stream, some of the more experienced Prospectors on here, may be able to tell why the Gold accumulated where it did and/or where else to test. That is really a great haul from such a small area, so you all did very well. Congrats and by the way, from the amount in the Gold Pan, it appears that there is at least a couple of grams of quality Gold!


Frank

Don't quite have any picture that shows the layout of the land but can show you the areas around where we were working







Would be interested in checking the area underneath the roots, where the gravel bar hits the bank. Never dug all the way back, just worked the easy dirt first. Got to admit that I am totally preoccupied, thinking about next time.

 

[chowe]

Did you break up and sample any of that moss?

 

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

Did you break up and sample any of that moss?

No, not yet. Ran out of time for that day. Will get around to it the next time out.

 

[Kruzman]

its probably a back wash that pulled the small gravel and fine gold sideways out of the main flow. when the water is churned up into a soupy mud the fine gold will ride along up higher in the flow and is easily pulled sideways with all the rest of the light stuff due to total viscosity of the slurry. you may find larger gold if you work deeper towards the center of stream from there you found the fines.