Gold on top of clay question

[Medina Joe]

So, I found a creek with good ohio gold. My question is, I hit clay about 8inches down. I only use a bazooka sniper. Can I be losing gold on top of the clay as I dig? and should I scrap off all the rocks down to the clay? And what would be the best way to clean the top of the clay?

 

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[goldenmojo]

MJ Clay is usually a false bedrock. You should take the material down to to clay if it has pay in it, you will know that by sample panning. At the contact point of clay and gravel will usually be the pay layer as the gold can not make its way deeper. If you sample down to the clay in a couple of layers you might find that the gold is only at the contact point or is distributed throughout the layer. When I encounter clay I try to skim just the top of it. If it is real mucky drop it in a fiver with some water and stir it around. If there are larger clumps hold them in the flow on the plate of your bazooka and mash them up until they dissapate. Pan deeper into the layer to see if there is anything worth working.

 

[Medina Joe]

I will try that. It the first creek i have found like this. I will take a picture when I get back out next saturday. I also found a nice rock with a mix of copper and gold with some prite. I will take a pic of that too.

 

[Bejay]

When dredging and I hit clay I like to take the top inch and I use my ribbed gloves to work the clay though the palms of my hands. and having the nozzle close by to give it ride. I move the nozzle from the clay to other non clay material...back and forth if you will! It kind of gives er some "change up in the sluice"

Bejay

 

[goldog]

I have to agree with the change up. The gravel will help breakup the clay.

 

[Bejay]

One would actually like a crash box sluice when confronting a lot of dredging on clay....IMHO

Bejay

 

[Gene Slater]

Please dont tell me you found gold in Medina. I use to live there and think if I was still there, Id go to Reagan Park and hit the creek. Back when I lived there, my only search was for beer and girls.

 

[Medina Joe]

Gene, No gold in Medina yet. Now if we were taking gold diggers, there are quite a few of them. I mainly go to Stark, Richland County's. I'am sure there is gold somewhere in Medina, just haven't found it yet.