Best way to work vein of black sand

[PatrickD]

Hi Everyone,

I ran across this dry gulch with a vein of black sand. But, I am totally new to gold prospecting and have really just started learning the tools and techniques for panning/sluicing. I have pulled out some buckets of the sand and sifted it to remove big particulates. The sand is about 4 or 5 inches below the gulch bed and rests on hard clay.

It looks like there are flakes of pyrite, mica and gold. Small gold though, tiny flakes and flour gold. Of course, the black sand is magnetic.

Here are some pictures of the vein.














I have been transporting buckets of the black sand back to my house. Now, I am thinking about getting something to help process it. I looked at these 4 items on Amazon. Does anyone have any thoughts on which one is best to get?


https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Miner-1...qid=1474163698&sr=8-1&keywords=gold+separator

https://www.amazon.com/QUICKSAND-CO...qid=1474163698&sr=8-5&keywords=gold+separator

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Cube-De...id=1474163780&sr=8-59&keywords=gold+separator

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bowl-Co...rd_wg=Edms4&psc=1&refRID=HPZMRB0NWV8YTN54QGJC

Any advice, tips or tricks for working this dry gulch vein would be appreciated.

Patrick

 

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[brianc053]

Here's my opinion: out of those four devices, only the Gold Cube could process "larger volumes" of material. The other three are typically used for cleanup of concentrates at home (I use a Blue Bowl on fine flour gold); I'd rule those 3 out immediately.
As for the Gold Cube (which I do not own, so take my comments with a grain of salt), I believe you could set it up as a recirculating unit on site by bringing a tub (like the ones they use to mix cement) and bringing or gathering water (you didn't say if there's water anywhere nearby). They make high banker and trommel attachments for the Gold Cube, which may make it easier to process "larger volumes" of material.

I keep saying "larger volumes" because even the Gold Cube isn't a large-volume processor. And at $400-$600 (if you want a high banker or trommel attachment), you may be able to buy something that would process more material. Doc from Gold Hog posts a lot on this website, and I think he and his company offer some products that might be appropriate for your situation. I've never bought from Gold Hog but people on here seem to like the products, so I'd encourage you to take a look at their stuff.

Finally, I notice that you're in Colorado. KevinFromColorado is a great guy and very active on this website. I'd strongly encourage you to connect with him, hopefully in person since you may be close to him. I've prospected with him out here on the East Coast a few times, and learned something every time.

Good luck - I hope you get a lot of gold out of that black sand.

- Brian

 

[arizau]

I agree that KevininColorado (member of this forum) could be of great help to you. That said, are you sure what you are seeing is gold? If it is then a recirculating sluice situated on site is your best bet and there are many to choose from or you could construct your own. Even a Gold Rush Nugget Bucket would be better than hauling material home for processing. https://www.google.com/webhp?source...n=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=gold rush nugget bucket I was gifted one and it is a pretty good concentrator and, for field use, can be run with about 5 or 6 gallons of water if there is no natural water source close by.

Good luck.

 

[PatrickD]

Hi Brian,

Wow, thanks for a great post. Good information and advice.

There is no water nearby to that spot. Unless it is raining or snow melt to fill the gulch. I have been sifting it down to about cat litter size (I think 20 on the screen, maybe the next size up.) I have a couple tubs filled already. My intention was just to collect up a bunch and make it a winter project when it is too cold or inclement to get outdoors.

I have not worked anything like this and what I know about panning usually involves people doing it in running water. I was trying to visualize how to set up a recycling trough of sorts to reuse the water. But, with zero experience in this type of treasure hunting (my main experience is cache hunting and metal detecting), I really appreciate advice on what to do.

I was thinking about that gold cube but will check out the Gold Hog products too before ordering. I have this idea, not based in any reality, that I will set my budget for equipment at the strike price of an troy ounce of gold. Then, I will make myself use the equipment until I recover an ounce of gold. (Hey, I am retired and really have nothing better to do with my time so what the heck, right?) That idea might take awhile to realize, but it is a way for me to justify spending the money.

I am curious about the clay bed that the sand is sitting on. I took a tiny wisk broom (one of those walmart specials with a tiny plastic broom and dustpan) and swept the bottom of the area being worked to get any settled dust into the bucket. But, I don't know if I should try to skim a layer of the clay or not. I don't know if any gold particles would have embedded in that. I have heard clay is bad for machines though. Again, my inexperience showing on what to really do now that i am working a specific target.

It was really cool of you to answer with such good advice. It is appreciated.

Patrick

 

[PatrickD]

Hi Arizau,

Yes, I am visually seeing gold as I sift through the stuff getting the larger rocks and such out. I am also seeing some really sparkly pyrite or mica. It just crushes to glitter when I try to test it. I am not the best at telling the difference between these but I can see the difference when sifting it. I don't have a point of reference to say there is a good amount or not. I don't have a basis to compare and have not tried to actually get the gold out yet. I just know that panning this stuff will take me all winter and a machine might short cut the time.

I did see a sluice that I was looking at. It was the Sidewinder Sluice. The videos look pretty impressive. It is made in Colorado and was the subject of a lecture at the last gold prospector meeting in Colorado Springs last week (it was my first time attending but I did join.) http://www.sidewindersluice.com/index2.html

I hope to meet this KevininColorado. He sounds like a great person.

Thanks again.

Patrick

 

[kcm]

If you've already hauled a good portion of the material to your house, then the next thing to do is to figure out the most "practical" way of separating the gold from the sands. By that, I mean getting something that is reasonably priced for your future needs. If you think you will continue in searching for gold, then by all means get some better equipment. However, if this is sort of a 1-shot deal, you may want to consider building a small recirc sluice at home and running the material different times using different types of matting. In the end, you'll learn a LOT very quickly!! Also, you won't have a large outlay of money.

However, the most practical thing would be to meet up with a current prospector in your area (maybe Kevin??) and maybe can use their equipment while gaining from their experience. That sort of education would almost be priceless, as you'd end up with a new friend out of the deal as well.

Which ever way you choose to go, work the material slowly and, until you're comfortable with the results, don't discard the tailings. There WILL be gold that you will miss! Then it's up to you - just how finicky will you be on getting every possible molecule.

 

[nuggetshooter323]

Have you taken samples from through out the vein and actually seen gold in your pan? If there is gold, you need to know where it is in the vein. It's most likely right on top of the clay layer and not mixed in with most of the black sand layer. You might be wasting a lot of time and energy carting around most of that black sand. It would be much better to get a concentrater like the gold cube, and set-up a recirculation operation and process the gold laden material there.
If you're set on taking material away from the area, get a Bazooka Gold Trap sluice and process the material at some stream close to your house. That would probably be cheaper and easier than setting up a recirc system at your house with material your not really sure about.

 

[winners58]

it needs to be concentrated down but still keep the gold, go for a recirculating sluice that you can use in the field and at home.
ether use 3m miners moss under expanded metal & riffles or use goldhog mats the multi-sluice would work well. Goldhog Multi-Sluice Concentrator
get the bulge pump & a 20amp atv battery, you also have to think about packing your equipment in and out.
.
here's a photo of my sluice set up to work my concentrates;
.

 

[arizau]

Have you taken samples from through out the vein and actually seen gold in your pan? If there is gold, you need to know where it is in the vein. It's most likely right on top of the clay layer and not mixed in with most of the black sand layer. You might be wasting a lot of time and energy carting around most of that black sand. It would be much better to get a concentrater like the gold cube, and set-up a recirculation operation and process the gold laden material there.
If you're set on taking material away from the area, get a Bazooka Gold Trap sluice and process the material at some stream close to your house. That would probably be cheaper and easier than setting up a recirc system at your house with material your not really sure about.

No matter if you transport what you have found, the Bazooka gold trap is a good idea for your prospecting efforts away from that area including several areas in metro Denver!

 

[Capt Nemo]

Might be better to haul some water and set up a panning tub. At least get it down to clean black sand, and take that home for further processing. Just use a 5-6 gal mixing tray to pan in.

A small fluid bed recirculator like my model 4 can also run in a tub that size. I've run with the bed sitting on 2 gal buckets. One problem with recirculation is that for every bucket of tailings you will need to add another bucket of water. Dry sand can suck up water big time.

You may want to run the top layer of the clay that sand is sitting on, maybe the first inch or two.

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Assuming you've found gold in what you've hauled out, haul water in and a simple sluice.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Hi Patrick! After all the nice lies they told you about me, I guess I have to see how I can help

I will PM you my phone number...

 

[PatrickD]

Hi Patrick! After all the nice lies they told you about me, I guess I have to see how I can help

I will PM you my phone number...

Hi Kevin,

I got your PM and will respond in a minute. Thanks for reaching out.

Nice to know when people are talking that they are saying nice things.

Patrick

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Patrick, where are you in Colorado? If you are close (I assume you are since you said you went to a gold prospecting meeting here in Colorado Springs where I am) have a Gold Cube that you could try the stuff you brought home to see it work it. I also have a couple of Bazooka Gold Trap sluices and a few other goodies that might let you make you your mind before you spend too much money.

I am a member of GPAA but due to work schedule, cannot get to many meetings. Send me a PM if you like.

Dave

 

[hvacker]

About clay's, they are easy do turn into solution in water. Once loose, pour off the water
and the heavy's will be in the bottom. I have worked a lot with adobe's and they are set in clay.
I wouldn't ignore the clay's but I have no experience with gold in clay. Seems like that's where
the gold would concentrate.

I remember a guy that would process black sand in his recirc sluice. As material was running he would
use one of those retractable magnets and remove as much black sand he could and shake it into
a bucket. Later he would dry the sands in those aluminum turkey roasters in the sun. When the sands were dry
he would use a magnet to separate the gold. His recovery was impressive.
He would further process the sand in a machine like a slow cement mixer with mercury getting what was left.

It was an old Gold Fever show from the 90's

 

[kcm]

Yeah, I've got that episode sittin' around here somewhere but haven't (yet!) been able to find it. Has been driving me nuts, as I can't find it on YouTube, either.

 

[hvacker]

I found this looking for something else. It's a Gold Hog YouTube on clay's.