What's the best moss cleaning technique ?

winners58

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2013
1,729
4,058
Oregon
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I usually clean it in my pan and put it back on the spot I took it from,
just because it takes time for moss to grow in the first place.
If its brought home let it dry and most of the dirt will just fall out easily.
then burn it and pan the ashes, you'll be surprised at the gold you'll find...
 

Johnnybravo300

Bronze Member
Jan 3, 2016
2,363
2,857
South of Gunnison, Gold Basin
Detector(s) used
F2
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I just dip it in a bucket of water or my pan and shake it out, then put it back where it was.
It doesn't pay to rip out moss and it's not a good for the creek when ya do it in a big quantity but it can be a handy prospecting method when in a hurry to cover ground. It will almost always catch a little flood gold over the years if theres gold there.
 

ratled

Hero Member
Feb 18, 2014
950
2,396
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Get a blender from the good will and run the moss through that if you really want to get all of it out

ratled
 

placertogo

Sr. Member
Aug 25, 2010
371
350
Maine USA
My experience with black sand and fine gold in various species of moss is that most is released with agitation in the wet state but some is also released in the dry state. After I have agitated and washed all my moss from the season, I spread it out over large cooking sheets and let it dry completely in the sun, then agitate it dry and it is amazing how much more very fine material (and gold) comes out in the dry state. Burning the dry moss releases even more into the remaining ash.
 

Asmbandits

Bronze Member
Mar 4, 2014
1,039
2,290
NorCal
Detector(s) used
Fisher GB2, Bazooka Prospector 36", EZ sluice, Blue Bowl..
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I break it up by hand in a pan. There are areas where you can do extremely well just gathering moss, I've seen grams from pans of moss.

I'd like to think and have heard that this could be the case, that the moss can be carried down stream and re root somewhere else where it settles.
 

OP
OP
W

wildminer

Hero Member
Dec 2, 2015
610
899
Jefferson Coast
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks for the input guys. I did a grab sample on my way out from sluicing. Only a five gallon bucket worth and started drying it on the shop stove last night.
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
3,854
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Moss may be one of the best sluice media. It seems to catch gold sizes from the finest flour gold right up through small nuggets.

Poor mans miners moss.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top