Prospecting in my basement?

Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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Really?
Maybe...
I’ve lived here for 20 years. My damn well filter always plugging up with sediment.
Always looks like gold specs in it. Ever thought much about it.
But a recent purchase of a property with a nice stream got me thinking, there HAS
To be gold in that stream. Small water falls, big boulders ect.
So I found and joined this site. I’ll be buying a pan kit and soon Enough a sluice box to play with in the river.
Then I realize I need to change my well filter again.
It’s black sand. Littered with gold specks. As always.
What’s the best way to separate this POSSIBLE flour gold?
If it is gold, Ive got a constant supply of black sand concentrations. Maybe a quart a month from my almost 400’ deep well.
Dammitt! I’ve e got the fever!!
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
41
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0CF8EC20-A338-46B5-8A79-B53C72FBB702.jpeg
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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I’m in Massachusetts, not the most famous place to find, but I’ll be ordering a pan kit soon and I’ll be researching techniques in the meantime!
 

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No gold in NY

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A member of my club has a friend in MA. with the same problem as you. I believe the well does produce gold. I pan in Northern MA sometimes. Found a few specks.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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Sounds like it might be a decent problem to have! There must be 100 of these I’ve dumped out over the years…
 

placertogo

Sr. Member
Aug 25, 2010
371
350
Maine USA
Pan it very carefully and use a few drops of Jet-Dry or non-sudsing detergent to alleviate surface tension. Warm water panning helps too as the viscosity of water goes down with higher temperature.
 

arizau

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May 2, 2014
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Really?
Maybe...
I’ve lived here for 20 years. My damn well filter always plugging up with sediment.
Always looks like gold specs in it. Ever thought much about it.
But a recent purchase of a property with a nice stream got me thinking, there HAS
To be gold in that stream. Small water falls, big boulders ect.
So I found and joined this site. I’ll be buying a pan kit and soon Enough a sluice box to play with in the river.
Then I realize I need to change my well filter again.
It’s black sand. Littered with gold specks. As always.
What’s the best way to separate this POSSIBLE flour gold?
If it is gold, Ive got a constant supply of black sand concentrations. Maybe a quart a month from my almost 400’ deep well.
Dammitt! I’ve e got the fever!!

Don't procrastinate....get a gold pan. Using one is as good a way as any to test what you have to see if it is gold. To make it easier to pan get a set of 30, 50, and 100 mesh screen sieves and pan each size portion separately. When gold is panned with equal sized material it is over three times as heavy in comparison to other particles it's size so it is much easier to separate by panning. One thing to know is that gold still looks like gold whether viewed in full or shaded light. If what you are seeing blanks out or changes color in the shade then it is most likely not gold.

Good luck.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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Awesome tips! Just ordered a Garrett pan kit on eBay. I checked the vendors section it didnt turn anything up. (I tried)
Jet dry in the kitchen.
Mesh...... I have some screen printing stuff, not sure on the size though?
Might have to wing it, we will see next weekend hopefully
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
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Look up pioneer and camel stacking screens. They are in 4 and 6" diameter with various mesh sizes available. The 12" bucket screens are overkill for all but sizes 1/8 mesh and larger.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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Look up pioneer and camel stacking screens. They are in 4 and 6" diameter with various mesh sizes available. The 12" bucket screens are overkill for all but sizes 1/8 mesh and larger.

The sizes are microns? If so I have 5 gallon bags in 25,50,73,90 and 120! I didn’t think the materials would be so small!?!?
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,479
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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
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Dconcb

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Mar 22, 2019
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Back-of-the-boat

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Apr 18, 2013
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Run a magnet over the black sands to pull out all the Iron.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
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That’d save a whole lot of work!
Great ideas, thanks
 

Tahoegold

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Mar 7, 2016
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Sweet! Thanks again.
I’ll use my 120 micron bag for now just to get some type of classification for my practice runs.
I really appreciate all the help!
That is really small mesh. If you have a 30 mesh it may be easier to check more material fast. You can check for a little bit bigger pieces too. You can still see the tiny stuff too. But will need to screen it smaller to actually extract it cleanly.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
41
53
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That is really small mesh. If you have a 30 mesh it may be easier to check more material fast. You can check for a little bit bigger pieces too. You can still see the tiny stuff too. But will need to screen it smaller to actually extract it cleanly.
I’m just going to wing it for now, find out if it is gold. If so, I’ll invest a better way to clean it up.
 

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Dconcb

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2019
41
53
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I always run the Brightness on my phone really low to conserve the battery, I just turned it up, and magnified the photo...
Now I’m excited! D6DF76EA-86AE-489C-AE29-BE501EB31870.png
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
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And DONT get rid of the material if your not up to snuff on your panning ability ! Get some help with learning how to pan that small stuff ! And good luck !
 

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