Dry Ravines

[Goldwasher]

If you like authentic small scale prospecting videos subscribe to Topcats channel.

It is called TopCat Gold prospecting adventures. The name of the newest video is Metal detecting for gold 2020

He puts out a new video pretty much weekly. You will have to sign in to verify age. Youtube does that so we don't need redundant moderation.

You will get to see Asmbandits, (make sure you subscribe to him too California Motherlode Prospectors) maybe Mytimetoshine A few of my claim partners/neighbors and even ME sometimes

Different areas of the Motherlode and Northern Gold Country. Yuba river The American etc.

This video is from Saturday. most of the video is the end of the day. We were re hitting a few areas we have done well before.

Ole and I got gold but only a few small dinkers. Watch until the end you will get to see what an SDC2300 is capable of and what large coiled minelabs don't hear.

The spot we are on at the end has thrown more than a half ounce .. we're layering down and exposing bedrock for smalls now.

IMHO much better viewing than twenty minutes of any tv show gold "production"

Will never be as cool as moonshine and arm wrestling though

Watch last weeks video and you'll see my partner Ole beep out twenty plus pieces.

They are videos made about fellas out digging I apologize for the age restriction. Be forewarned.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

didn't get kicked off of fb you can cuss on facebook. it was a page moderator that had an issue with link sharing period.

But, you managed to get my big bad youtube link removed good job.

Goldwasher, it was deleted because it violated our rules, not because of Silveraith. It isnt the first video deleted for language and Im sure it want be the last.

 

[mikep691]

I shouldn't say this, but half of mine could be deleted too. TH, please don't go lookin' LOL

 

[Bodfish Mike]

I watched it and liked it -- however no video next week because of SUPERCROSS in Oakland CA ye haw go KEN ROCZEN.
Went last time when it was in Oakland -- staying home this time.
Thanks for the video
Cheers Mike

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

A tip about ravines...many times a ravine will have steps in the profile of the gut.
It will go from being somewhat flat with some sort of width to it, to being steep and narrow, then back to flatter and wider.

I’ve found that if the ravine has decent gold in it, that they would mine the flatter portions of the ravine, then skip over the steeper narrow portion. These steeper narrower portions of ravines or small dry drainages can contain ounces of gold despite only being fairly short. The steeper the profile, the shallower the bedrock typically is.

Many times bedrock is just deep enough that even the most expensive detectors won’t detect the pay layer. Trench off a couple feet and you are having some fun.

It takes a pick and shovel...maybe a digging bar...possibly a bucket to bail water.

I hate to let this info out, because while most people are worrying about unclaimed placer deposits....there is plenty of not so easy gold to get that is typically never claimed due to the small size of the ravine.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Be careful at the supercross! You might come out to your car and theres people living in it!

 

[Goldwasher]

A tip about ravines...many times a ravine will have steps in the profile of the gut.
It will go from being somewhat flat with some sort of width to it, to being steep and narrow, then back to flatter and wider.

I’ve found that if the ravine has decent gold in it, that they would mine the flatter portions of the ravine, then skip over the steeper narrow portion. These steeper narrower portions of ravines or small dry drainages can contain ounces of gold despite only being fairly short. The steeper the profile, the shallower the bedrock typically is.

Many times bedrock is just deep enough that even the most expensive detectors won’t detect the pay layer. Trench off a couple feet and you are having some fun.

It takes a pick and shovel...maybe a digging bar...possibly a bucket to bail water.

I hate to let this info out, because while most people are worrying about unclaimed placer deposits....there is plenty of not so easy gold to get that is typically never claimed due to the small size of the ravine.

its not really a secret. its what we already do .

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Wasn't directed at you specifically.

Lots of people in the early stage of learning.

 

[Goldwasher]

its not really a secret. its what we already do .

true.. good advice!!

 

[Silveraith]

That's what excavators are for. A trained operator can do in 3 minutes what would take a day's worth of pick & shovel work.

 

[Goodyguy]

That's what excavators are for. A trained operator can do in 3 minutes what would take a day's worth of pick & shovel work.

Cant tell you how many times I wished I could be using an excavator instead of a pick and shovel

Out here it's 50 to 100 miles minimum to anywhere. No way renting and hauling in an excavator would be cost effective, not to mention filing a NOI and a POO and then there's the reclamation bond.

Get used to the pick and shovel while prospecting BLM or National Forest land, otherwise you will be in for a costly and time consuming venture.

GG~

 

[Silveraith]

The POO isn't hard to get. Might take a couple months & you can do it yourself. The reclamation bond is refundable when reclamation is finished. Not a problem.

 

[Goodyguy]

The POO isn't hard to get. Might take a couple months & you can do it yourself. The reclamation bond is refundable when reclamation is finished. Not a problem.

Of course you do it yourself, and while you are waiting for all that, the pick and shovel already did the job and moved on to the next site.
I think we are talking two different operations here. A one man prospecting operation vs a crew working a mining operation once the prospecting is done.



GG~

 

[Silveraith]

A pick & shovel can't dig up ground 20 ft below the surface for testing.

 

[Goodyguy]

A pick & shovel can't dig up ground 20 ft below the surface for testing.

I've been more than 20 feet deep with a pick and shovel but that was after the testing was done.
Using an excavator just for testing out here is just not cost effective nor feasible getting it in to most locations.

Look, like most of us here I know what excavators can do and I know how to file poo's and that the reclamation bond is refundable and I am well aware of what a pick and shovel are capable of, so.....

Please try to refrain from giving out any gold prospecting advice until you have used a gold pan at least once.....
Just sayn'





GG~

 

[Goldwasher]

That's what excavators are for. A trained operator can do in 3 minutes what would take a day's worth of pick & shovel work.

Awwww Charlene your the cutest helper ever!!

Too bad you have to punch through a mile of brush to get to these spots. Excavators don't have wings and I'm not waiting for a permit to get an excavator to a canyon I can walk too.

Maybe at this point its best you mind your own business . I know your gonna have the urge to spin some yarn on what you would do...but, your not here so just don't.

 

[Silveraith]

Getting a POO & some digging equipment in place is a valid option. It is not that hard to take an excavator through brush & can clear it's way through the difficult areas easily. Once in place the amount of testing that can be accomplished in a relatively short time is worth the wait for the POO. Something to consider in addition to hand digging. You see, i'm really not as inexperienced at mining as you may think.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Interestingly I just found out that miners have been digging some very big and very deep holes with little more than a pick and a dirt scoop for thousands of years.

Who'da thunk it?

Stranger still is the fact that they stop mining on TV when their powered equipment breaks down. Must be some pretty poor ground if you can't make a day's wages without moving dozens of yards a day through expensive powered equipment.

In my experience a small miner needs 3 gram yards on average to make a go of a deposit ... except on TV.

Heavy Pans

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Awwww Charlene your the cutest helper ever!!

Too bad you have to punch through a mile of brush to get to these spots. Excavators don't have wings and I'm not waiting for a permit to get an excavator to a canyon I can walk too.

Maybe at this point its best you mind your own business . I know your gonna have the urge to spin some yarn on what you would do...but, your not here so just don't.

Goldwasher. Post by our rules, keep your replies respectful and polite.

 

[Silveraith]

All a matter of time. I was told on a previous post a man can't dig very many yards. Now it has changed that he can? God invented hydraulics for a reason. Three gram yards are not that easy to come by.