Gold is at 1808 plus per troy ounce

[et1955]

That equates to just 58$ per gram, maybe time to rethink working my job or go mining. I get 35$ per hour where I work but when I mine I average a gram an hour here in Washington state but on my claims in N. California I average 4 grams an hour and that is just sluicing or panning. What would you do ?

 

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[OwenT]

I certainly wouldn't want to work like that for a living, but just for this summer while I don't have any obligations I think it would be a fun way to make a little cash. I need to get out there and look more but one thing that's distracting me is mineral collecting. Been going all over looking for different crystals.

 

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[Milspec6]

i remember when it was only about $180 in the mid-'70's.

A little story for you about my crazy Uncle Bob. He worked in an asbestos silo spinning the stuff for years before contracting mesothelioma and losing half his lungs. When I went in to see him in the hospital, I expected to find a somber man, but he was all smiles because he was awarded 1.3 million dollars. I couldn't believe he was so happy and asked him what he was going to do after losing 1/2 of his lungs? He looked at me and said, "Look at me, I am a fat guy with no education, do you really think I was planning on starting up jogging"?

Anyway, i bring it up because crazy Bob always carried around a bag of gold nuggets from that day forward. They were normally 2-3 ounces in size and he would travel around the country leaving them behind as tips. I watched him leave a nugget behind after we had some pie at a diner. I asked him why he left gold instead of cash? He told me because a waitress will tell her friends about the day she received a large cash tip, but she will tell her grandchildren about the time she received a chunk of gold. In Bob's view, it made him immortal and to some degree it did as I still enjoy telling that story.

 

[Goodyguy]

Dang ET you sure dont mind spilling the beans. lol
I thought keeping highbenches a secret was like a magician not telling how the magic tricks worked.

Well, too late now, the cats out of the bag

 

[et1955]

Dang ET you sure dont mind spilling the beans. lol
I thought keeping highbenches a secret was like a magician not telling how the magic tricks worked.

Well, too late now, the cats out of the bag

What was shared to me by the old timers I share with the younglings, besides that I have secrete places far more richer LOl

 

[Goldwasher]

$58 for pure gold. No one is gonna buy placer at that price except a collector. Not jewelers ,pawn shops or gold buyers.

 

[mytimetoshine]

That equates to just 58$ per gram, maybe time to rethink working my job or go mining. I get 35$ per hour where I work but when I mine I average a gram an hour here in Washington state but on my claims in N. California I average 4 grams an hour and that is just sluicing or panning. What would you do ?

Wow [emoji122] a gram an hour eh... post some of that gold porn. Don't recall seeing anything....

 

[et1955]

Here you go, 6 grams in 3 hrs.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Here you go, 6 grams in 3 hrs. View attachment 1913599

But how many shovels did you break?

 

[et1955]

None on that place, easy diggings if you know what you are doing, no shovel needed, experience is the key. That was easy gold if you know what to look for and after over 40 years of mining I do. Sadly your response to my Pic of your request to show some of my gold I find is insulting, we miners should be helping and encouraging each other.

 

[mytimetoshine]

None on that place, easy diggings if you know what you are doing, no shovel needed, experience is the key. That was easy gold if you know what to look for and after over 40 years of mining I do. Sadly your response to my Pic of your request to show some of my gold I find is insulting, we miners should be helping and encouraging each other.

Well I found your original unnecessary comment insulting.. but you crotchety rude old guys never see how you come off. Only point the finger...its ok to be rude but when someone says something back to you your insulted.

Just listen to your self..."if you know what your doing" experience is key" 40 years of mining" ...you come off like gods gift to gold mining..you come off like an arrogant ass.. you decided to quote my comment first and trash it. Maybe in all your vast experience you might learn that respect is earned by giving it to others first. I don't owe some old clown on the internet anything.. watch what you say first and maybe, just maybe you won't get "insulted" in return

 

[et1955]

Well I found your original unnecessary comment insulting.. but you crotchety rude old guys never see how you come off. Only point the finger...its ok to be rude but when someone says something back to you your insulted.

Just listen to your self..."if you know what your doing" experience is key" 40 years of mining" ...you come off like gods gift to gold mining..you come off like an arrogant ass.. you decided to quote my comment first and trash it. Maybe in all your vast experience you might learn that respect is earned by giving it to others first. I don't owe some old clown on the internet anything.. watch what you say first and maybe, just maybe you won't get "insulted" in return

Best wishes MTS, sorry you are having a bad time , hope things get better for you.

 

[Bonaro]

But how many shovels did you break?

\

Dude, it happens!

 

[et1955]

Shovels are not prybars, will not happen if you have the right tools and a 17lb. 6 ft. prybar is a must for mining.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Shovels are not prybars, will not happen if you have the right tools and a 17lb. 6 ft. prybar is a must for mining.

Unless they are 10 years old, I’d give most people the benefit of the doubt they know how to abuse a shovel and how not to.

Shovels do break...I’ve got piles of them I’ve found metal detecting as testimony to that fact. However a quality shovel built for the type of digging your doing will last much longer. Hardly something I’d factor into the cost of mining. I feel I should have a shovel in my truck anyway. Eventually the handle will break. I got 12 years out of my last shovel, but it took 2 handles to stretch it that far. The first one lasted 10 years but got ran over with heavy equipment. The replacement handle weathered and split after two years.
I bought a replacement shovel at Ace Hardware and the top of the shovel where you place your foot broke off before I could wear the paint off it.

Just last week I watched a guy break the handle on a brand new shovel. Just planted his foot on it and lifted the dirt. Split it right up the middle. Junk ash handle.

The Razor-back closed back shovel with ash handle is decent, but I’m leaning towards buying a forged shovel. Just not sure the trade off in strength vs. weight is worth it.

I never knew there were so many different purpose built shovels. Example:moving dirt vs. digging dirt. Soft soil vs rocky ground...

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Tell you what...in 1850 breaking a shovel sure ate into your gold mining profits.
$25 each when gold was $19/oz.

Those shovels were built pretty light. Just made to move loose material. Useless without a pick (another $25 and very prone to breaking). That not only reduced profit but it halted all work till you could find a place to buy a replacement.

Neat to ponder when that large signal turns out to be a worn shovel or broken pick head.

 

[Bonaro]

The point I was making was that when you are mining, gear breaks. You can't avoid this due to the rough nature of the work
It may be a shovel, a split hose, broken fan belt, burned up winch or a flat tire. All these things cost money and are common when you are prospecting.
You have to consider that in your bottom line calculations of whether this was worth it or not...unless you are digging for adventure first and gold second.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I get what your saying, but factoring in the cost of a shovel, fan belt, or your lunch when contemplating mining is just plain silly talk IMHO. Nobody does that.

You will know it if your wasting your time....”counting colors” in a test pan isn’t going to help you, nor will fretting about the cost of a shovel.

There are some things I just don’t want to know.

 

[et1955]

Unless they are 10 years old, I’d give most people the benefit of the doubt they know how to abuse a shovel and how not to.

Shovels do break...I’ve got piles of them I’ve found metal detecting as testimony to that fact. However a quality shovel built for the type of digging your doing will last much longer. Hardly something I’d factor into the cost of mining. I feel I should have a shovel in my truck anyway. Eventually the handle will break. I got 12 years out of my last shovel, but it took 2 handles to stretch it that far. The first one lasted 10 years but got ran over with heavy equipment. The replacement handle weathered and split after two years.
I bought a replacement shovel at Ace Hardware and the top of the shovel where you place your foot broke off before I could wear the paint off it.

Just last week I watched a guy break the handle on a brand new shovel. Just planted his foot on it and lifted the dirt. Split it right up the middle. Junk ash handle.

The Razor-back closed back shovel with ash handle is decent, but I’m leaning towards buying a forged shovel. Just not sure the trade off in strength vs. weight is worth it.

I never knew there were so many different purpose built shovels. Example:moving dirt vs. digging dirt. Soft soil vs rocky ground...

I only broke 3 shovels getting about 2lbs. of gold on the the Sultan river, that was because I used the shovel to move 4ft. boulders instead of my prybar. The shovels are now part of mining history. Typical hole on the Sultan

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I’d say that is rocky ground.

Locked up tight!

 

[Duckshot]

Ya'll use shovels?

I use a D- handle spade.

I guess a shovel would work, but it might be some hard work depending on the terrain.