1 flat nugget

[IMPDLN]

Got out today for a few hours. I managed to squeak this nice little 2.1 gram super flat nug right at dark. Same wash as the previous nugs from my last post. This cute little sucker is 7/16'' wide by 5/8'' long and mostly thinner than a dime. Absolutely the thinnest nug I have found for it's size. It was oddly completely hidden in a horizontal crevice at the bottom of a bedrock drop. I thought maybe it was smashed in the crack to get so thin, however it is still pristine and not smashed or flattened at all. How this nug slid vertically down the bedrock and took a 90 degree reverse turn to get into that crevice is beyond me. Very interesting if I do say so myself. Took me awhile to recover it as the best response was with the detector going through the bedrock from above. It is so thin that with the coil right next to it the signal was minimal. It sounded more like it was on top of the bedrock. Light was going away fast and brushing off the bedrock at the base of the drop finally revealed just the slightest little edge of gold. I slid my finger along that little edge and out it swings like it was on a hinge.

Of course I don't care if it is dark as I have a headlight. So I kept at it for about another hour. Dug 4-5 more targets but no more gold. I know there is more there and I'll be back another day.

I don't think I mentioned in the last post that the 10.9 gram piece was found with my Minelab 2100 with a 8'' mono coil. Today's find was also with the 2100, but using the NF 9''x14'' elliptical coil today. Dennis

 

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[Clay Diggins]

Nice one Dennis! Cornflakes are good!

 

[Terry Soloman]

Sweet Yella - Congrats!

 

[Lanny in AB]

Cornflake gold!

I've found that kind of gold before. However, when I found the two pieces of it that I have, it sounded off like iron! I don't know if it was the external structure or what it was, but it sounded like iron in the headphones, and both of them would still be there if I hadn't followed my "dig every target" rule.

Nice find Dennis, and great persistence as well.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Jim Hemmingway]

WTG Dennis, that is a very attractive nugget!!! Thanks for relating your experience for everyone to share.

The details of locating this piece, the equipment used on site, and the accompanying photos make for a very enjoyable presentation. As Lanny notes… persistence does pay… congratulations on another great find!!!!!

Jim.

 

[Campngolf]

I saw Frosted Flakes. Theeyy'rreee GGRREEAAAAT!

 

[IMPDLN]

Thanks guys.......Lanny, it was a faint signal at best to start. Once I got down to the top of the bedrock, it was a solid signal and could have been iron but I have learned to dig it all since the larger pieces can sound like iron, but usually not as harsh. The bedrock came up to a point with a drop edge which can sometimes create a false signal if the bedrock is hot to start with, as you know. Had that nugget been standing on edge I likely would have never heard it. Since it was laying flat, and so thin, it had the best response from above and made it difficult to pin point even after completely cleaning the shelf below the drop. Persistence is what got that piece in my poke. A less experienced prospector would have likely missed it or gave up on it as a hot piece of bedrock. A good learning experience even for those who know. Dennis

 

[Lanny in AB]

Thanks guys.......Lanny, it was a faint signal at best to start. Once I got down to the top of the bedrock, it was a solid signal and could have been iron but I have learned to dig it all since the larger pieces can sound like iron, but usually not as harsh. The bedrock came up to a point with a drop edge which can sometimes create a false signal if the bedrock is hot to start with, as you know. Had that nugget been standing on edge I likely would have never heard it. Since it was laying flat, and so thin, it had the best response from above and made it difficult to pin point even after completely cleaning the shelf below the drop. Persistence is what got that piece in my poke. A less experienced prospector would have likely missed it or gave up on it as a hot piece of bedrock. A good learning experience even for those who know. Dennis

You know what you're about Dennis, and that only comes from putting in the time, and having the persistence to stick with the suspicion until whatever is making the signal is popped out into the bright light of day for a thorough examination!

It's interesting how gold has so many other sounds that don't sound like gold. That is one of its enduring mysteries, and I, like you, could have left nuggets resting in the ground because they didn't sound exactly like a nugget should. (In fact, through reflection, I'm sure I've walked over nuggets before because I was too tired, too hot, in too much of a hurry, etc. to do a thorough check. You really do have to dig it all to be sure.)

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[IMPDLN]

Very true indeed. I myself have taken hammer and chisel to bedrock to confirm or eliminate a signal before. One time I even got into a small silver vein that way. I had a solid signal in smooth bedrock right in the gut of a wash. I spent about 3 hours into darkness chiseling away at that very hard bedrock, not willing to give up. About 6 or so inches down I started getting pieces of the target removed. Took what I could that night, came back the next week and spent another 3 hours getting all of the signal out of the bedrock. I had my buddy at the local jewelry store check what I had found and it tested positive to be silver, and likely high purity. Probably wasn't worth the time invested, but I figure I recovered about 1oz of raw silver from that bedrock. It was certainly a learning experience. Dennis

 

[Lanny in AB]

Very true indeed. I myself have taken hammer and chisel to bedrock to confirm or eliminate a signal before. One time I even got into a small silver vein that way. I had a solid signal in smooth bedrock right in the gut of a wash. I spent about 3 hours into darkness chiseling away at that very hard bedrock, not willing to give up. About 6 or so inches down I started getting pieces of the target removed. Took what I could that night, came back the next week and spent another 3 hours getting all of the signal out of the bedrock. I had my buddy at the local jewelry store check what I had found and it tested positive to be silver, and likely high purity. Probably wasn't worth the time invested, but I figure I recovered about 1oz of raw silver from that bedrock. It was certainly a learning experience. Dennis

That's a great little story of dedication with the unexpected bonus of a silver reward Dennis!

I've spent hours and hours chiseling nuggets out of bedrock, but that's a very different story, and those stories are on my thread somewhere.

I hope you get many chances to get out and find more sassy gold before it heats up too much in Arizona.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[Relichunter7]

Sweet piece....how I dream of desert hunting one day.....and get away from the nasty poison oak....Thanks for sharing !

 

[IMPDLN]

Well guys, I fortunately live in a part of Az. that can be hunted most of the year. That and having gold close to home makes me a lucky person I know. Dennis

 

[TAKODA]

Nice piece .

 

[Clay Diggins]

Happy Birthday Dennis!

Thanks for sharing your adventures here. I hope you find a big nugget today.

 

[IMPDLN]

Thanks Clay. I worked today for a change. Haven't worked on my b-day in years. I was out middle of the week in a new area, but unfortunately no gold this week. Oh well, that's just how it goes when you go exploring new ground. Dennis

 

[EagleDown]

Nice piece .

(lol) It looks like someone dug up a rusty old 'flint-lock', painted it gold, then took a picture of it. Now that's what I call character in a nugget. (lol)

Oh yeah, a very nice piece!!

Eagle

 

[Lanny in AB]

Thanks Clay. I worked today for a change. Haven't worked on my b-day in years. I was out middle of the week in a new area, but unfortunately no gold this week. Oh well, that's just how it goes when you go exploring new ground. Dennis

Far too many people don't realize that that's exactly how it goes some days. They dream that every day while out swinging the detector in good gold ground (new or old) that you should be getting nuggets! I realize that you're exploring new ground, but I also realize that you'll sooner or later get that coil over the gold too, but it just doesn't happen every day.

Thanks for your frank and open admission to the realities of being a nugget shooter Dennis.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[IMPDLN]

Yes Lanny, you and I know there are many variables in this game. This doesn't mean I was on bad ground either. It also doesn't mean I will never return to that area. The fact is the area I went to has had plenty of work done in the past. Obvious signs of dredging or high banking done in the past. Still has black plastic pipe strung through the wash as many I find do. Plenty of exposed bedrock as well.

I just wasn't successful at detecting any gold that day. The next time I go there I might find multiple nuggets.....or maybe nothing again. That's just how it goes some days. You just have to be persistent and keep trying. Try different coils, different detectors, different sections of a wash. Sometimes just hitting spots from a different angle is all it takes to find a piece previously missed. Sometimes atmospheric conditions and even attitude play a role in the outcome.

Fact is we never get it all and persistence pays off. I myself will have only 1 day off next week and will be going fishing with my brother. The following week I will be out for 3-4 days and in the lower desert for the last time before the heat of summer sets in. Will I be successful? Maybe, maybe not. Will I get frustrated if I am not successful? Maybe, but I won't give up. I'll keep my coil low and slow and dig every target and accept the outcome. That's what we do. Persistence is what makes us successful. If it was easy, everybody would be out there doing it. Dennis

 

[Lanny in AB]

Yes Lanny, you and I know there are many variables in this game. This doesn't mean I was on bad ground either. It also doesn't mean I will never return to that area. The fact is the area I went to has had plenty of work done in the past. Obvious signs of dredging or high banking done in the past. Still has black plastic pipe strung through the wash as many I find do. Plenty of exposed bedrock as well.

I just wasn't successful at detecting any gold that day. The next time I go there I might find multiple nuggets.....or maybe nothing again. That's just how it goes some days. You just have to be persistent and keep trying. Try different coils, different detectors, different sections of a wash. Sometimes just hitting spots from a different angle is all it takes to find a piece previously missed. Sometimes atmospheric conditions and even attitude play a role in the outcome.

Fact is we never get it all and persistence pays off. I myself will have only 1 day off next week and will be going fishing with my brother. The following week I will be out for 3-4 days and in the lower desert for the last time before the heat of summer sets in. Will I be successful? Maybe, maybe not. Will I get frustrated if I am not successful? Maybe, but I won't give up. I'll keep my coil low and slow and dig every target and accept the outcome. That's what we do. Persistence is what makes us successful. If it was easy, everybody would be out there doing it. Dennis

Truer words were never spoken!

I like your style Dennis.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[IMPDLN]

Thanks Lanny. I don't want anybody to think we are having a bro-mance here or anything like that, lol......I like your style as well. Dennis