A couple from the Majubas

[Hemisteve]

That area still gives up a nug once in a while. These are from a weekend trip back in Oct. to a claim we have access to.
We were spread out working different areas when the hooting and hollering began. A couple of my partners found a small area in a wash with some beautiful vertical slate and the detecting frenzy began.
All told, 5 nugs were found that weekend and although I got skunked, I still had a great time. Nothing better than being out in the goldfields with good people.

The two in the photo were found with a GMT
One with a GB2
and 2 with a ATGold

 

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[Jim Hemmingway]

Good stuff Hemisteve, thanks for posting. I think getting skunked is nothing unusual, even up here hunting much more prevalent small silver, there was one day where I could not find a piece to save my life. Say, you don't happen to have a photo of the vertical slate??

Jim.

 

[Hemisteve]

Hi Jim,
Yep, getting skunked is part of the game, especially in a heavily worked area.
I don't have any pictures of the slate, in fact I forgot I had these photos until I downloaded my camera card the other day. The slate was not pretty by any means, but when you are prospecting in the dry desert, finding mother natures sluice box is a "beautiful" thing.
Just goes to show that a placer ground is never totally "worked out". Sometimes you just have to walk a little farther and dig a little deeper to find it.

Here are a few pics of an old drywasher in the area. I am sure some folks here will recognize it.

 

[diverrick]

I love that place. Never even found a speck of gold, but camping there after dark with all those millions of stars overhead, and the quiet is the most alluring thing I have ever seen. VERY big country. I always say that at Mujaba, you need not bury the body, just toss it out. The odds that some other person will be in that same place again is staggering. Just Huge.
And yes, I have driven right past that old relic a number of times.
Some areas have been stripped down by dozers. Whats your take on those areas?

 

[Hemisteve]

Hi Rick,
Back in the day, folks would grid an area and beep it ten ways to Sunday. Then a dozer would "push" the top 4 to 6 inches off and they would do it again and again till the beeps were gone. I don't hit those spots but have heard that the PI guys got the last few deep ones off of them.
I heard the big areas in 17 and 19 were large dry wash operations. They also dug up some of the main washes and backfilled them when they were finished.
I have had the opportunity to share a few beers around the campfire with some of the local guys that prospect there often. They are tight lipped but will share the history of the area and if you listen carefully you can learn a few things.

The outback of Nevada is a great place to get away from it all. It might be getting busy and noisy out there soon though, a large mining company has completed test drilling Majuba mountain and is in the process of opening it up if it is cost effective to do so.