Big Nuggets

[bigscoop]

No. Sorry to say that I don't have any. However, with snow falling all around and the ground as hard as steel, I have been browsing about trying to locate different regions in the US that have a history of producing good sized nuggets. Seems a few regions in California lead the pack but so little to go on.

So here's my question to you guys in the know.....if you had to recommend one source that explains the various forming of placer gold deposits and pursuing them with a detector, A) is there a good one source, and B) where can I find it?

I understand the basics of placer deposits and such, but was just curious if there's a source that gets into the locating of potentially larger croppings?

 

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[ianSF]

Here's a cool old book that lists a bunch of the giant nuggets found during the glory days of the California gold rush along with the mine or creek where they were found. The whole book is interesting reading. The nugget info starts on page 91.


California Gold Book: First Nugget, Its Discovery and Discoverers (1893)

https://archive.org/details/californiagoldb00avergoog

 

[Terry Soloman]

There are just a handful of states that produce large gold nuggets on a regular basis. There is no ONE source for the information you seek. You need to consult dozens of sources - both historic and modern. If it was easy, any dumbazz could get rich.

 

[huntsman53]

I would suggest that after researching and finding where many decent to larger sized Gold Nuggets have been found, note these areas on Tertiary Stream Maps and Alluvial Deposit Maps that you download and printout. This combined information can help you locate where some of the larger deposits were, is or should be.


Frank

 

[clv]

All the gold on earth came from space it was form in the heart of super novas. It was deposited on earth at the time the planet formed. So that's where the gold came from.

 

[clv]

Where it's now is a little harder.

 

[huntsman53]

All the gold on earth came from space it was form in the heart of super novas. It was deposited on earth at the time the planet formed. So that's where the gold came from.

I will remember that the next time I go Super Nova prospecting!


Frank

 

[clv]

I will remember that the next time I go Super Nova prospecting!


Frank

Just remember your shades, as it can be quite bright there!

 

[RockRaven]

Historical gold rushes are the place to start. Wikipedia is always a good starting place for general information. North Carolina, Georgia, then California had some of the earlier North American gold rushes. Colorado, Alaska, South Dakota, there are many areas where people pursued the dream of wealth when times were hard. After an area is located and determined to be of interest, simply searching on the internet for the place name combined with the word placer can bring great results. Libraries and the various geological surveys, state, province, or national, can lead to more intense and rewarding study. Research is not the only way to get results, if learning LR2000 and studying local history does not sound like your cup of joe then join an organization with claims. GPAA is one of the largest, but there are also many local outfits that can be found by searching the net for prospector's associations. A few "resorts" in Alaska even have claims that guests can hunt on as part of a nugget-shooting vacation, although I do not know specifics about Australia certainly that continent is very much the land of big nuggets and it may be possible to go there as well. If you are looking to hunt where others have not used detectors, expect to spend many many hours reading history and taking notes, chasing every lead you find, just like every other kind of serious metal detecting for treasure. Of all the things that might be attempted, if you have interest in finding a "new" gold deposit, spend years learning mining geology, get a degree or the equivalent by studying and collecting rocks, learn sampling and every other aspect of prospecting, then add in a huge dose of luck because you will need it