Significance of black sand

[Nuggetbrain]

Hello all. Complete newb here! Just got my Garrett panning kit and eager to set out!

What is the significance of black sand? The fact that it is heavy which might indicate heavier materials in the dirt, such as gold?

Overall, is black sand a good thing?

Thanks

Tim

 

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[Oregon Viking]

It is heavy. I can carry two buckets about half full, you carry one on each side for balance. 100 pounds per bucket. Pure black sand.
I'll post some pics.

 

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[Oregon Viking]

So far what I have seen I think the only way to deal with this extreme black sand and fine gold is one of these little miller type units.

My curiosity got the best of me and I went out to pan a little of the cons. I scraped off about an inch of cons off the sluice and good lord almighty....... just solid black sand with very little blond sand...... Talk about dense material....... I don't think panning this stuff out is going to work at all.... It is just too dense and it compacts like crazy.

The density of the black sand and the fineness of the gold is overwhelming when it comes to panning, or at least my attempts so far.

I will try some more again this weekend but I think I will have to get a table or maybe try gold hogs cyclone.

Gold Cyclone - Gold Concentrator | Super Concentrator for Placer Gold Miners

After I watched the vids for the cyclone I'm not sure it would handle the cons I ended up with...... Looks like I may have to go the table route..... I'll get it figured out though.....

It is heavy. I can carry two buckets about half full, you carry one on each side for balance. 100 pounds per bucket. Pure black sand.
I'll post some pics.

The Gold Cyclone is 300 bucks....not that I'am knocking Doc's products. The reviews are excellent. I still would really like to test the Hog Pan, as the Smith river is hands and pans only. I would like to try this at 90 bucks. Quicksand Concentrator for fine Gold Prospecting equipment

 

[johnedoe]

That layer of black sand is 3/16" thick and the pan is 8"x8"..... Gives ya a little perspective on the run and density of the cons.

 

[johnedoe]

The Gold Cyclone is 300 bucks....not that I'am knocking Doc's products. The reviews are excellent. I still would really like to test the Hog Pan, as the Smith river is hands and pans only. I would like to try this at 90 bucks. Quicksand Concentrator for fine Gold Prospecting equipment

I think the quicksand concentrator works and works well within it parameters, but I think it would have a tuff time getting the fines out of our beach gold. After I watched this video i can understand better what is happening in the two devices .... the Quicksand is an elutriation tower and simply classifies by fluidization and specific gravity.
The Cyclone also uses elutriation but stratifies the materials out buy classifying according to density and surface area... a nugget drops through running water while a flake of gold that ways the same will be pushed further down range by the same running water.
Now with all that said I'm not sure I am will to put out 300 bucks on the cyclone...... actually I was thinking about getting in touch with Doc and sending him a sample to run and see what he was able to do with it.