Prospector

[63bkpkr]

Heavy Duty Hard WORK you be talkin about GT! Be kind to yourself...............63bkpkr

 

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[gold tramp]

Started millin again,
Got the power plant moved and hooked up the crusher, mill n crusher still share the same power.
Starting to get some stock pile of ore run off, arrastra mill is filled and first run is ready for the grind.

Hope to have some minin pics soon, it's very windy here right now.
Looks like I crush ore for next couple days.
Give me a week or so to pile up a ton of crushed, will start grinding n get to tablin some yeller stuff.
Keep the yeller coming in till i gets back to my placer Workins, as soon as the ground drys out I'm back to throwing out rocks, wind blowing like it is I may be back at it before I get the jackhammer started.

Till next time a couple mill pics.
Gt....


Jaw crushin

Crushed n ready to grind.

 

[delnorter]

Really interesting Gold Tramp

Mike

 

[gold tramp]

Yesterday much wind, so I had to quit early,
was blowing so hard it was robbin me of my gold dust.
Here's a pic of my office, panning station and sample tools, step one in the milling phase, do all of our breaking up of the bigger stuff n cull the waste rock before it goes into the crusher.

Don't like to put big chunks of ore into my old machine, to hard on it so I try get it all down to 3in or smaller, slows down the op a bit but easier on my unit.

Also get a chance to clean the ore of waste rock as it don't pay, I try to do the cullins at the dig but some waste always gets by my bad eyes.

Hope youall enjoy the show,
Gt......


Notice pile of classified black rocks from my placer prospecting, going to throw them in the tumbler see how well they polish up.

Another batch of finished rocks.
Still working on my flat spots.

Photo courtesy
PINTO MOUNTAIN ROCK WORKs.

 

[gold tramp]

Stuck at the mill, decided go ahead put new bushing on my drywasher crank, handles getting wobbly keep running my thumb through the pulley n belt, just something that happens when its worn out, hurts pretty good.

Nice weather here, hope it holds, drying out fast so i may abandon the hardrock and hit the placer again, soon it will be getting hot then it's not the dampness to deal with its those dadgum bees, getting my machine ready to roll, already grubstaked up, so minute it's dry I'm Oughta here.
Gotta gets those nuggets found.


For those that don't know the steps of hardrock hand sample,
Just a visual of what's needed n steps to take, learning to pan your on your own.


Material to crush hopefully gold bearin

Crushing device

Classifying into gold pan I use 45 mesh

Classified material ready to pan

Panning

The goods if your rock was carrying values.
Hope this helps
Gt.....

 

[gold tramp]

Another day at the Claudette mill,
Servicing the arrastra n finishin the work on the drywasher, couple days soak of the bushing on the drywash handle with penetrating oil, today it slid out and new bushing in no problems, should last the season.

Gonna be back placerins here soon, had to let the ground dry out, its not bad now, looks like I finish some work at the mill and I'm oughta here till who knows when. Told ya I probably wouldnt even get the jack hammer fired up.
Anyways after many days out in the bush last year I'm missing the wilds and more than ready to get back out there.

Today we ran ore ( crushed ) tryin to get some of the stocked ore I had tucked away in corners and under stuff run off n out of the way finally.
While I was crushin, standing there lookin at the arrastra I realized there wasn't much left to the grind stones.

Thinking back when I last ran I think the grinders where Gettin hoppy as they are worn and are to light to do the job of grinding.
So the worn ones came out today, sometime here next couple weeks I get out to harvest some new grinders. So the grind and finishing of my latest hard rock project will be down the road a bit. Will probably grab a couple days over at the hardrock prospect in between placer outings, get some ore n pics of minin.

I won't leave youall hanging to long, but my main focus is Gettin some nuggets found, I'm on a mission.

Here's a few more pics give youall armchair guys an idea of what my kind of minin is like.
Gt......



Worn grindstone notice how thin the back side is.
Was even thickness as the portion with hook when I started.
Stone is bottom side up in pic.


Drag hook, it's grouted into the grinder.


Spider hole, one of the lube spots nobody wants do.
Drive unit for arrastra.


Different view of my office,

 

[gold tramp]

Another little update, give youall stuck in the cold something different to think about.
Since we are deep into servicing the mill can't forget the finishing equipment, the table had much slurry splashed about the area.

It most likely has some gold as it splashes out of the head of the table, this is where ore n water enter the system.
I just pitch the cleanup sweepins back into the arrastra just in case, maybe one day I will pan some just to see how much yeller actually makes it out of the table.
Much buildup on the ground also, so I scrape it up throw in the mix to.

Got the table off, much rust on the anchor points, which move like hinges, this is how it is adjusted there's a turn screw that raises or lowers the front of the table. In the pics you are looking at the back side. Also had to get new drive belt finally, the belts that turn the magnets I got tired of buying so they aren't even working.

Guy at the place that makes this product said he would send me a couple belts long ago he just blew me off, I still endorse there product as being top grade Rp4 good tool. Used mine I think it's been 14 years no problem except those dadgum buna O ring belts.
Can't blame the tool for human failure, anyways it seems to work fine with out the magnets running.

Cleaned the tail pond out, got to do some plumbing work, threads are leaking on valves PVC to metal, desert heat drys out the thread seal. Little bit more work we are ready to run all summer, now if I can just find some good ore, if not my lowgrade stock pile I was saving for my kids inheritance will have to scratch that hard rock itch.

More ramblings soon.
Gt......


Very dirty feed area of the shaker table.
Kinda scary lookin.


Quick scrape n sweep.


Nice clean stand ready for the next run.
Notice how heavily built the base is, shakers require very solid surface to mount to
Many hours of operation day in day out. So has to be heavy built.


Clean and lubed table ready for mounting n replumb,
Gosh I hope when I plug it in the motor works!!!!

 

[gold tramp]

Gold she's slow right now so here's another rock
Gt..

Photo courtesy
PINTO MOUNTAIN ROCK WORKs

 

[DizzyDigger]

Herb, I'm enjoying the hell out of reading your journal.

Looking at the pics of your office, I remember you sitting
there, panning away. Also good to see the shaker table up
and working, but that maintenance on the arrastra doesn't
look like much fun.

Ain't no way I'm crawling in that hole with those critters!

Nuthin' but cold, wet and nasty up here at the moment...probably
will stay that way til' about June. When the water drops this summer
the plan is to scrape up a few dozen bucketfulls of the black sand that
collects on the beach areas on the local rivers. When I get enough
collected I'll run it all through my Gold Cube, and the tailings from that
can run on the miller table.

Lookin' forward to it..

 

[gold tramp]

Howdy Mike.
Thanks for checking out my stuff, we are actually Havin a wet winter here, kinda messed things up for drywashin, but gives me a chance to fix all the minin tools, I've been neglecting my cleanup duty's leads to problems when we get ready to start.

I know I said I was throwing in the towel on the hardrock, can't, it,s in the blood and is far worse infection than gold fever it's self, leaves me lying awake wondering what's another foot or so into the rock, even more so when its paying a wee bit or transitioning into some colorfull mineralization, drives me nuts not knowing.

Next best thing one must dig, been rainin good here so the ground soaked deep, this is good for the hardrock as it helps to oxidize and loosen things up in the hole, guess I spoke to soon bout not using the jack hammer.

Will just keep my mouth shut in the future when it comes to plans being made, Murphy showed me ! Sent much rain my way.

So it's just prospecting, milling or hardrock mining for the remainder of the wet season, man I really wanted to find a dadgum nugget, been a long time since i found anything in the placer that even came close to nugget range, I know get a minelab start swingin, them dadgum things cost money, i've been mining so kinda on the skinny these days.

And my last real find was two years ago at the horseshoe, I hit a piece of ore had 6 ounces in it, was about a 55 gallon drum of rock. So it's been a few, last year 3 oz took 8 months of work to find n mill. Man I sure thought it was gonna be better my samples showed good gold, but it all comes down to the table and what comes off the end, sometimes it just looks bigger.

Well got no helpers, so getting stuff done will be much work, mining might be kinda slow maybe I take this opportunity to work my lapidary stuff get a bunch of rocks polished, and try to get my website back up, harder for me to do the computer stuff than it is to go mining.

So most times I just give up and go polish rocks, prospect my mill area or just head out into the hills. Anyways I will put more effort into Gettin my rock store online, good lord knows I could use the money.

Gotta unpack my burro was loaded up ready to head out Sunday for a week of placerins, now I gotta switch up load the dadgum hardrock equipment, my dog is going to be lookin at me like what the heck are you doing, she gets excited when its time to load up for a camp out in the Bush, shes my guard and is rewarded with a can of tuna for dinner.

Now I will get the side eye all day, that look of disappointment when we don't load em up.
Nothing worse than a disgruntled pooch she will probably chew up my flip flop as pay back.

Hope you get a chance to get some yeller Mike, stay warm n dry buddy.

Gt....

 

[OreCart]

Howdy Mike.
Thanks for checking out my stuff, we are actually Havin a wet winter here, kinda messed things up for drywashin, but gives me a chance to fix all the minin tools, I've been neglecting my cleanup duty's leads to problems when we get ready to start.

I know I said I was throwing in the towel on the hardrock, can't, it,s in the blood and is far worse infection than gold fever it's self, leaves me lying awake wondering what's another foot or so into the rock, even more so when its paying a wee bit or transitioning into some colorfull mineralization, drives me nuts not knowing.

Next best thing one must dig, been rainin good here so the ground soaked deep, this is good for the hardrock as it helps to oxidize and loosen things up in the hole, guess I spoke to soon bout not using the jack hammer.

Will just keep my mouth shut in the future when it comes to plans being made, Murphy showed me ! Sent much rain my way.

So it's just prospecting, milling or hardrock mining for the remainder of the wet season, man I really wanted to find a dadgum nugget, been a long time since i found anything in the placer that even came close to nugget range, I know get a minelab start swingin, them dadgum things cost money, i've been mining so kinda on the skinny these days.

And my last real find was two years ago at the horseshoe, I hit a piece of ore had 6 ounces in it, was about a 55 gallon drum of rock. So it's been a few, last year 3 oz took 8 months of work to find n mill. Man I sure thought it was gonna be better my samples showed good gold, but it all comes down to the table and what comes off the end, sometimes it just looks bigger.

Well got no helpers, so getting stuff done will be much work, mining might be kinda slow maybe I take this opportunity to work my lapidary stuff get a bunch of rocks polished, and try to get my website back up, harder for me to do the computer stuff than it is to go mining.

So most times I just give up and go polish rocks, prospect my mill area or just head out into the hills. Anyways I will put more effort into Gettin my rock store online, good lord knows I could use the money.

Gotta unpack my burro was loaded up ready to head out Sunday for a week of placerins, now I gotta switch up load the dadgum hardrock equipment, my dog is going to be lookin at me like what the heck are you doing, she gets excited when its time to load up for a camp out in the Bush, she my guard and is rewarded with a can of tuna for dinner.

Now I will get the side eye all day, that look of disappointment when we don't load em up.
Nothing worse than a disgruntled pooch she will probably chew up my flip flop as pay back.

Hope you get a chance to get some yeller Mike, stay warm n dry buddy.

Gt....

I enjoy your adventures immensely myself Gold Tramp!

I like the way you write about your adventures. I like the way you do things (arrastra), and I like your outlook on your adventures.

I know NOTHING about gold, know NOTHING about mining (now crushing and screening gravel is another matter), know even less about California, but do have a connection there. My Great Uncle was a 49'er, but quickly realized he could make more money being a carpenter than in mining (no offense to anyone) so he did that, but lived in Centralia CA. I have no idea if that is gold country or Agriculture, or anywhere near your location, but my Great Aunt died and is buried there. Sadly they used an old wooden cross for a marker, and he said later (in the 1880's) he went back and could not find her grave. But in looking on the map, I noticed A LOT of the towns around there, have the same towns as here. I assume it was like when we came from England, we took the towns there, to New England, then later to California.

Now why did my direct line stay in Maine? My direct line was the first born son so he got the farm in Maine. His brothers did not, so they had to go seek their fortune elsewhere, thus California.


I did not mean to pollute your thread with meaningless drivel of my family history, but that is why I have a connection to what you write. My family used pick axe and spade over there as well.

 

[gold tramp]

I enjoy your adventures immensely myself Gold Tramp!

I like the way you write about your adventures. I like the way you do things (arrastra), and I like your outlook on your adventures.

I know NOTHING about gold, know NOTHING about mining (now crushing and screening gravel is another matter), know even less about California, but do have a connection there. My Great Uncle was a 49'er, but quickly realized he could make more money being a carpenter than in mining (no offense to anyone) so he did that, but lived in Centralia CA. I have no idea if that is gold country or Agriculture, or anywhere near your location, but my Great Aunt died and is buried there. Sadly they used an old wooden cross for a marker, and he said later (in the 1880's) he went back and could not find her grave. But in looking on the map, I noticed A LOT of the towns around there, have the same towns as here. I assume it was like when we came from England, we took the towns there, to New England, then later to California.

Now why did my direct line stay in Maine? My direct line was the first born son so he got the farm in Maine. His brothers did not, so they had to go seek their fortune elsewhere, thus California.


I did not mean to pollute your thread with meaningless drivel of my family history, but that is why I have a connection to what you write. My family used pick axe and spade over there as well.

No worries, it just the ramblings of a desert gold tramp.
my dad's side of the family came
from bangor/Argyle area so we already have a Maine connection.
I was there as a teenager, we had a camp on the penobscott.
Great fishing.
Gt.

 

[gold tramp]

Had to go prospect some new grinder stones, actually small boulders as they weigh in at close to 300 lbs or better.

Guess the good lord was lookin out for the miners as we just pulled up to our site backed in and loaded up.
It wasn't that easy,
We brought all the equipment to cut the Bigg stuff down to size, was lookin to have to drill, split and shape, so we can handle the beast without killing our selves.

Was a comical moment when we were getting ready to back fill a spot to build a ramp up to the truck. I Steps on a monster rock it started rolling towards the truck, for a few seconds it was scary as this thousand pound monolith was on the move, lookin as if it may take out the back of the rig, it decided to stop.

Thank God it would of crushed the old tortoise, well it didn't. The monster rock settled in right up next to the bumper, slightly pushing the rig foward, anyways it made a perfect flat to use as a loading ramp.

We back filled again building up a ramp, gosh what luck on this day as our stones we found were well above the truck and they didn't need to be cut down. Being up the hill a bit we just rolled them right on down into the bed. So we managed 3 rocks 2 I think will just need hole drilling, grout in a new hook and it's ready for the break-in run.

The 3rd one is a rock for miners yard ornament.

Still have to unload the stones, move over to the arrastra about 30 ft, load into the arrastra without destroying the dadgum thing, the mill not the rock.
Have to drill a couple holes, fire up the smelter and forge some hooks, we use the smelter as a forge also, its really just to heat the stuff up enough to bend n cut.

Anyways will get the hooks forged n grouted today, the arrastra will be ready for the grind. Now I just have to go get that ore, I'm procrastinating on the dig it's just to deep for a one man show, if I could blast it would be much easier.

More ramblings next sunday, will have a new rock of the week, make it a ore shot this time.
Gt.....



Fully loaded tortoise truck.


First rock



Notice how close to the tail light we are.
Big rocks.


Pile of granite, notice flat spot on big boulder that hit truck,
when I pulled off it rolled a bit more, glad it didn't get the speed up to roll into the
Bed of the truck,



My son J boy, standing on the monster boulder.
Damn smoker ! He says it's because he's a driller and a grown a$$ man.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Mining a rich vein of Colorado firewood ore. You cali boys sure got it made...

 

[DizzyDigger]

Herb, tell that J boy to get rid of the cigarettes..and never touch another one.

After smoking more than 40 years I've given up on trying to quit the things...too
late for me, but not for him. I'm only 60, and my lungs are shot, and his will
be too if he doesn't give them up now.

You can tell him that I'm a grown a$$ man, too, and not some tenderfoot. I've been down
that road and the only end to it is an early death, not to mention being all but useless
the last few years before that death simply because your freakin' lungs won't work any more.

It's a good thing he's tough, 'cause emphysema ain't for pu$$ies.

My fate is already written in stone..his ain't..yet.

If I could ever get a vehicle that would make the trip, I'd love to come down there and
camp out for a week or so. Breathin' that dry air would be good for me, and we could
sit around a campfire and tell lies all night..

 

[gold tramp]

The Claudette mill minin camp is always going to be here Mike, stop by anytime.
I got lots o campfire wood and much to talk of !
As for telling j bout cigs, he won't listen.

Got the grind stones loaded into the mill without incident. Forged a couple hooks, drilled holes in the stones 5/8 in x 6 in, installed the hooks with grout.
24hour cure, the chains are hooked back up, as soon as all the ore is crushed. We can move the power plant back over n do the break in grind,

Should be interesting run as the arrastra pan has a well worn curve in the bottom, there's about 600 lbs of fresh granite, flat on the bottom.
Wonder which will give first the granite grind stones or the olivine gabbro used in the pan.

May end up having to replace the pan sooner than I think so I'll be ready, grab some new stones n mortar. You know ole Murphy.

More ramblings later.
Gt.....


Shot of what we came through and over, 2 tripods and
Lots of stull wood.


Heading up and into the mill area, 300 lbs I'm guessing
Used the cable puller saved the back.


Close up of hook.


View of how chains hook up to drag arm.

 

[gold tramp]

Still haven't finished the ore crushing run, so the mill sits as is in the pic.
Crusher n arrastra share the power unit, and I'm still Gettin a little ore, also was unprepared for rain everything Got wet.

Trying to crush wet rock is a very slow operation so we have to wait till it drys a bit more, won't be long as we hit 80 degrees for a bit in the sun last couple days, heck I got sunburned.

Very snakey in the bush the plant life is knee high everywhere, if you know about my desert here it is most times just rock very little plant life, this year it's overgrowth already.
Lots of pollen the dog was painted yellow from the stuff was funny site, looked like war paint.

Glad the cold is over for the most part, that dadgum wind will start in here soon, making it impossible to camp out comfortably.
Heck it just makes life tuff trying to prospect or mine, dust everywhere,
Weather here today and a much needed day of rest, never get used to diggin, hands in bad shape again.
Kinda embarrassed of my take so we wait till I get something worthy of a pic,
Thought about my rock of the week pic and this is for gold prospecting not showin off rocks.
Sorry for Gettin side tracked, my dad says it's because I have rocks in my head, I told him he's the one who put them there, making me hang out with a bunch of long hair geology students when I was growing up!

Will try get a good ore pic for youall.

So still prospecting as much as possible, heat n bees will be here soon I'm not sure if I will be able to handle either one, I've been pushing my luck with the bees, it's a long walk out to my old truck, wouldn't help if I got to it anyway as the Windows dont roll up, so only safety would be my hat net at least they won't be Gettin into my nose or mouth.

More ramblings later.
Gt.....

 

[gold tramp]

No sooner I say its gonna be snakey, I get a sidewinder in the garden this evening.
Needless to say he's no longer alive, have young kids n dogs, not to mention picking vegetables out of a rattlesnake infested garden, not big on my list.

Seeing snakes early means we are probably in for a hot one this year, 110 degree heat, killer bees, rock ratlers. I tell ya this much fun should be illegal.

And the gold she just gets harder to find !

Gt.......

 

[gold tramp]

Been hard at it washin the dirt with my little dryplant, finaly found a small nugget, that would be the one pictured with the dime, I'm alone so kinda slow diggin n pumping the handcrank but I manage a fair bit before fatigue sets in and I can't move.

Must be gold fever! Anyway just thought I would chk in here give youall something to think about
Desert prospecting, biggest highlight of the day is lunch when the ravens show up harassing me with that annoying caw, caw, caw, for an hour or so, once it hits heat of the day the bees start showin up its time to hike home.

I'm training a new trail dog right now trying to teach him to stay out of the rocks and on the trail, keep from Gettin snake bit, that freakin nose is gonna get him in trouble, Dumb Dog !

The gold she's not filling the bottle as quick as I had hoped, could be a sign I'm going to hit a big nugget.
For now Im satisfied with the crumbs as they after all are the lead to that big pile, one hopes. Gonna put in a few more weeks till it gets warm n the bees get bad.

Found out my permission for the hardrock prospect I was working passed over the divide, I'm going to work it one more time in memory of the old girl who owned the rock, she would be happy to know we were up there still doing assessment work.

Here's some dirt pics for you armchair prospectors.
Gotta sell my gold, grubstake up for another week of fun in the sun.

Gt.....


Diggins.


Classic drop zone


My wash plant.

 

[gold tramp]

It rained again, my ore piles pretty much chunky mud for another week, so we moved the power plant over got the stones moving around. Break-in run has started.

Must be getting good at picking out grinders, these ones are perfect, tracking was right on, hooked them in the same link as the previous ones, they only required a nudge on the hook angle with a sledge for final adjust.

The mixer stone had to have a trim job as it would catch my hand when I was rodding the pan.
Rodding is what I call pulling the ore from out side edge of the pan into the mix. It builds up and requires some agitations to get it all ground even, once it turns to a pulp it requires less attention.
Drilled a few holes in the mixer stone cracked the offending protrusion off. Thing hurt when it hit my hand.
Break-in will take a day or so I made the mix a little loose more a course slurry, as it will aid in the cutting of the new grinders, my thinking anyways, 2 inches to grind off the bottom of the stones till they fit the pan proper.

I'm using a bit heavier stones this time around so we see if we gain any speed in the next grind, took six hours before to geter done. It don't matter anyways , millins kinda fun, and I don't really want my minin adventure to be over in one day, so we take our time enjoy, cause the gold shes only here for a minute, then its back to the search.

More ramblings later.
Gt.......

Perfect fit

Drilling a line of holes, helps keep the break straight.

Nice cut, notice rodding stick how close it was.