BGT Sniper question? Is mica or flour gold caught in the trap?

gunflintguy

Jr. Member
Oct 4, 2013
41
31
Northern Mn
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, Blue Bowl
Sluices: 36" Bazooka Gold Trap Sniper, Angus McKirk Recon
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, I got my new bazooka 36” sniper out these last few days and I am really impressed with its abilities, and really happy that I bought it.
I have been using the Mackirk recon for the last 6 months as a recirculater and I am familiar with all of the gold colored mica it seems to catch.

The material I ran the last few days I am not expecting to find any gold except maybe flour gold, because of the location that I took it from.
However, when I classify the cons down to -50 and below, I am getting something that acts like mica (slowly moves in the pan but doesn’t settle).

My question for the BGT users, do your traps catch the mica along with the small flour gold?

In the next few days I plan to run everything +30 down to -100 in the blue bowl so I am figuring that if it is mica it will blow right out.

Any thoughts?
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Never had mica stay in the trap but lots of flour gold...my fav creek produces lots of 50-100 mesh range gold and some even smaller....which shows up in my Bazookas every trip :-)
 

golden sluice

Sr. Member
Dec 16, 2013
469
226
next to disneyland
Detector(s) used
Thanks Kellyco, and Garrett:smile:... I love my AT gold metal detector!
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Hello gunflintguy. If the mystery mineral is acting like gold in the sluice and in your pan, well it probably is gold. Try drying out this stuff and cook it in a metal pan...

If it makes a sulfur smell then you know its crappy fools gold. But if not, then its gold.
Try putting the gold in vinagar, this will help bring out its true color. Hope this can help you out.
 

vaquero44

Bronze Member
Dec 6, 2009
1,264
329
Maine
Detector(s) used
Deep Tech Vista RG 1000, Deep Tech Vista Gold, Deep Tech RELIC, Garrett prop pointer.....bazooka gold 36" gold trap, Angus MacKirk Grubstake sluice, my version of mikes trommel, echo crevice vac, Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
hey golden sluice that's good to know, thanks I've actually come across a stream last summer that's just loaded with iron pyrite huge chunks and after you get a certain height of the stream it all turns into clay silt? I know I've read stories that if your finding pyrite sometimes the real thing is not to far from it? but no such luck but also have found a lot of smokey quartz in the pans too
 

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gunflintguy

Jr. Member
Oct 4, 2013
41
31
Northern Mn
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, Blue Bowl
Sluices: 36" Bazooka Gold Trap Sniper, Angus McKirk Recon
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
KevinInColorado: Never had mica stay in the trap but lots of flour gold...my fav creek produces lots of 50-100 mesh range gold and some even smaller....which shows up in my Bazookas every trip :-)

Kevin, thanks for the info. I was hoping to hear from you, you seem to have the most knowledge on the BGT and the small flour gold.




Golden Sluice: Hello gunflintguy. If the mystery mineral is acting like gold in the sluice and in your pan, well it probably is gold. Try drying out this stuff and cook it in a metal pan...

If it makes a sulfur smell then you know its crappy fools gold. But if not, then its gold.
Try putting the gold in vinagar, this will help bring out its true color. Hope this can help you out.

Golden Sluice Thanks for the info. I will heat it up like you mention, according to the geologists,we do have iron pyrite in the area. I will also use the vinegar
like you mentioned.

Thanks for the quick responses from both of you.
 

nelsongrigg

Jr. Member
Sep 28, 2013
30
5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
the only mica I seen is alot lighter than gold so not really sure if it would get trapped
 

Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've found mica in mine, but only big pieces.
Same with Pyrite for that matter, I have a couple of nice specimens.
 

arizau

Bronze Member
May 2, 2014
2,485
3,869
AZ
Detector(s) used
Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Small pieces of mica in your concentrates may be an indicator that you are not running the BGT with enough flow to allow it to work properly. They love strong stream flow which allows the box to optimize materials sorting. Good luck.
 

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