1800's stream sluicing

[No gold in NY]

I have been wondering about the old time wooden sluices built by mining companies back then. Were they high tech, or did they lose as much gold as they captured? I have heard some of them were as long as 100 feet or more. Thanks for any input.

 

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[SteveCM]

I own some land near Nevada City CA where some hyrdaulic mining was done. While digging a trench in the previously mined area I saw some darkness like a sediment layer at about 3 feet below ground. It was a layer of charcoal, some hard but some soft. There were "veins" to use the term loosely going through the charcoal layer of a hard but brittle rock like deposit, silver in color, with some tiny square gold colored crystals like pyrite. This stuff was inside the burnt wood. Non-magnetic but set off my Wright's MD. Is it possible that this was an old burnt down sluice ? It was not where I would have expected a sluice to have been used, but maybe a used sluice with deposits still in place ?

 

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[IMAUDIGGER]

I own some land near Nevada City CA where some hyrdaulic mining was done. While digging a trench in the previously mined area I saw some darkness like a sediment layer at about 3 feet below ground. It was a layer of charcoal, some hard but some soft. There were "veins" to use the term loosely going through the charcoal layer of a hard but brittle rock like deposit, silver in color, with some tiny square gold colored crystals like pyrite. This stuff was inside the burnt wood. Non-magnetic but set off my Wright's MD. Is it possible that this was an old burnt down sluice ? It was not where I would have expected a sluice to have been used, but maybe a used sluice with deposits still in place ? View attachment 1603186 View attachment 1603187

I read that pyrite crystals often form in sedentary rock that contains organic material. Looks like that may fit your description.

 

[Goldwasher]

That is slate. Most likely quartz veins in it. The crystals are most likely pyrite.

 

[goldenmojo]

I own some land near Nevada City CA where some hyrdaulic mining was done. While digging a trench in the previously mined area I saw some darkness like a sediment layer at about 3 feet below ground. It was a layer of charcoal, some hard but some soft. There were "veins" to use the term loosely going through the charcoal layer of a hard but brittle rock like deposit, silver in color, with some tiny square gold colored crystals like pyrite. This stuff was inside the burnt wood. Non-magnetic but set off my Wright's MD. Is it possible that this was an old burnt down sluice ? It was not where I would have expected a sluice to have been used, but maybe a used sluice with deposits still in place ? View attachment 1603186 View attachment 1603187

Here is a video from the geologist at the Ruby Mine Tertiary Channel near Alleghany. In it he has drawings of the geological layers there that include a charcoal layer. I do not know if your layer is the same as in the video but the geology of that specific site is explained as best as they can deduce.

 

[bug]

I wanted to end with this; when you see evidence of old sluices and small piles of even sized rocks, keep walking. All you will find is nails and hot rocks. Those old timers got most of the gold and your time would be better spent searching for some undiscovered virgin ground.

Some of those tom piles pay well to hunt, some dont. A good minelab and the right pile will change your mind in a hurry.