Colorado Prospecting. South Platte, Clear Creek and Denver.

OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I need a new scale mines sort of out of whack. Also what you you reccomend for containing and drying of the gold for weighing it? I have an identical glass vial that I could use to carry my gold in and I could weigh one, tear the scale and see the difference, but that wouldn't be super accurate. I am guessing the last big cleanout I had was around .15g and the ones before anywhere from .09-.06 grams. Ill work on getting a way to weigh it out. maybe Ill go to goodwill and get a soap dish similar to yours there 8-)
 

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
I need a new scale mines sort of out of whack. Also what you you reccomend for containing and drying of the gold for weighing it? I have an identical glass vial that I could use to carry my gold in and I could weigh one, tear the scale and see the difference, but that wouldn't be super accurate. I am guessing the last big cleanout I had was around .15g and the ones before anywhere from .09-.06 grams. Ill work on getting a way to weigh it out. maybe Ill go to goodwill and get a soap dish similar to yours there 8-)

I just dry mine in the soap dish under an incandescent light. I found a little funnel at the science supply shop at 2nd & Broadway that makes it easy to dump the gold from the weighing tray into the vial :) but a lot of folks just use a small creased piece of paper to weigh and then pour.
 

Jeff95531

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2013
2,625
4,094
Deep in the redwoods of the TRUE Northern CA
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Alpha 2000
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If you're in the market for a new scale, I can save you a lot of time. Go to Amazon and enter

American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G

Now only 17 bucks and accurately reads our type of finds. Several members here have it as well and are very happy with it.

Kevin...I would add to take the vial with you when shopping for a funnel. Last time I was at the Dollar Store I bought a set of miniature funnels and the smallest one still wouldn't fit in the vial. So back to the creased paper again. :thumbsup:
 

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OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
So I got out today and built a rock dam at the upstream end of the "straw bench" bend because I saw a lot of heavy rocks around that area. I dug down and it was some pretty tightly packed material. One of my best clean outs yet!
goldfromnewdam2.jpg
Trying to get a measurement of today's catch using an old scale I have on hand. I have 2 identical glass vials that I've filled underwater to prevent air bubbles. The first one is empty and the second one is my gold from the creek so far.
scale0.jpg
0.34 grams so far from the creek. But after today its up to 0.51g! So 0.17 grams after an hours dig, not bad at all!
scale.34.jpg scale.51.jpg
 

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HardHatMatt

Full Member
Mar 15, 2016
139
204
Colorado
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome and inspirational tales, shofs! Just had a little one but I'd love to get out and join you sometime.
 

Duckwalk

Hero Member
Mar 21, 2014
966
1,312
Lincolnton North Carolina
Detector(s) used
30" Bazooka Sniper, Drop Riffle sluice box.
Various Gold Pans
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If you're in the market for a new scale, I can save you a lot of time. Go to Amazon and enter

American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G

Now only 17 bucks and accurately reads our type of finds. Several members here have it as well and are very happy with it.

Kevin...I would add to take the vial with you when shopping for a funnel. Last time I was at the Dollar Store I bought a set of miniature funnels and the smallest one still wouldn't fit in the vial. So back to the creased paper again. :thumbsup:

AND for those interested it has many "other" scale type uses...
 

OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome and inspirational tales, shofs! Just had a little one but I'd love to get out and join you sometime.

Anytime! I'm free most mornings.
 

OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Also, I took the bazooka out this morning before work. I was sweeping in the creek from left to right and getting about 5 inches of gravel till the clay consistently, but near the middle of the creek the clay layer took a straight 90 degree drop and I got down to maybe 2.5 feet of good paydirt with more to go. I was pulling out big almost basketball sized rounded rocks and it is very tightly packed. To bad I had to leave for work right when I got down to the heavies! Hopefully I can get a good long dig in tomorrow.
Here is today's gold displayed in a Kevin like manor .19 grams! Used a (-30) and (-60) mesh to classify.

may20gold.jpg
 

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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
It makes me happy to read this, well done!
 

Jeff95531

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2013
2,625
4,094
Deep in the redwoods of the TRUE Northern CA
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Alpha 2000
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I live in Colorado of all places and I had to google that shame on me :laughing7:
I'm always sure to NOT bring my scale with me in my car. When you look young and you have a scale, telling a cop "that's to weigh um....treasure" just wouldn't go well.

View attachment 1315612

I might get this scale. The black would contrast nicely with the gold and its little cup looks good for pouring into vials.

It's OK shofs. We have both kinds nearby so easy to be confused... and they are almost legal to have too...depending how you get it. :laughing7:

Giant gold nugget found in California finds secret buyer | Fox News

and

https://www.leafly.com/products/flower
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Got out and dug to the bottom of yesterday's hole. Got 20 pieces of gold too big to fit through -30 mesh! Heaviest cleanout yet with the scale estimating .30 grams though it seems like more :icon_thumright:. I'm not used to finding such large gold in Colorado! My new goal is to get enough gold to match the cost of the bazooka at $155, so right around 4 grams by the end of the summer, though I'm keeping the gold :goldbar:
may21st gold.jpg
 

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utah mason

Hero Member
Jul 10, 2015
545
935
utah
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Im thinking you should set your goals a little higher. As much as your getting out, I think you could double or triple your goal. Looking forward to watching your progress over the summer! 🙆
 

OP
OP
shofs

shofs

Full Member
Jun 5, 2013
244
597
Colorado
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Sniper Sluice 30"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm planning a quick dig tomorrow before work. I havn't been out in a few days because I'm in the middle of buying a house and real estate in Colorado is crazy tough right now.

On a side note I was in the shower this morning thinking to myself hmm "you know what I used to love as a kid" These things...
digger.jpg

Not practical AT ALL but I definitely be the would be the coolest kid on the block just swiveling in my chair scoopin dirt right in the bazooka.
 

GoldpannerDave

Bronze Member
Apr 17, 2014
1,076
1,279
Colorado Springs, CO
Detector(s) used
Bazooka 48" Miner and 30" Sniper, Le Trap, Wolf Trap, A52, 2" dredge, Miller tables, Blue Bowl, wheel, Falcon MD20, old White's detector
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Awesome and inspirational tales, shofs! Just had a little one but I'd love to get out and join you sometime.

Ditto. We just closed on a house today about 15 minutes closer to metro Denver. Of course, now we have to move; we have to be out of our current place before the 13th of June. That means not much digging time until after we get all moved.
 

GoldpannerDave

Bronze Member
Apr 17, 2014
1,076
1,279
Colorado Springs, CO
Detector(s) used
Bazooka 48" Miner and 30" Sniper, Le Trap, Wolf Trap, A52, 2" dredge, Miller tables, Blue Bowl, wheel, Falcon MD20, old White's detector
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If you're in the market for a new scale, I can save you a lot of time. Go to Amazon and enter

American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G

Now only 17 bucks and accurately reads our type of finds. Several members here have it as well and are very happy with it.

Kevin...I would add to take the vial with you when shopping for a funnel. Last time I was at the Dollar Store I bought a set of miniature funnels and the smallest one still wouldn't fit in the vial. So back to the creased paper again. :thumbsup:

YES, I am one of those who brought it; I love it.
 

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
Ditto. We just closed on a house today about 15 minutes closer to metro Denver. Of course, now we have to move; we have to be out of our current place before the 13th of June. That means not much digging time until after we get all moved.

Dave, he's digging next to one of my honey holes a bit upstream of "you know where"!!
 

Jeff95531

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2013
2,625
4,094
Deep in the redwoods of the TRUE Northern CA
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Alpha 2000
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
LOL, we just put a bid on a mobile on the other side of the park from us. We'd be movin on up if it all goes down. We'll know soon but hate this part...especially when the realtor plays you against someone else. But we want it and bid what was comfortable so...:thumbsup:
 

Jeff95531

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2013
2,625
4,094
Deep in the redwoods of the TRUE Northern CA
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Alpha 2000
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I'm planning a quick dig tomorrow before work. I havn't been out in a few days because I'm in the middle of buying a house and real estate in Colorado is crazy tough right now.

On a side note I was in the shower this morning thinking to myself hmm "you know what I used to love as a kid" These things...
View attachment 1317344

Not practical AT ALL but I definitely be the would be the coolest kid on the block just swiveling in my chair scoopin dirt right in the bazooka.

Oh hell ya! I think I'd even pay to watch! Or we'll work sumthin out for a share of your gold. :headbang:
 

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