crevicing questions

[mchlmacdonald]

Hey again guys, I've got some questions regarding crevicing...

1. First and foremost...are there any restrictions on what you can do crevicing-wise in California? My pops and I are going out this weekend and want to make sure we aren't doing anything we aren't supposed to.

2. Is it a good idea to bring some sort of vacuum for cleaning up the crevices or should we stick to just brushing it up into a bucket? We've got one of these:
Shop DEWALT 2 Peak-HP Peak-HP Shop Vacuum at Lowes.com
It would be nice to bring that along if it will be useful.

3. We've got chisels, punches, wire brushes, soft and hard-bristled brushes, prybars, various bent screwdrivers and rods for scraping, a fiberglass handled sledgehammer...anything other tools we should look to bring along?

4. Any rock fragments we end up with at the end of the day...should we bring those home and crush them, then run them through a concentrator?

any and all info given is much appreciated.

 

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[Jeff95531]

I'm just beginning myself but I don't see safety glasses on you list? Also, I have found once you see a great looking spot, consider the environment all around it. My partner has pointed to some serious rock croppings above me. Something I did not see cuz I was so focused on THE spot. If ya got a vac, I'd bring it. You'll likely wish you had it when you can't reach the bottom with what you got.

Good luck! Weekend forecast looks good.

 

[fowledup]

A paint mixing or casino change cup wrapped with a layer of duct tape, and a 10" sq or so piece of rubber or leather . Both are for scooping or conforming to the shape of the crack to make it easier to put the material in.

 

[infotraker]

I have used a plastic rain gutter cleaner. It conforms well to certain areas.

 

[goldenIrishman]

One tool I found that works great is a painters multi-tool. The flat section it good for scraping the face of the rocks and the pointed part will let you get into some really tight places. Just don't use them for prying rocks apart!



Also a good stout wrecking bar is handy to have along.

 

[AzViper]

Here is the link to Royal products. They make tools to get down deep in to crevices. CREVICES TOOLS

 

[fowledup]

I would leave the vacuum home, as of December they are listed along with suction dredge equipment as prohibited in any stream, river, or lake in Ca.

 

[Goldwasher]

hose on a vacuum is not dredge equipment if so some drywashers are also illegal in the desert in a dry creek...dry creeks are waterways too....... don't worry about keeping rock fragments unless its quartz, and even then would have to be real good lookin'....and for the love of god NOOOOOOOOOOO wire brushes Have fun good luck!

 

[fowledup]

QUOTE=Goldwasher;3824084]hose on a vacuum is not dredge equipment if so some drywashers are also illegal in the desert in a dry creek...dry creeks are waterways too....... don't worry about keeping rock fragments unless its quartz, and even then would have to be real good lookin'....and for the love of god NOOOOOOOOOOO wire brushes Have fun good luck![/QUOTE]
In as much as I agree with you, I equally as much distrust the ones with the authority to write these folks a citation. It's been said before these regulations are written in such a way that they are subject to interpretation, unfortunately it's based on their interpretation not ours. The regulation is written as follows:

"Under CDFW regulations, the use of any vacuum or suction dredge equipment (i.e. suction dredging) is defined as the use of a suction system to vacuum material from a river, stream, or lake for the extraction of minerals."

"Reading together fish and game codes 5653 and 5653.1 and CDFW' s definition, the use of any motorized device
To directly vacuum or suction substrate, sediment, and gravel as part of a mining operation in any river, stream, or lake is prohibited in California. The use of any motorized vacuum or suction device to assist in the extraction of minerals as part of an in stream mining operation is also prohibited. Likewise it is unlawful to possess a vacuum or suction dredge in or within 100yrs of any river, stream, or lake."

Not enough gray area for me to play yet.

 

[fowledup]

QUOTE=Goldwasher;3824084]hose on a vacuum is not dredge equipment if so some drywashers are also illegal in the desert in a dry creek...dry creeks are waterways too....... don't worry about keeping rock fragments unless its quartz, and even then would have to be real good lookin'....and for the love of god NOOOOOOOOOOO wire brushes Have fun good luck![/QUOTE]

In as much as I agree with you, I equally as much distrust the ones with the authority to write these folks a citation. It's been said before these regulations are written in such a way that they are subject to interpretation, unfortunately it's based on their interpretation not ours. The regulation is written as follows:

"Under CDFW regulations, the use of any vacuum or suction dredge equipment (i.e. suction dredging) is defined as the use of a suction system to vacuum material from a river, stream, or lake for the extraction of minerals."

"Reading together fish and game codes 5653 and 5653.1 and CDFW' s definition, the use of any motorized device to directly vacuum or suction substrate, sediment, and gravel as part of a mining operation in any river, stream, or lake is prohibited in California. The use of any motorized vacuum or suction device to assist in the extraction of minerals as part of an in stream mining operation is also prohibited. Likewise it is unlawful to possess a vacuum or suction dredge in or within 100yds of any river, stream, or lake."

Not enough gray area for me to play yet.

 

[golden sluice]

Tool I snipe (gold crevice) with is a small pan, turkey baster, a horeshoe cleaning tool, and a tent broom dust pan.

 

[DizzyDigger]

One tool I found that works great is a painters multi-tool. The flat section it good for
scraping the face of the rocks and the pointed part will let you get into some really tight places. Just don't use them for prying rocks apart!

View attachment 937789

That is the one tool that's always in my prospecting pack. Done an awful lot
of moss scraping with one of those, and plan to do a lot more come spring.
It's thin enough to get into a load of crevices that other tools can't,
and it's strong enough so you can drag out material with it. Easily scrapes off moss
right down to the rock face, meaning you don't have to tear the moss up (and lose
possible gold bearing material) before it gets to the bucket.

Made a couple other crevice tools out of a pair of $2.00 long handled BBQ
tongs. Just cut them apart at the top, grab your hammer and start forming
an end into a spoon, scraper or ? It will hold it's shape well, and you can
reach 15"+ back into some spots you otherwise would have had to pass on.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Great idea on the BBQ tongs...can find those at the thrift shop I'm sure

 

[Goldwasher]

Is using a vac pack to clean cracks above waterline considered In stream mining? I don't think so. I'm not arguing with ya fowled, just a discussion I believe doesn't have a straight answer....it also still states that all mining activities that didn't require a permit before still don't so its even more vague....I don't really go for the word confusing. I am really looking forward to the regulation seminar at the Mining Summit.

 

[Hoser John]

Your #3 list is good enough,Harbor Freight has many styles of wire brushes in many metal or non metalic either and have a ball as that's the most important fact. Shop vacs are cool but just more to haul around,noise and fumes in a small canyon-nope ain't that hungry-KISS rules all-keep it simple & stupid as convalution is NEVER a solution-John

 

[fowledup]

Goldwasher, I think the nail in the coffin is the last sentence, that states - vacuum or suction devices are prohibited within 100yds of any river, stream, or lake.

 

[Jeff95531]

I agree with Fowled up...Within 100 yds of river is the "catch all the rest of you" they tagged on...just to make the confusing parts of the reg more easy to understand. I didn't know about that.
Hoser...I thought the same thing about vacs till I clicked on the link to his at Lowe's. It's battery operated and less than 100 bucks!

 

[mchlmacdonald]

well i'm not too broken up about not being able to take the vacuum to a river or stream for crevicing, it's just a convenience. it's a joke that that is part of the regulation though...

i WILL be taking it out to dry river/stream beds though. which is what i will be frequenting the most.

and goldwasher...why shouldn't i bring any wire brushes with?

 

[Jeff95531]

I'm betting he doesn't want all those false signals when he comes in behind you with a MD. LOL

 

[Goldwasher]

they are not false signals...to a gold detector they are screaming loud yet worthless signals.......if I get popped running my dry vac this year I will mail fowled up 20 bucks