Found a big deposit! Finally.

[Ohiogoldfever]

For several years I’ve prospected my area. I’ve hit nearly every creek and river in 30 miles. Mostly gravel bars as Ohio gold tends to be pretty small. I traveled up a little creek a bit further than I had in the past. Tested a gravel bar just around a sharp corner and BANG! 40-50 specks. Pan after pan it’s holding strong. The largest chunky black sand, garnets and mixed iron stone and verity’s mjnerals I’ve found to date.

After about 20 pans in and I’ve found this deposit is about 200’ long and as wide as 20’. The real kicker, there’s bedrock about 3-4’ below this bar, I can see it exposed on the fast side of the river.

Freaking tickled fellers!

I’ll try and post some decent pictures once I get to doing some real work.

 

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[Assembler]

Unfortunately a wheel barrow won’t be happening. It’s a long walk through thick woods, several large logs to cross, two creeks with steep sides, tall weeds. Pushing a wheel barrow would be a nightmare.

I do appreciate your input. Large things in and out aren’t really a good option. At least not for a lone wolf. Next time I’m out I plan to just dig a hole to bedrock. I can’t be to far off already. As you’d expect the gold seems to be getting a bit larger as I go further down. Fingers crossed a big hole pays off.

Yep the same problem here brush and logs etc.
Zip line?
Two creeks with steep sides a zip line would be very possible. Just saying.
Does not take to much to hold say a sixty to eighty pounds or so.

Getting down to bedrock will have to be dug by hand.

 

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[russau]

That all depends on the ownership of said property and Ohio's laws ! Some people frown on a person coming onto their property and digging ! ALWAYS get the owner's permission ! Do your DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE the RED FLASHING LIGHTS come on or the owner shows up with a shot gun!

 

[Assembler]

That all depends on the ownership of said property and Ohio's laws ! Some people frown on a person coming onto their property and digging ! ALWAYS get the owner's permission ! Do your DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE the RED FLASHING LIGHTS come on or the owner shows up with a shot gun!

Excellent point you make as no one wants to face a shot gun or worse.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

That all depends on the ownership of said property and Ohio's laws ! Some people frown on a person coming onto their property and digging ! ALWAYS get the owner's permission ! Do your DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE the RED FLASHING LIGHTS come on or the owner shows up with a shot gun!

Of course land status is a big deal.

The land the creek runs through is owned by a local collage. It’s a pretty heavily trafficked area. Fishing, hunting, mushroom hunters and I’ve seen holes from other prospectors.

Thankfully the area I’ve found this deposit is way back off any beaten path and any holes I plan to dig will be easily enough filled in. I’m not dragging a full scale operation down there.

 

[Assembler]

Hobby gold prospecting in Ohio is considered recreational and does not require a permit as long as the following conditions are met:

The gold collected is of little or no commercial value

The activity does not have adverse environmental impacts

The prospecting is not commercial in nature

The environmental impacts are minimal

Mechanized digging is not involved

The property owner gives written permission to prospect on private land

HOBBY PROSPECTING/PANNING FOR MINERALS

The ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management regulates Ohio's industrial minerals surface mining operations under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1514. For more information, see Laws and Regulations for Industrial Minerals Surface Mining and Reclamation.

Hobby prospecting activities in Ohio streams are considered “exempt” from Ohio Surface Mine Laws (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1514) as long as the following apply:

prospecting is recreational

prospecting is not commercial in nature

material collected is of little or no commercial value, and

the environmental impacts are diminimus (minor/insignificant)

Please be advised that if conditions change, the Division of Mineral Resources Management will revisit its decision to determine whether the exemption remains appropriate.

Hobby prospectors need to continue to be vigilant in adhering to

exemption guidelines as stated above, landowner rights, and

compliance with all other agencies that have jurisdiction over Ohio’s streams.

Even though hobby prospecting is not currently considered “in-stream” mining, it does not relieve a person of the obligation of compliance with any other regulatory requirements such as those of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) or any other agency of jurisdiction, prior to the commencement of any prospecting.

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-le...f Mineral,are diminimus (minor/insignificant)

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Hobby gold prospecting in Ohio is considered recreational and does not require a permit as long as the following conditions are met:

The gold collected is of little or no commercial value

The activity does not have adverse environmental impacts

The prospecting is not commercial in nature

The environmental impacts are minimal

Mechanized digging is not involved

The property owner gives written permission to prospect on private land

HOBBY PROSPECTING/PANNING FOR MINERALS

The ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management regulates Ohio's industrial minerals surface mining operations under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1514. For more information, see Laws and Regulations for Industrial Minerals Surface Mining and Reclamation.

Hobby prospecting activities in Ohio streams are considered “exempt” from Ohio Surface Mine Laws (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1514) as long as the following apply:

prospecting is recreational

prospecting is not commercial in nature

material collected is of little or no commercial value, and

the environmental impacts are diminimus (minor/insignificant)

Please be advised that if conditions change, the Division of Mineral Resources Management will revisit its decision to determine whether the exemption remains appropriate.

Hobby prospectors need to continue to be vigilant in adhering to

exemption guidelines as stated above, landowner rights, and

compliance with all other agencies that have jurisdiction over Ohio’s streams.

Even though hobby prospecting is not currently considered “in-stream” mining, it does not relieve a person of the obligation of compliance with any other regulatory requirements such as those of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) or any other agency of jurisdiction, prior to the commencement of any prospecting.

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/mineral-resources-management/about-the-division/hobby-prospecting-or-panning#:~:text=The ODNR Division of Mineral,are diminimus (minor/insignificant)

Thanks Assembler. That’s the guidelines I’ve been following. Ohio waterways are open to fishing and such as long as it’s not posted. Over many years of being a river rat I’ve never had any issues.

I won’t be dragging a mining operation out there. I don’t expect I’ll draw any attention to myself as long as I’m respectful and keep things remediated as I work.

 

[Assembler]

A possible compost tumbler for use after modifying by plugging all vent holes. Light enough to pack in and out.

Multifunction Garden Tumbling Composter, Heavy-Duty Fast-Working Compost Bin with Easy-to-use Drain Plugs to Collect Liquid,Blue

$79.99

Amazon Orbed ball composter

You will have to plug all of the vent holes in the tumbler. To use add material and rock back and forth to get the heavies to the bottom. Then shovel out the lighter materials on top.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

A possible compost tumbler for use after modifying by plugging all vent holes. Light enough to pack in and out.

Multifunction Garden Tumbling Composter, Heavy-Duty Fast-Working Compost Bin with Easy-to-use Drain Plugs to Collect Liquid,Blue

$79.99

Amazon Orbed ball composter

You will have to plug all of the vent holes in the tumbler. To use add material and rock back and forth to get the heavies to the bottom. Then shovel out the lighter materials on top.

I’ll think this over. It could work great.

I plan to take my boil bucket out there for a couple hours today. We’ll see how that goes.

 

[Assembler]

I’ll think this over. It could work great.

I plan to take my boil bucket out there for a couple hours today. We’ll see how that goes.

Look forward to see how your bucket works for you.

 

[Assembler]

If most of the values are smaller then a 1/4" perhaps you can carry in a chicken wire tube / cylinder that you can shovel the material inside of and roll around on top of a tarp. Then process the material on top of the tarp in your bucket set up. In short use the chicken wire tube as a classifier on top of the tarp.

 

[Assembler]

I forgot to point out that you could take 1/8" screen and make a cylinder to roll around on a second tarp as a second classification step as most of your values appears to fall in this size.
By the way you can roll the tarps to fit inside of the screen cylinders to pack in and out with.

 

[ben ohio]

Just colors or better yet some pickers?

both

 

[Assembler]

both

Yes I can see that now. Good stuff there.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

I hope to find some time to get out there tomorrow to test out my new boil bucket. Job, kids and family don’t leave much room for prospecting. Ah well. I doubt it’s going anywhere.

 

[Assembler]

I hope to find some time to get out there tomorrow to test out my new boil bucket. Job, kids and family don’t leave much room for prospecting. Ah well. I doubt it’s going anywhere.

Well at least you have acquired your digging spot you don't have to look for anymore as your spot to play in the dirt.
Any chance the kids could help finish process at home?

Not many are going to be into moving tons of materials so I would say it will not sprout feet anytime soon.

What are you using to power the boil bucket (hand power)?

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Well at least you have acquired your digging spot you don't have to look for anymore as your spot to play in the dirt.
Any chance the kids could help finish process at home?

Not many are going to be into moving tons of materials so I would say it will not sprout feet anytime soon.

What are you using to power the boil bucket (hand power)?

1500 gpa pump

 

[Assembler]

1500 gpa pump

Perhaps you could wash some of the rock materials on classifying screens as well as the boil bucket?
If there also is some larger boulders you could wash to see if you can spot values in that type of rock?
Nice idea about the boil bucket.

 

[Assembler]

If there is enough lead sulfide minerals in a given rock / boulder you should be able to use a metal detector to locate good enough rocks to take home?

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Of course land status is a big deal.

The land the creek runs through is owned by a local collage. It’s a pretty heavily trafficked area. Fishing, hunting, mushroom hunters and I’ve seen holes from other prospectors.

Thankfully the area I’ve found this deposit is way back off any beaten path and any holes I plan to dig will be easily enough filled in. I’m not dragging a full scale operation down there.

Maybe it’s different in Ohio, but
on the west coast, disturbing the ground and removing GOLD from private property (without permission) equates to Criminal Trespass in most situations. Regardless of what other people are doing or if I’m being respectful removing the gold.

Fishing, boating, hiking, swimming, hunting, recreating along streams ect. has ZERO to do with disturbance and removal of GOLD.

Am I way off base here?

Prospecting on private property without permission, in hopes of finding a big deposit is a waste of time, in my opinion since someone else owns the deposit. Kind of like prospecting on an absentee claim.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Maybe it’s different in Ohio, but
on the west coast, disturbing the ground and removing GOLD from private property (without permission) equates to Criminal Trespass in most situations. Regardless of what other people are doing or if I’m being respectful removing the gold.

Fishing, boating, hiking, swimming, hunting, recreating along streams ect. has ZERO to do with disturbance and removal of GOLD.

Am I way off base here?

Prospecting on private property without permission, in hopes of finding a big deposit is a waste of time, in my opinion since someone else owns the deposit. Kind of like prospecting on an absentee claim.

Around here we can hunt and hike on privately owned land (if it’s not posted), but we cannot remove timber, aggregate, minerals, disturb vegetation, excavate the ground, ect.

We can fish, boat, and hike along streams (below the ordinary high water mark), but we cannot mine or prospect for valuables.