Looking for input

[dashriprock]

On moving or trying to move to Alaska 3 years ago I've had one problem after another with either my vehicle or finding a good job so finances suck. Oh I've found jobs but being 58 years old with a bad back from hard work all my life, I'm not working at a job that pays $10/hr and have to drive 40-50 miles. Most better paying jobs are labor jobs which I don't or can't do. I don't get welfare, food stamps, commodities, etc. nor do I get a pension or have any retirement savings and most days I eat 1 small meal a day. Maybe I won't be around much longer.

I sold my house and property in S.D. and was moving to Alaska but because of circumstances I got stranded here in Montana. I have nothing but time and I love to prospect for gold. Living or barely living where I'm at there isn't any gold within 100 miles. I'm sure I could at least make a few dollars if I was closer to gold areas. I've been prospecting since high school so I have the knowledge.

Have spent the past few nights reading all I could find on gold prospecting here in Montana. What I found out was if a person only uses a pick, pan, shovel and metal detector you don't need any permit plus you can only dig in the stream.

From the information I've read you can't use a rocker box, stream sluice or high banker without a filing a notice of intent.

I've seen videos and read threads here and on other forums about people running stream sluices, high bankers and small trommels on forest service lands and a few are on claims. Most from what they say in the videos are not on claims.

I realize that some people don't abide by rules and regulations. I plan on contacting the regulating agencies and find out for myself but is the info correct? Are there really that many people that refuse to follow rules and regulations?

If that's true it sure gives prospecting a black eye.

 

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[IAMZIM]

I am unaware of any law saying you can't use a rockerbox, steam sluice or highbanker, where did you read it? Maybe my info is outdated....If this is true, it must be really new, I checked into it only two years ago, and I use a stream sluice, and was well within the law to do so.... I don't always target gold specifically for my sluice, I target garnets and sapphires too. I was also at one time a gppa member. As far as I have always known, small operations don't need to file any kind of notice of intent, that is reserved for bigger mining operations....

 

[dashriprock]

Information I found

 

[dashriprock]

The bottom photo states a sluice box or rocker box requires a notice of intent.

 

[IAMZIM]

The sluice box I use is only 10"x36", and I mainly get material and bring it home to sluice, because of the lack of water where I get my dirt. I knew about the dredging laws and everything else, but I think the part about the "small" sluice, and the rockerbox are new. Thanks for pointing it out! Though I'm pretty sure I don't have to worry about needing a notice of intent if I am running my material at home!

 

[Tiredman]

From the few club meetings I go to, I hear it is a struggle for folks to prospect on their claims. The portion of the state I live in everyone is hiring, in fact I got two jobs and work seven days a week.

 

[Goose-0]

Ah, that's where you got your site name.