1800s small quartz mine found on family property!!!!!!

Stuperduke · Dec 30, 2017

Well, looks like I'll have some exploring to do in the morning! At around 330 I set out to an older portion of the property that has been in the family for generations. I knew there were tailing piles on the lower portion but never thought I would find what I did. Long story short, I found some large tailing piles and darn it but every rock was crushed quartz. Seems like there was a structure to haul the ore out. Looks like some old 49er found a surface vein of pure and beautiful Quartz. The dig is about 20 feet deep and about 30 feet wide. There was a structure as the perimeter of the dig is covered with square head nails and rotted wood. Didn't have enough light to really beep, there are so many nails on the surface I can't really get the the tailings yet. Realizing I didn't have much time I tried to find a camp if there was one and sure as hell I found the firepit. Only recovery before dark was a hex pistol barrel. Excited for the morning is all I can say.

fuzzy535 · Dec 30, 2017

Awesome discovery! Keeps us posted!

Stuperduke · Dec 30, 2017

Will do! There's enough crushed ore up there to really make me assume something was found. Too bad the guy or guys didn't have a Minelab! Finders crossed I'll find something post worthy. Tomorrow is the last day here for a bit....luckily it will always be there.

fuzzy535 · Dec 30, 2017

i hope you do well! but i also hope if you do well you dont get into family issues. I mean no disrespect either. ive have family that was so distant they never came around until gramps passed away, then all of a sudden their first in line to collect..

Truth · Dec 30, 2017

Go out there and get it my friend. Good luck and keep us posted.

Stuperduke · Dec 31, 2017

I'll get some photos posted of the area as well as the camp area. Pretty excited to find it so close to home. Best part is that it's up stream from a more successful cut mine.

kingskid1611 · Dec 31, 2017

Cool, I want to see the pistol barrel.....

Tom_in_CA · Dec 31, 2017

Stuperduke said:
..... I tried to find a camp if there was one and sure as hell I found the firepit. Only recovery before dark was a hex pistol barrel. Excited for the morning is all I can say.

Stuperduke, you did right to branch out and try to figure out where the workers tent-zone was. As opposed to their work/dig zones. At least in-so-far as it concerns relics or coins. Because, yes, if they had any long-term mining/digging going on, then usually, not far away, would be where they'd have bedded down each night. And THAT is where you'd have a fighting chance to hopefully bag a coin. As opposed to the pit or mine or tailings, which are more prone to have industrial iron junk (the machinery, hoists, sluice junk, etc...) of the work zones.

It's the work zones (tailing piles, shaft/pits, etc..) that draw the immediate eye. Since they are all that remains to be seen today. As opposed to the camp/tent spots further off, which would be unrecognizable. But if you study the landscape nearby, you can usually just put yourself in their shoes, and ask where you'd have set up a tent or shack to live in.

Did you ever end up getting a standard machine that can disc. out iron ? Hope you get some conductive relics and coins. Post pix

Stuperduke · Dec 31, 2017

Never got a good VLF but there isn't a ton of overburden so the disc running a DD is working ok. It appears to be one or two men but over a period of a decent time. The barrel was found in place but crushed to pieces, enough to piece it together somewhat. No signals in the burn out so they were probably cleanish. The burn is about 30 yards from the entrance to the dig down a trail that extends further. I did see a decent flat area that looked like it had been dug flat but I'm unsure. Headed out now so pictures will follow later today, if anything you guys can get a good view of what I'm looking at.

Stuperduke · Feb 3, 2018

Just an update to the old post about the mine site. It really did not turn out much for the brief period of time I had to look at it and the camera died while on the hunt. I will get pictures up in the next few weeks. Still holds a lot of promise!