Abandonded Gold Mines in VA

[DWaterz79]

I'm new to the treasure hunting scene, but have been doing alot of research on closed gold mines in VA...have personally found 1 so far, but not sure of the dangers. Anyone have any input for the possible dangers of entering an abandonded mine? I don't wanna go in 1 until I know what to expect.

 

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[TOWcritter]

Take someone with you who is an experienced CAVER. You'll need ropes, lights, and all sorts of gear. I have been in a few and they can be extremely dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. At least be smart and have a friend with you at all times and don't get out of sight of the entrance if you want to try it on your own. Good luck, Be careful.

PS. Is it on private or public property?

 

[DWaterz79]

TOW..........the land was for sale for several years but noone bought it, as far as I know it's considered public property now.

 

[dave wiseman]

Hello,with all the recent heavy rains in california,my three drifts and one 16 foot tunnel have caved or slid in.No,the back didn't cave in,just mud and dirt and rocks from the top and sides,If I'd of been in anyof them I wouldn't be typing this now.The tunnel itself,the back and ribs totally gave way,took a year on and off to dig with hand tools,it's gone,but I'm not.very dangerous stuff,as there could be a winze ahead(shaft within a tunnel) ora decomposed back that could break loose with any vibration. Dave in the motherlode

 

[mattjd]

Old mines are very prone to cave ins. DON'T go in by yourself!!! And make sure people know that your going in incase they need to come looking for you.

 

[danl311]

Hey Dwaterz, im new to the treasure hunting biz also. But im an avid rock climber and caver in Pennsylvania about an hour and a half North of Alexendria. Depending on where yiou are in VA I can make a trip sometime once my leg heels, broke it playing hockey. I have some pretty good training and experience in ropes and self rescue if your interested in any advice before you go in.
Dan

 

[paratrooper]

More often than not people need a reason to dig in one place and not in another . Very often they are following what is commonly called an "outcropping". That would be a chunk of quartz sticking out of the ground for all to see. If they busted it up and found even a minute speck of gold they would start digging and try to locate and follow the main vein and hopefully locate the "Mother Lode". Soooooo if you take a really good metal detector and check around the entrance you might find a bit of gold near to there . That would be good reason to start digging your own mine with safety in mind . You could probably go into an old mine BUT only a few feet looking for other veins never discovered by the early miners . They could have been following a vein 1/16 of an inch in diameter while being completely oblivious to another vein a foot wide to the left or right just inside the wall they were making . The metal detector gives you the ability to "see through walls" while the early miners were not afforded this benefit . If you go too deep into an old mine AND the ceiling begins to fall down on you GOLD will be the furthest thing from your mind .

 

[rainmaker3555]

There isn't enough room on this page to list all the potential dangers in some of these old mines. I live in Washington and we have hundreds of these old mines. Just about everything imaginable was mined out of these mountains, gold, silver, coal, copper, lead, mercury and uranium to name just a few. The dangers including such things as "bad air" (little or no oxygen in the air), cave-ins, unstable tunnels, whizzes (vertical shafts within a horizontal shaft) rotted timbers for shoring/bracing, etc... I never go in one without a partner and always leave an additional partner at the truck with a good radio or satellite phone, serious first aid kit, and basic life support and first aid training. Always take a good light and extra batteries. it 's not a bad idea to lay down a line of string or rope from the entrance for a guide to rescuers if needed. We always set a definite return time and keep it. If we are not back within 15 min. of the set time the man at the truck notifies rescue and waits for them at the entrance. Just remember you can't be too careful when entering these old mines.Good hunting!!

 

[Dave (Pa)]

There's a lot of good locations listed and several local people that my be interested in doing this with you.
Make a post at:

http://va-gold.com

 

[oldestjim]

I have only two words of advice

Stay out!

 

[tamrock]

Not a good idea going in old mines.

I've taken my MSHA annnual refresher for many years now. Much of topics are on how folks lost their lives in mining accidents. One instuctor had two terms for the unfortunate individuals. One being a victim the other a fool. I do recall a story the MSHA man told of a fellow who was not a miner and just a rock hound prospecting old adandoned mines who left behind a widow and young childen by digging in an old mine and the lack of ground support chushed him in a rock fall. The MSHA guy gave every detail of the condition of his crushed upper body, as he had to do the report on the accident. He would ask us, was this fellow a victim or ?

 

[shaggy21]

He was a fool

 

[goldnrelics]

I'd settle for Contrary Creek in Mineral Co, VA it feeds from about 7 or 8 different mines.