Back to work in Dillwyn VA after the winter chill

[Red_Beard]

So last fall, right before winter set in I was planning on a little prospecting on my new property, unfortunately it was cut short... During the winter I've acquired a sluice, a good clean water pump, and built a frame for a mini high banker. (Having a pond has its perks)

I've found my best places to pan were not the creek itself but actually about 50 yards before a spring pocket above the creek. About a foot through the topsoil I have seen red, black and cat **** yellow clay, with the yellow producing the best results. I wanted to see what was below that layer and a foot lower I have a very bright red/yellow mixed vein layer with more gravels and a lot more garnet (verified garnets with a rock hound friend of mine), black sands and gold flakes, than anywhere else.

So in recent pans I've definitely seen I may be on the right track, is the more colorful clay with the gravels mixed a good sign? I'm still learning and not a professional. And I may add that this clay is not the gloppy vile disgusting clay I'm used to, it actually pans down to creek or river sand once I wash it, it's very gritty and breaks down better than the clay I've dealt with last fall.

A couple questions for anyone on the east coast or that knows my area:

At the bottom of my pan I don't just have sand, but something similar to iron filings(looks like shards of metal), what could that be?
Should I go any deeper since this clay has turned sandy and has bigger gravel throughout?
Lastly, are the garnets, red sand mixed with the black, magnetite, kyanite, a sign is be getting closer to any kind of lode? That's what dillwyn prospecting was all about before the mines shut down and everyone went west.
You guys are great, thanks in advance and I'll definitely return with any pictures of more worthwhile finds.

TLR: I have a homemade high banker and have found garnets, red sand, kyanite, magnetite, black sand and gold flakes, looking for any helpful information to making the most out of it.

 

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[carnet56]

red beard where are u at what state

 

[Mgumby16]

I live in central virginia and frequent a number a creeks in the area.

So are you digging through alluvial material or in weathered bedrock? The way you describe it makes it sound like alluvial material in which case you will want to reach bedrock because that is where most of the gold should be concentrated.

However if it's weathered bedrock then you will be tryin to locate decayed quartz veins.

The metal shards that you are finding in your pan do they appear rusted or shiny like fresh steel?

Garnets and the rest of the minerals you name can be indicators of mineralization but they do not mean gold is there. The formation of garnets in this area had to due with lots of heat and pressure which from what I can tell happened independently from the formation of the gold.

As for black sand and magnetite some areas have them and have very little gold some areas don't and have very good gold and vice versa.

As an example the current area I am working has no garnet very little black sands and magnetite and small amours of kyanite but it has great gold abundant fines all the way up to decent sized nuggets.

I look forward to hearing more from you. I'm a geologist by trade in charlottesville so I love talking about this stuff with regards to gold and geology.

Hope you hit the motherload on your property!

 

[Red_Beard]

I'm in Dillwyn, Va, about 1.5 miles from the slate river, and 2 miles from the mine that was in dillwyn.

The shards I spoke of look like someone was grinding fresh steel and it never oxidized.

I can only assume that I am in alluvial material, it seems the sandy material this far away from the creek would point to that, am I right? I know I've found good Quartz(not feldspar) in the pan before, should I test until I find a decent pan with colors or once I find sign should I keep at it there?

The area in in isn't known for flour or very fine gold from what I've heard but more flakes and nuggets, would metal detecting be a more efficient way to spot dig? I feel like the small amount of gold I have found is almost like the ground is playing tricks on me, I can't get on a rich spot and consistently produce.

 

[Mgumby16]

I would have to see some of the metal shards. Do they have any particular shape?

And it sounds like you are in a bench deposit or in the streams flood plain area and the stream at one point meandered through that area. How high are you in elevation above the creek?

Have you been able to reach bedrock? That is most likely where you will find the best gold. When you find a place decent colors on the surface I would stay there and dig down sampling along the way until you hit bedrock. Make note of the layers you pass through and how much you are finding in each layer.

Metal detecting will probably not locate anything for you. But it may still be worth a try if you have access to one.