Black Sands?

[Rev. Redmond Farrier]

I was wondering if the presence of magnetic black sand is an indicator of possible gold presence or if it is just an indicator of proper panning procedure. I am quite new at this and really need help. I have found a sandy stream with exposed bedrock. There is a HUGE amount of magnetic black sand in this stream. I haven't had the chance to go back there since taking the small sample due to the excessive rainfall in the area. I live about an hour south of Atlanta and have never heard of anyone finding anything here so I don't know if it is even worth looking. Also, what should I put in my panning backpack? I have 2 goldpans, hand shovels and picks, magnets, vials, and gallon zipperbags for taking concentrates back with me. Am I forgetting anything?

thank you very much for your help

 

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[jeff of pa]

My Understanding is Where there is Gold There IS Black Sand.

But Where there is BLACK SAND, There MAY be Gold.

Of Course I may be Wrong on the First Part.

I'm no Expert Either.



Jeff

 

[AzSports]

These is a gold belt running thru GA up north, I don't know exactly where.
Get under that black sand and keep panning!

 

[aarthrj3811]

Hey Minatawa....What I would take with me would not fit in a pack. I would take pans and a 1/4 inch screen. A garden trowell and a paint brush . In a 5 gal bucket I carry a pry bar. A nail bar works ok. Also a regular metal chisel and a diamond shaped chisel. A 3 lb. short handled hammer and some tools to clean out cracks. An ice pick works but wears out in a hurry. Clean and crack open all cracks that you find. Using a magnet in the pan is not a good idea. When you pull the black sand out it can take the gold with it. It takes time but you can pan most of the black sand out and use a sucker bottle to get the gold out. Make a list and hang it in the garage to make sure you have every thing including dry shoes. That will get you started but you will be adding things every week for years....Art

 

[Rev. Redmond Farrier]

I looked into it and I am about 70 or so miles below the gold belt you spoke of. I don't know if that is too far away or not, but these are still considered part of the foothills of the Smokies, so maybe there is a chance after all.

 

[nebraskadad]

Minatawa,

The Eastern Gold Belt Runs from Maryland to Alabama.

As far as checking out the streams in your locality, get land owner permission or find a GPAA claim (if you are member).

test panning is different then recovering gold..

Test several areas along the stream you have questions about, look for gravel/clay contact zones, or dirt/bedrock contact zones, the closer that you dig to contact the higher probability you'll have of finding Gold.
Gold has a specific gravity of 19.2, keep that in mind.. Gold will not generally float unless it is so small, that surface tension via an air bubble makes it do so.
So the stratification will make the AU sink to the bottom of the pan.

Use a decent pan, Not one of the little black jobs, I'd recommend a Garrett Sluice Pan or Proline Gold Catcher.
Stratify your test pan, put the material in your pan, swirl it around for a while before you start sluffing off the lighter stuff.
I'd recommend getting a GPAA membership as a starter, it is worth the $79.50 (in my opinion.) Included is a Proline Pan, snuffer, and panning video, and claims guide.

Once you get some "color" set up to go.

I'd recommend digging your concentrates first, classify, classify, classify.
1/2" first then 1/8"
I classified to 20 mesh where I know the gold is fine. I do classify smaller then that when I bring concentrates home.
I'd pan over a pan.

If you can get a small sluice or hibanker do it. one of these things can do a lot of work for you. And bring your concentrates home to pan into a tub so you don't lose any AU.

I've got a bunch of links I will share on this thread when I get time.

Black Sands do not always indicate gold, but if gold it present general black sands are present.

Seeing blacks on the sand bank doesn't necessarily gold, you can see pyrite and mica more often then naught.. Gold is heavy, mica and pyrite has a specific gravity of about 3-4, quartz gravels has a specific gravity of 2-4, and you may want to watch the quartzy pieces as sometimes they carry gold on them and can be sluffed from the pan or sluice easily, (Don't want to lose them!!) this is why you classify you maybe able to see AU/Quartz specimens easier on a classifying screen where you'd miss it other wise.
Good luck !!

 

[itmaiden]

You can invite me to come up there and hunt with you anytime .

While looking for gold...don't leave out all the other good stuff found up there in Georgia. Even though you are below the "Slate Belt", I've read of some finds in the South Atlanta area. Be on the lookout also for Emeralds, Sapphires, Garnets, and possibly Diamonds. That land may have other valuable industrial minerals on it, and may be worth purchasing (just make sure you get the mineral rights to the property.

Good Luck !

 

[nebraskadad]

min,

I am not in the East, if you are around Atlanta, there are several GPAA areas upon around Dahlonega.

You may want to check into the GPAA as they claims and camps in the area. I saw a program on Outdoor Network where the host was the Loud Mine property and the color looked great. Personally I think it's worth the $79.50/year to be able to go some where and keep all the gold you find, plus the pan and video.

Out here in the flatlands of Nebraska I have to Travel to Wyoming or Colorado to get any color, but my trips to Douglas Creek in Wyoming hvae been fruitful.

Good Luck

 

[Snee]

Reguarding aarthrj3811's post about the magnet:
I would imagine that if you used a magnet on the black sand it would catch gold up with it and lose it. But I read that if you use the magnet on the bottom of the pan (as long as it is a plastic pan, not steel), then you can swirl the magnetic material in the pan and locate any gold that might be there. I haven't tried it so I really couldn't say if that's true, but it sounds reasonable enough.