Colorado Gold Cube/Highbanking/Recirculating permits & regulations

[SoonerStateProspector]

I'm planning on a trip to Colorado in March or early April of next year and I intend on using the 3 stack gold cube if permitted. Are there any areas around Denver, Golden, Breckenridge etc. that allow the Gold Cube or some sort of recirculation system without having to pump in water through the stream or river itself? I'm focused primarily on sampling a few targets and then quantifying the amount of material that will be run theoretically and conducting clean, non-cross contaminated samples in order to give me a better layout of what was placed, where it was placed and how it was placed. I've looked on the BLM sites but nothing is really set in stone. Could anyone point me in the right direction?

 

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[SoonerStateProspector]

KevinInColorado I've been reading your blog quite extensively and it's got some great info. This link seems to be broken or the page has been directed elsewhere in regards to Clear Creek prospecting and rules & regulations.

http://jeffco.us/404-page-not-found/?aspxerrorpath=/parks/recreation/gold-prospecting/

 

[KevinInColorado]

Colorado Gold Cube/Highbanking/Recirculating permits & regulations

KevinInColorado I've been reading your blog quite extensively and it's got some great info. This link seems to be broken or the page has been directed elsewhere in regards to Clear Creek prospecting and rules & regulations.

http://jeffco.us/404-page-not-found/?aspxerrorpath=/parks/recreation/gold-prospecting/

Ok, thanks. I'll chase that. It's an ongoing problem with government websites unfortunately.
EDIT: here's the new link http://jeffco.us/open-space/activities/gold-prospecting/

Good news: you can use your gold cube in Clear Creek Canyon, also at Arapahoe Bar and downstream from there at the other spots I mention in town. Denver is Gold Cube friendly!!

 

[SoonerStateProspector]

I appreciate the information, Kevin! This'll be my first time in an actual gold producing state as Oklahoma doesn't have much around here. I'm happy to know that I can run the Cube without any troubles and I don't have any forms or paperwork to fill out or anything like that. I've picked mid March/early April because that's basically the only time I can take a vacation from work and it's been a long 3 years. I've been patient enough lol. I know that the runoff and high water will make prospecting much more difficult but hopefully I can find somewhere it settles out before I reach the Open Space border. I've got some questions about sampling vs quantifying if anyone wants to throw ideas into the hat.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Colorado Gold Cube/Highbanking/Recirculating permits & regulations

March and April are pre-runoff so water levels should be low on Clear Creek. Good times, just bring fleece and waders in case it's cold.

PS you'll see a pic of ME feeding a gold cube on that county regulations web page

When the time comes, reach out and I'll join you on the gold if I can

 

[SoonerStateProspector]

Sounds like paradise to me if the waters stay calm. I expect that the gold is typical fine, flour gold that I've found in paydirt that I've gotten from Mike Pung as he's a 25 minute drive away from me. I'll definitely send you a PM once the date draws closer and closer and hopefully we can move some dirt and find some color! Hope to hear from ya.

 

[SoonerStateProspector]

If anyone wants to chime in their two cents, feel free to do so. I've got a few questions about sampling. I'm focused on the "Three W's" of gold. "Where, when, and why" the gold was deposited in certain locations. Correct me if I'm wrong but 20 5gal buckets amount to roughly 1 ton of material and that is unclassified material. I start out by forming a cone and quartering the sample into 500 pound sections. If I'm sampling half a ton, it would be 250 pound sections. That material is then classified from 1/2" to 1/4 then to 1/8 depending on what type of material I'm running and run it through a simple 36" wooden sluice with vortex matting. It gives me a general idea of where the gold was deposited and where the paystreak could possibly be. I also use construction markers to mark different holes that I'm interested in. I like this way of sampling but can it be also be used as a way to quantify your gram per ton/ounce per ton ratio?

 

[Clay Diggins]

If you are sampling more than a few ounces of material at a time from several dozen grid spots you aren't sampling you are attempting to mine a deposit you don't know exists. Sample with your pan, a magnifier and a notebook. If you are going any bigger than that you are wasting time moving material that for the most part won't pay. Find a gold concentration before you dig and process.

What, Where, Why, When and How. Know your geology and local mineralogy before you put boots on the ground and you will be much more prepared for success. Today with the internet you can learn a lot about the type of deposit you will be mining before you move dirt.

Heavy Pans

 

[Prospector70]

This might help
https://findinggoldincolorado.com/so-where-did-all-this-gold-come-from-anyway/

I like the history about the non mountain gold (or the ancient mountain gold if you want to think about it like that).
I have family in castle rock, and I'm always eyeballing the streams and mountainsides there hehe

 

[SoonerStateProspector]

You gotta know what is underneath your feet before bringing out heavy equipment. That's how most people end up going broke. Buying fancy equipment but not doing their homework. I've realized that prospecting is 90% geology/science and the other 10% is old fashioned hard work. Whoever tells you different is either a liar or just an idiot.