SniderVentures
Newbie
- Jan 21, 2008
- 1
- 0
Hello to all
allow me to introduce myself
My name is Phil Snider and I currently am in the Army I retire soon and look forward to pursuing my ventures full time.
Here are some Vignettes from my experiences of prospecting and T-Hunting
I owned a mining claim once; The Busted Pick, Registered at the Yuma County Court House and the BLM in 2004. And what a headache.
The easy part was with the BLM the Courthouse and the Research. The hard part was the actual mining and the thieves. My second week of working the mine my generator and the drill rods were swiped. The Mine next to me the Los Flores was hit as well their Blast shack (Which thank the Lord)did not have any blasting agents and their 3-phase generator was sabotaged.
After that I picked up and packed up cut my losses and haven't been back. The little flake and few quartz flecks barely made up for the loss of the generator. I used to have a temper and a vindictive streak and if that had of happened during my "don't give a crap years" the outcome would of been bad for the thief or thieves and for myself as well.
Once back in 1990 I was picking through the tailings of a mine near the old Butterfield stage coach route. My warning to get the hell out of there was a warning shot followed by a lot of cuss words. It pays to do your homework on whether a claim is active and being worked or if it is abandoned and properly shut down, which many are not.
I know now what I didn't know then and that is that the mine was and is open to the public, all I had to do was ask 24 hours in advance. And by not doing that it must of looked like I was up to no good. However some folk don't take that into account and have wild ideas of claim-jumpers dancing in their head.
And from that I decided that I will only work claims in my own name. If I do my research and a claim has lapsed I know the laws. But that can be a two edged sword. If the previous Claim owner didn't follow EPA Regs you could be responsible for the clean up and or restoration. Soil and tailing samples help with that. DO YOUR RESEARCH !! . Watch out for Chemicals that were once used to leach gold out of Sluicings or Slurries. Which typically are Derivatives of Cyanide and or Mercury.
Take Before and After photos, include Photos with your Claim paperwork at the Courthouse. Let the Sheriff know what you're up to so he doesn't get a weird call if something bad happens or someone gets hurt.
File the correct paperwork for the correct type of mine.
Don't file Lode if you are only going to do Placer. And do not file Placer and then start Lode Mining and hauling Blasting Agents(B.A) 1.2/1.3/1.4/1.5<<---Need Permit,With Background Check) 1.1 Black Powder Permit needed as well no Background Check But a BATFE/DOT approved storage Facility and the Appropriate fees to both the BLM and the BATFE and DOT. Failure to do so will most likely get you a guest suite in the Graybar Hotel.
Prospecting around the South-West part of AZ brings you in close proximity to some rather unsavory characters. I grew up in AZ and Now I spend my free time researching other venues all legal and above reproach. The Idea of prospecting and or hunting mines still interests me but I have other endeavors to pursue that are more economically feasible
I could give you a whole list of mines to steer clear of due to age or critters. Of all things to beware of the unmarked shaft is the most dangerous. DO not go charging through any brush or over loose rock mounds a deep hole could await you on the other side.
If your out there fiddling about remember the leave the Gila Monster's alone. Don't mess with the wild-life and your worst dangers are those who use that area for illicit activities.
Communications is a must and for that I suggest getting your Amature Radio License it works in areas cell phones do not. The repeater links go state-wide
nothing out there is worth your life !!
As far as B.A's go Buy your Powder you will be able to mix F's to get the desired R.E factors and Depth yields required for your work.
Working with this stuff is what I do for a living here with Uncle Sam. Well I also work with Prima-det, RDX, Astro-lite Various Muds and Plastiques. I even did a stint as an instructor with the above mentioned stuff. with BP 3FG and 4FG in particular Static Electricity is your major enemy.ANFO is a hit and miss if you have a lot of humidity or water in the rock you can sleeve it or bag it similar to BP but use caution just the same.Micro-blasting with a 250-350ms delay will have better results than a single shot. Move a little at a time my friends not the whole dang mountain.
I can be reached via email
[email protected]
allow me to introduce myself
My name is Phil Snider and I currently am in the Army I retire soon and look forward to pursuing my ventures full time.
Here are some Vignettes from my experiences of prospecting and T-Hunting
I owned a mining claim once; The Busted Pick, Registered at the Yuma County Court House and the BLM in 2004. And what a headache.
The easy part was with the BLM the Courthouse and the Research. The hard part was the actual mining and the thieves. My second week of working the mine my generator and the drill rods were swiped. The Mine next to me the Los Flores was hit as well their Blast shack (Which thank the Lord)did not have any blasting agents and their 3-phase generator was sabotaged.
After that I picked up and packed up cut my losses and haven't been back. The little flake and few quartz flecks barely made up for the loss of the generator. I used to have a temper and a vindictive streak and if that had of happened during my "don't give a crap years" the outcome would of been bad for the thief or thieves and for myself as well.
Once back in 1990 I was picking through the tailings of a mine near the old Butterfield stage coach route. My warning to get the hell out of there was a warning shot followed by a lot of cuss words. It pays to do your homework on whether a claim is active and being worked or if it is abandoned and properly shut down, which many are not.
I know now what I didn't know then and that is that the mine was and is open to the public, all I had to do was ask 24 hours in advance. And by not doing that it must of looked like I was up to no good. However some folk don't take that into account and have wild ideas of claim-jumpers dancing in their head.
And from that I decided that I will only work claims in my own name. If I do my research and a claim has lapsed I know the laws. But that can be a two edged sword. If the previous Claim owner didn't follow EPA Regs you could be responsible for the clean up and or restoration. Soil and tailing samples help with that. DO YOUR RESEARCH !! . Watch out for Chemicals that were once used to leach gold out of Sluicings or Slurries. Which typically are Derivatives of Cyanide and or Mercury.
Take Before and After photos, include Photos with your Claim paperwork at the Courthouse. Let the Sheriff know what you're up to so he doesn't get a weird call if something bad happens or someone gets hurt.
File the correct paperwork for the correct type of mine.
Don't file Lode if you are only going to do Placer. And do not file Placer and then start Lode Mining and hauling Blasting Agents(B.A) 1.2/1.3/1.4/1.5<<---Need Permit,With Background Check) 1.1 Black Powder Permit needed as well no Background Check But a BATFE/DOT approved storage Facility and the Appropriate fees to both the BLM and the BATFE and DOT. Failure to do so will most likely get you a guest suite in the Graybar Hotel.
Prospecting around the South-West part of AZ brings you in close proximity to some rather unsavory characters. I grew up in AZ and Now I spend my free time researching other venues all legal and above reproach. The Idea of prospecting and or hunting mines still interests me but I have other endeavors to pursue that are more economically feasible
I could give you a whole list of mines to steer clear of due to age or critters. Of all things to beware of the unmarked shaft is the most dangerous. DO not go charging through any brush or over loose rock mounds a deep hole could await you on the other side.
If your out there fiddling about remember the leave the Gila Monster's alone. Don't mess with the wild-life and your worst dangers are those who use that area for illicit activities.
Communications is a must and for that I suggest getting your Amature Radio License it works in areas cell phones do not. The repeater links go state-wide
nothing out there is worth your life !!
As far as B.A's go Buy your Powder you will be able to mix F's to get the desired R.E factors and Depth yields required for your work.
Working with this stuff is what I do for a living here with Uncle Sam. Well I also work with Prima-det, RDX, Astro-lite Various Muds and Plastiques. I even did a stint as an instructor with the above mentioned stuff. with BP 3FG and 4FG in particular Static Electricity is your major enemy.ANFO is a hit and miss if you have a lot of humidity or water in the rock you can sleeve it or bag it similar to BP but use caution just the same.Micro-blasting with a 250-350ms delay will have better results than a single shot. Move a little at a time my friends not the whole dang mountain.
I can be reached via email
[email protected]
