Found Gold, Need Advice

Attila · May 15, 2013

Hi all,

I am new to the prospecting side of treasure hunting. During a trip to locate a buried treasure I came across a gold bearing area. The area has only been worked on the panning side. But I have located a large slate area that apears to have several white streaks/lines running through it...Is this an indication of a vien?

What is the best way to work a creek that gives the least environmental impact?
Any and all advice is welcome....I have no idea what the best way to prospecting is.

I have attached acouple of photos

Thanks

Oakview2 · May 23, 2013

Send them a good sluice. No batteries, no pumps, just throw it in the creek and shovel. I think you need something simple that they can shovel into with no classification and moving parts. If there is big gold to be found like in your pictures, you can get a highbanking setup to use at a latter time. Personally the gold cube may not be the best choice given the remote location and experience levels of the locals. Gold cube is more of a cleanup device and would require classification and frankly may just have to many moving parts...I believe Bazooka will custom make any size sluice you want, bigger than than their current models, if community digging and minning is the case. Once again keep us posted, a very entertaining and interesting situation. You get a chance to look for treasure and also help the locals raise their standard of living through responsible mining. Good health and good hunting....

Products from Bazooka Gold Company

nmhunter · May 23, 2013

Thanks for the update and photos. Looks like a great spot. I enlarged the first 3 photos and they all certainly show "black sands", most likely magnetite or hematite. Flood gold will sometimes remain on the surface like that, but normally settles toward bedrock. Since the black sand is still on the surface it is possible, but unlikely. The flakes in the photos could be iron pyrite.
If you test pan the sands, pyrite is fairly light and you will easily be able to tell if it is gold or not. Since locals pan, call it something other than gold, but know they are associated, that would further lead me to think its pyrite.
Where I prospect there is a ton of pyrite and I still get excited when I see flakes of it sometimes before seeing it in the pan.
Even if it is not gold, do not get discouraged. Since you know you are in a gold producing area dig down to bedrock and hopefully you will find another great pay streak.

I also have a gold cube. It is a wonderful piece of equipment and will capture the smallest specks of gold. From your description however it is not something i would recommend. The gold cube needs a fast flow of water, 1100 gals/hour and I have only used mine with a sump pump. The locals may be able to rig something or batteries and pumps could be packed in. The second problem is the gold cube needs material to be screened smaller than 1/8". You would have discarded all of the gold in your first picks.

I would agree that the best equipment at this point would be a good sluice box. Gold Hog has extremely effective mats from all accounts and Royal manufacturing makes top rate equipment. I have their dry washer but their sluices look to be comparable. Others on here are better qualified than I as which is best.

Best of luck and keep us posted