Gold in Nebraska

NebHunter

Jr. Member
Jan 7, 2007
29
7
Upvote 0

chapow1

Tenderfoot
Jul 14, 2014
5
9
Gothenburg, NE
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro,

Garrett Pinpointer,

36" Bazooka Prospector
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I live in Gothenburg & just purchased a 36" Bazooka Prospector. When I can find the time my plans are to test several different spots along the Platte/South Platte from Gburg to Ogallala. With the flooding on the South Platte last year there has to be some fine gold that made it here from Colorado.......there's no doubt in my mind. I'll preload the Bazooka with 1/4" gravel considering the high amt of fine sands we have in the Platte, reduce down to black sand & run on a Miller table. I'll post what I find out.............that is unless I hit the mother-load of fine gold, LOL........
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I live in Gothenburg & just purchased a 36" Bazooka Prospector. When I can find the time my plans are to test several different spots along the Platte/South Platte from Gburg to Ogallala. With the flooding on the South Platte last year there has to be some fine gold that made it here from Colorado.......there's no doubt in my mind. I'll preload the Bazooka with 1/4" gravel considering the high amt of fine sands we have in the Platte, reduce down to black sand & run on a Miller table. I'll post what I find out.............that is unless I hit the mother-load of fine gold, LOL........
sounds like fun and maybe a good plan!
 

Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I live in Gothenburg & just purchased a 36" Bazooka Prospector. When I can find the time my plans are to test several different spots along the Platte/South Platte from Gburg to Ogallala. With the flooding on the South Platte last year there has to be some fine gold that made it here from Colorado.......there's no doubt in my mind. I'll preload the Bazooka with 1/4" gravel considering the high amt of fine sands we have in the Platte, reduce down to black sand & run on a Miller table. I'll post what I find out.............that is unless I hit the mother-load of fine gold, LOL........
Please do try it without preloading with 1/4 inch gravel first, great buy that prospector... I look forward to the pictures!
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Please do try it without preloading with 1/4 inch gravel first, great buy that prospector... I look forward to the pictures!

Don't listen to P70 on this one. I've done the tests...the Prospector needs gravel in the bed to work right, not just sand. Both my tests AND the manufacturer confirm this.
 

Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Don't listen to P70 on this one. I've done the tests...the Prospector needs gravel in the bed to work right, not just sand. Both my tests AND the manufacturer confirm this.
Ah I do indeed stand corrected, I just figured it was the same gravel I'm diggin in here upstream on the platte :D

Edit: So let me give some kind of boost to that idea with pre-filling the trap. At first I was thinking steelies (Ball bearings), but they would rust, then I started thinking about Tumbling stones. I used to work as a machinist back in the day, and we would deburr parts in this big tumbler full of small ceramics. Check some of these out:

http://www.vibrafinish.com/vibratory-media-ceramic-sp.html
media-ceramic-anglecutcyl22a.jpg media-ceramic-4560cyla.jpg media-ceramic-triangle-22cu.jpg media-ceramic-strtrianlge2.jpg media-ceramic-elipse2.jpg

Just a small example, all this stuff is cool cause of the different shapes may hold gold better than the other. IDK maybe worth checking out.
 

Last edited:

GoldpannerDave

Bronze Member
Apr 17, 2014
1,076
1,279
Colorado Springs, CO
Detector(s) used
Bazooka 48" Miner and 30" Sniper, Le Trap, Wolf Trap, A52, 2" dredge, Miller tables, Blue Bowl, wheel, Falcon MD20, old White's detector
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Once again this summer I found some color in Nebraska, as soon as I figure out how to post a pic, I will. Again, it is not much, but hey, it was a great time anyhow.

Looking for the picture. There is an insert image icon in the ribbon menu. Have the picture on your hard drive and click the image, browse, select your picture and upload it. Then post your msg. :)

HTH
 

MtDew

Newbie
Feb 13, 2013
1
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This thread has gone cold but I have some ideals.......... I live by the WY/Neb border and my Grandson told me some guys were panning for gold in Torrington Wy and getting pretty good look'n gold. Now the north platte runs thru torrington and the Gpaa claims are up on Douglas creek a hundred miles or so as the crow flys which dumps into the north platte, so it wouldn't surprise me that gold made its way down to torrington, now the next town down from torrington is Henry,Ne and I've set up my sluice box in the north platte there but never got anything but I still believe it could be there. Hope this helps anyone searching for it in Neb.............
 

Jameslewis

Greenie
Dec 3, 2021
15
6
I'm in Nebraska and would love to go with someone and find a spot to pan. I'm in Fremont nebraska and all the rivers I've been looking at is all sand. Just wondering if anyone could leed me in the right direction or I could tag along with someone ?
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,700
St. Louis, missouri
A friend of mine bought my Hi - banker (fed with a suction nozzle ) and put it into his John boat and went to the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi River and worked the shores of these two River's and got fine gold ! Just imagine what the sand and gravel plants ,that get their material from these 2 River's have in their sand bags that you can buy !
 

Jameslewis

Greenie
Dec 3, 2021
15
6
A friend of mine bought my Hi - banker (fed with a suction nozzle ) and put it into his John boat and went to the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi River and worked the shores of these two River's and got fine gold ! Just imagine what the sand and gravel plants ,that get their material from these 2 River's have in their sand bags that you can buy !
That's awesome. Would love to no the name of the company and try it out just to see if anything comes out of it.
 

Jameslewis

Greenie
Dec 3, 2021
15
6
I should have said that my hi Banker was a homemade one that I built! IF that was what you are referring to........... AND welcome to the site !
That's awesome. I would like to find a place to test but cant find a place in Nebraska. I need to team up with someone and figure out where to go to go test pan for gold. Usually Saturdays I have nothing going on so that would be the best day for me.
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,700
St. Louis, missouri
That's awesome. I would like to find a place to test but cant find a place in Nebraska. I need to team up with someone and figure out where to go to go test pan for gold. Usually Saturdays I have nothing going on so that would be the best day for me.
As the weather gets colder, sand & gravel plants start to close down their water processing of sand . IF you can secure permission to work their tailings race, look for fine gold in abundance especially in the hopper of the 36 inch inclined screws that move the material up and to their intended piles. Black sand will always be present and IF there is gold in the streams (or ancient stream beds). Have fun & stay safe ! PLEASE show us some pictures as you go !
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,700
St. Louis, missouri
ONE of my bucket list project's included a river trip up the Missouri River with a house boat towing a atleast 6 inch dredge and in the Winter months when the River level's are at their lowest to dredge the gold & object's that are still on the River bottom's . I remeber when the C.O.E. had to blow the bedrock to be able to get some of these material Laiden barge's to be able to navigate up the River. Sand & gravel permits (claims) are the easiest permit to get . This is OUT of the question now for me because of my age and beat up ole body ! BUT I would love to see someone go for it !:icon_thumright::coffee2:
 

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