Good Public sites in NC ?

[Charles,Oak Island]

Any of you folks who have been gold panning or rock hunting in NC got any public access areas you are willing to share ?

 

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[rgecy]

Charles,
I don't know of any free public sites, but I have been to the Thermal City Mine site and had a great time. You can get a scoop of dirt (front end loader full) to work for $20 down by the stream or you can work the stream bed for $5 a day. The scoop you get is directly from the mine pit and has the best gold concentration. My son and I had blast. We only found about a half an once but it fun doing it. I met many people who had found good size nuggets. I recommend dredging he stream. If you get the right spot and can get down to bedrock you could find several onces if your lucky.

They are having a gold dig the weekend of the 4th of July. Maybe 75 to 100 people will participate and all the gold is spit by drawing. Here is their web site.

http://www.huntforgold.com

Good luck Hunting!
Robert

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

thanks for the info, I'll check it out.

 

[Darren in NC]

The wife and I went to Thermal City this past Fall. It's run by great folks and we had a great time. The highbankers were friendly and willing to talk :-)

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

Looks interesting. How deep are the creeks at Thermal City Mine ?

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

The wife has gotten into the gem mining thing so this might be just the ticket.

 

[Darren in NC]

Obviously depends on what part of the creek you're in, but from what I saw it was ankle to chest deep. The guy I talked to who was dredging was an American from Costa Rica. He said it was one of the better places in western NC.

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

the deeper the better..........

 

[zeuss69]

Hey Charles Ive been to Stanly county the uwarrie forest areas i do a lot of deer huntting down there.This year I took my Pan and found a goodly amount of gold and an awesome quarts vein lots of facings, crystals.Called a game warden just to see if i could get in with a dredge but he will not let me.But that creek passes privet land also I'm going to drive back and ask for permmission haven't had anyone tell me know yet.But in case theres a know i have found out that you can get in at the 109 bridge in Stanly county as Long as you enter from the right of way lots of bed rock slate type bed rock that looks just like the riffels in a sluice box just a wait en.Just got a new 4" with air used a few times but the waters been to cold so i plan to hit the creeks hard this summer i have NC atlas and going from creek to creek and getting permission now so that all i have to do when spring comes is just go dredging.If you or anyone else would like to do some gold digging let me know id rather have some company to talk to.I live right close to the Rowan county iredell county line according to the GPA book there is a vein on the line and Ive been getting lots of permission so far just waiting on warmer water.

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

Thanks for the info. Uwarrie is a location I have been looking at. Found a web site for it. Went there years ago when I was with the 11th Special Fores out of Winston for some training. Sure like the area. Even had me thinking of selling this place at the beach in about a year and moving up that way.



http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/index.htm

 

[zeuss69]

Thats cool well if you ever deiced to venture out be for you move let me know or after you move.I have found a few places where you can enter the water with out getting in trouble or with out doing any wrong doings in the Stanly area.I have also got some permission from farmers here at the Rowan Iredell county line.just last week got permission to get in a creek in gastona and i know theres gold in that county.But not sure about the creek yet haven't seen it but he said it was full of rocks and i know theres a vein near by.but i do have permission to go there and test dredge.Theres a lot of good pay sights in marion found lots of gold there in the 1st 2nd and broad rivers.but i really want to find more non pay areas Ive herd that the yadkin and the Catawba rivers i plan to hit these places to.would like to have some company instead of being there by myself in case of something may or could go wrong.plus more dredges or sluice boxes the more area we can cover well let me know if you want to go find some yellow stuff.Cause its every where just got to go get it!!

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

what is the average wter depth in the creeks ?

 

[zeuss69]

most of them is any where between your ankles to waist deep most arnt more than knee deep but i havent dredge the rivers yet they very depending on rain and the dams some places you can walk across and others its above your head i have 30ft of air line but only 15 ftor 20ft of suction hose most places i go start ankle to knee deep then i make it deeper

 

[Cherokee1955]

Hey Zeus69
My name is Tony Roland I wanted to ask about your Dredge What kind did you buy? I have an older one but need to upgrade to a newer one with air I have been looking at proline flare dredges and some Keene dredges I would like to hear what kind of experience you have had with yours, Also what size, what Horsepower any pointers would be appreciated.Cherokee1955( tlr1955@netscape.com

 

[jeff of pa]

While you are on the subject of dredges. I have a lake in my area. when they drain this lake, there is a spot that is still a couple feet deep, with at least several more feet of mud below that. In this mud there are WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, many GOLD RINGS, a posability of over 20 Slot machines, along with the spilled coins from them, the number of slots is an estimate.? I have already retrieved 2 of them. Plus the posability of other lost, discarded & purposly hidden items. Would a Dredge work to get these items, or would items like slot machines be too much for a dredge ? ARMY CORP IS GOING TO DREDGE THIS LAKE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, But They Will Not Dredge This Spot.

 

[Charles,Oak Island]

I think but am by no means an xpert that the machines would be far to heavy for the dredge. Get a real big magnet or two of those wall mart sells. Should be heavy enough to go through the mud. A water PI machine should locate them in the mud. I know my Piranha will pick up re bar on the beach in over a foot+ of sand.

 

[jeff of pa]

I thought about the Magnet Idea. However, it would have to sink down a couple feet into the mud to contact them. PLUS, the Dime Machine, was brass front I believe, It, cannot be picked up by a magnet. The Nickel Machine was Steel front. both had wood sides & back. HOPEFULLY whenever Army corp comes around, I can somehow get a conversation working where I can Ask them to at least Take a couple Scoops out of the HOLE. if not, maby I'll invest in a small dredge & try getting the rings & spillt coins out from around them. They were smashed open & thrown in by the RAIDING PARTY. & the dimes still in the Dime machine proved to me the stories , they didn't clean them out first. THANKS for the Answer to my Question ; Jeff

 

[zeuss69]

Hey guys sorry haven't gotten back in a couple of days but me and David(xXx) went huntting and test panning over about 5 or 6 counties. went cold water dregding today we did pretty good for cold water and new place just testing here and there to see whats around haven't panned it all out yet but we have seen at least 30 or 50 pieces so far and plenty more to pan! Well on the dredgen in mud is not to good unless you have plenty of water for dredge it has to float to work properly and the pump needs water flowing through it for the jet to make a suction for the suction hose if you have water its a great idea it will suck plenty of mud as long as the water pump get water no mud!!!And about the dredges i got mine in south Carolina from Keith at por boys prospecting toys the number there is 1-877-773-4442 was the number he is a great guy extra helpful person he builds the dredges id put mine up against any keen and mine weighs over a hundred pounds less than a keen but not knocking keen the make an awesome dredge i used them many times before i bought mine.His is all aluminum mine is a 4" with air there also cheaper then a keen.and two answer about the slot machine is or would be to much for a dredge??Not real sure haven't ever tried?David is going to post some picks tomorrow with dredge and for you metal detecting guys we found some cool places hes got picks of those to!!he said he'd get them on some time tomorrow you be looking

 

[Big_chieftan]

Hi all, I'm new to the forums and have been doing a little reading. I am in Charlotte and am really interested in getting into the MD/panning/dredging around here. I don't know squat and would like to join up with any of you all to learn and help. I have been doing a lot of research on some of the creeks around the piedmont of North and South Carolina and want to go do a little treasure hunting on the weekends. Will work hard.:-)

 

[Hoggtyed]

Where are all the pay to work gold places in North Carolina so far I have been able to find 4 Cotton Patch mine - New London, Mt Creek mine - New London, Thermal City Mine - off of 40, and theres a place at Vein Mountain. Are there more?