Help on finding gold where two rivers converge.

Kuntzy · Jul 28, 2015

I just got permission to prospect a property where two gold bearing rivers converge. 75 yds downstream from where they converge is a large island made mostly if not totally of rock. there are a few trees growing on the island. This island is about 100 yds wide by 250 yds long. Two very deep and very fast waters surround the island.

And the one stipulation of my using the land is no motorized equipment.

I don't know where to prospect in this location. Never ran into this situation before. I could use some seasoned advice. Thank You

KevinInColorado · Jul 28, 2015

Definitely try the island and just downstream side of the island too.

goldenIrishman · Jul 28, 2015

Observation of the water flow at different levels is also something you should try to do. Look for places where the water slows down and forms low pressure zones. This is where gold is going to have a chance to drop out of the flow. Try to observe these areas during or right after a storm. Needless to say, the more the flow, the more gold is going to have a chance to move down stream. Look for deep pools, turns, spots where the bed widens out and places where it flattens out after a drop.

There was a series of articles in the ICMJ Mining Journal a while back where a guy made systematic observations of the stream he was working. He took lots of notes on locations and then went back and dredged the area. He used a grid pattern and kept notes on what he got from each section of the grid. When compared to his notes on flow, the best gold proved to be found in areas that he had found low pressure zones.

Prospecting is the greatest game of "Hide and Seek" you can play. It's not you against others. It's you against mother nature! ...and that lady has been playing the game for a very long time.

arizau · Jul 28, 2015

There is probably an eddy at the downstream end of the island/gravel bar and eddies are perfect places for placers to form since the current essentially stops then reverses course allowing suspended material to settle. During high water the eddy probably enlarges and covers part of the now exposed cobbles on that end also. I would sample not only under water level areas but also on the bar up to the flood level debris that may or probably will be stacked on that end.

Good luck.

AU_Solitude · Jul 28, 2015

Is the landowner okay with a hookah air supply? Not sure whether he would consider that motorized or not, obviously you cannot dredge yet using a hookah system to access/snipe those lower areas could be very beneficial. I would start at the downstream side of the island, if it is almost all rock as you said then there should be some great natural riffles/catches for gold!

russau · Jul 28, 2015

goldenIrishman said:
Observation of the water flow at different levels is also something you should try to do. Look for places where the water slows down and forms low pressure zones. This is where gold is going to have a chance to drop out of the flow. Try to observe these areas during or right after a storm. Needless to say, the more the flow, the more gold is going to have a chance to move down stream. Look for deep pools, turns, spots where the bed widens out and places where it flattens out after a drop.

There was a series of articles in the ICMJ Mining Journal a while back where a guy made systematic observations of the stream he was working. He took lots of notes on locations and then went back and dredged the area. He used a grid pattern and kept notes on what he got from each section of the grid. When compared to his notes on flow, the best gold proved to be found in areas that he had found low pressure zones.

Prospecting is the greatest game of "Hide and Seek" you can play. It's not you against others. It's you against mother nature! ...and that lady has been playing the game for a very long time.

If im not mistaken , the guys name is Shack and he a his own website with that info onit. I think his website is ,CVGP.net Main Page I hope posting this webaddy is ok. I avent been on his site in a few years, I hope he is still up! and yes that article was very good!

KevinInColorado · Jul 28, 2015

Hey Russ, I went to that link and, while it looks like a cool club, I couldn't find the part of their website with the article.

Bill_saf · Jul 28, 2015

kevin try this http://cvgp.net/_files/New_York_Times.pdf I dont know if this is the one or not.

KevinInColorado · Jul 28, 2015

Good read but not the one referred to above. All the same, I enjoyed reading a positive prospecting story from the New York Times!

Kuntzy · Jul 28, 2015

what is a hookah air supply? Almost all of my prospecting has been high bench gravels hundreds of feet above the river. I wasn't until I moved to Indiana that I started prospecting rivers and creeks.