How deep is to deep when crevicing?

CharlesP

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How deep do you go when cracking bedrock? I keep running into a really dense brownish red clay that is impossible to deal with. Do you stop when you get to this nasty stuff or do you process it? I have saved it and processed it a few times and have come up blank?

Let me sum up my question, what signs do you look for that says, it's not worth going any deeper into this shale, slate or hard bed rock? Thanks y'all.
 
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I dont stop. I may sample a pan but what sometimes happens is that the light gold will settle on top of a clay layer, and the bigger stuff will get pounded through it. So you may find gold on top. Then a few inches of nothing then bam!! Picker picker picker. The heavy pieces CAN migrate through clay!
 
There's no such animal as "Too Deep" when cleaning out a crevice. Of course you stop when you get to the bottom of it and are busting up the bedrock that doesn't have any crack in it already. ;)
 
I dont stop. I may sample a pan but what sometimes happens is that the light gold will settle on top of a clay layer, and the bigger stuff will get pounded through it. So you may find gold on top. Then a few inches of nothing then bam!! Picker picker picker. The heavy pieces CAN migrate through clay!

Thank you for your input. I have a hard time imagining just what's happening when a creek is raging. There is a lot more chaos going on than meets the eye.
 
There's no such animal as "Too Deep" when cleaning out a crevice. Of course you stop when you get to the bottom of it and are busting up the bedrock that doesn't have any crack in it already. ;)

There's no such animal. Lol love that phrase. So what you guys are saying is "just keep digging dam it"
 
STOP...when you come across people speaking chinese. :dontknow:
 
There's no such animal. Lol love that phrase. So what you guys are saying is "just keep digging dam it"
Pretty much. :headbang::headbang::headbang: Just remember that if there's no crack in the rock already you're deep enough. No sense in beating your head against a wall after all. :BangHead::BangHead::BangHead: (unless you're into that sort of thing that is... :tongue3:
 
It's a common mistake for prospectors to stop digging in cracks when all the debri is cleaned out or they hit the bottom of the crack..depending on the crack whether it be a hairline fracture or a crack couple of inches wide with a gravel hardpack..I would at least break the bottom a few more inches and let the gold tell me if I might be on the right track..

I worked this crack for about 2 weeks off and on it was pretty hard rock and I only had handtools.But anyway in the begining of the vid you can see the part of the crack I was working..all the gold came from the reddish wall(backwall) some case I had to wire brush it off..Anyway if I were to just dig the obvious I wouldn't be getting the GOLD!!I am with HEFTY if the gold dictates dig to China!!!Maybe I will see you there!!
 
It's a common mistake for prospectors to stop digging in cracks when all the debri is cleaned out or they hit the bottom of the crack..depending on the crack whether it be a hairline fracture or a crack couple of inches wide with a gravel hardpack..I would at least break the bottom a few more inches and let the gold tell me if I might be on the right track..

I worked this crack for about 2 weeks off and on it was pretty hard rock and I only had handtools.But anyway in the begining of the vid you can see the part of the crack I was working..all the gold came from the reddish wall(backwall) some case I had to wire brush it off..Anyway if I were to just dig the obvious I wouldn't be getting the GOLD!!I am with HEFTY if the gold dictates dig to China!!!Maybe I will see you there!!
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31dogqCxxNs&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TLUkUiz_L-Quo

Holy crap mad! If I was finding gold like that I'd be digging to china as well. What a crack! What a Pan.
 
It's a common mistake for prospectors to stop digging in cracks when all the debri is cleaned out or they hit the bottom of the crack..depending on the crack whether it be a hairline fracture or a crack couple of inches wide with a gravel hardpack..I would at least break the bottom a few more inches and let the gold tell me if I might be on the right track..

I worked this crack for about 2 weeks off and on it was pretty hard rock and I only had handtools.But anyway in the begining of the vid you can see the part of the crack I was working..all the gold came from the reddish wall(backwall) some case I had to wire brush it off..Anyway if I were to just dig the obvious I wouldn't be getting the GOLD!!I am with HEFTY if the gold dictates dig to China!!!Maybe I will see you there!!
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Wow, what a great video and song. Thank you. Oh and EUREKA!
 
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Holy crap man use some of that gold to buy a new pan! Nice gold though!
 

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