How do you guys find producing areas to detect?

[CA Gold Hunter]

I always read that gold is where you find it and that you should detect areas that nuggets have been found before. How do you guys find out where nuggets have been found? It doesn't seem like many people say or record where they've been found.

I'm in butte county and a 54 lb nugget was kicked out of the creek by a mule back in the 49er days, does that mean I should detect in that area? Any help would be great. I have been researching mines in my area to try to hike to but other than that I'm not sure where to go, or do you guys just drive around in the country until you see a spot that looks good?

 

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[NeoTokyo]

The way I figure out where to hunt for gold is talking to other prospectors, doing lots of research online, checking out BLM maps, checking various other maps, using google earth and good old fashioned boots on the ground.

Granted, I have not found gold yet with my detectors, but I have done very well using this method for finding places to underwater snipe.

I have a Nokta FORS Gold and a Fisher Gold Bug 2, I use the FORS Gold exclusively now because I feel that it outperforms my Gold Bug 2 quite a bit.

When it comes to finding old workings, it is very easy to find them if you just walk or ride the numerous BLM trails.
Also keep an eye out for mineralized soils (Lots of orange and red patches all over western Shasta county that could hold nice gold) or quartz outcroppings and free quartz mixed in the soil.

It is all a matter of time before you start finding gold.
I have been so sick this winter that I have not had much of a chance to get out and find some.

Butte county has great gold too, wonderful BLM trails out that way as well. I would hunt everywhere that you can in the gold producing area's.
Also, I would detect where that 54lb nugget was found, why not?

 

[Hoser John]

Educate and prosper. To profit you must invest the time and diligence and read a lot-John

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

Thanks for the advise guys. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time looking around my area or if I should be lookin elsewhere. I already have a few spots that seem like they might be promising but just haven't had the time to go check them out yet. I'm hopin this summer I'll be able to sneak out of the house though.

 

[meMiner]

I am sure there are other opinions but I say to forget about "gold is where you find it" and instead have concluded that the higher percentage areas for nuggets are in areas where nuggets have been found before. In fact, one of the best phrases in old reports is "creek is known for unusually coarse gold". That is the best "bingo" that I know.

 

[ianSF]

This should give you an idea where the old-timers found gold in California. Look for the gold section in the table of contents and then find the specific county you're interested in.

Report of the State Mineralogist - 1896
California State Mining Bureau
J.J. Crawford, State Mineralogist

https://archive.org/stream/reportstatemine04buregoog#page/n6/mode/2up

 

[californiagold]

There is also a usgs mineral spatial data overlay for google earth that showswhere they found gold on google earth. Does anyone have a link to that. I dont use that anymore so not shure where to find.

 

[darmentle]

Daniel Russell - Google Earth Meets MRDS: A Basic Tutorial

 

[meMiner]

Too bad, they stopped at the Canada/US border. I would love to see this same thing for all of Canada. I expect many Americans would like to see what is just across the border, because mother nature does not recognize countries. ie. if there were a number of good mines in the Yukon, it goes to reason that there are some high potential areas nearby on the Alaska side too.