How rich is California's remaining placer gold deposits compared to other states?

[firebird]

I've always wondered this especially after watching all the shows in the Yukon on gold mining. If industrial-scale placer mining was allowed in California with those massive washplants and excavators, would they be getting more gold here? Or is the geology different in California? All those placer mining operations up north are digging up ancient creeks and rivers buried dozens of feet underground a lot of overburden.

 

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[Gravelwasher]

They took all the gold from California, and the government wont let you take any more...lol

 

[Clay Diggins]

In the late 1960's California wanted to answer that same question. The result was the Gold Resources in the Tertiary Gravels of California report. Click the link and download and read that report to answer your question in more detail.

Their best estimate is that less than 40% of the gold in the California tertiary gravels has been mined.

That leaves us with more than 60% of the gold.

Only Nevada has bigger inferred gold reserves.

Heavy Pans

 

[Goldwasher]

I've always wondered this especially after watching all the shows in the Yukon on gold mining. If industrial-scale placer mining was allowed in California with those massive washplants and excavators, would they be getting more gold here? Or is the geology different in California? All those placer mining operations up north are digging up ancient creeks and rivers buried dozens of feet underground a lot of overburden.

Much like when discovered. Californias gold deposits are unique , rich and rare. they will remain as such for a long time to come!!

 

[firebird]

Holy crap, that report is insane if it's accurate! I wonder if the California state government will ever change its mind about mining when gold prices skyrocket in the future, there must be trillions of dollars worth of gold here!

In the late 1960's California wanted to answer that same question. The result was the Gold Resources in the Tertiary Gravels of California report. Click the link and download and read that report to answer your question in more detail.

Their best estimate is that less than 40% of the gold in the California tertiary gravels has been mined.

That leaves us with more than 60% of the gold.

Only Nevada has bigger inferred gold reserves.

Heavy Pans

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Hahaha that's a good one.

 

[Rail Dawg]

Born and raised in the California gold country.

Perhaps one day the pendulum in California will swing the other way. Even with all it’s troubles I still love the place.

But Nevada is where I find my peace.

Chuck

 

[Johnnybravo300]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/san-francisco-map-shows-human-poop-complaints

Might have better luck sluicing turd nuggets. The sources have been found and they are very rich.
Recent estimates report that the motherlode of turds has yet to be found.

 

[mytimetoshine]

the bigger Alaska operations usually run dirt that is 10-20 bucks a yard. I've found spots that are easily 100-200 a yard in Ca

 

[Goldwasher]

the bigger Alaska operations usually run dirt that is 10-20 bucks a yard. I've found spots that are easily 100-200 a yard in Ca

yep!!

 

[dave wiseman]

One would be very hard pressed to find an open claim on a tertiary river in northern California.Just about all are claimed or on private property.In the county where I live(Calaveras)there are miles of remaining tertiary rivers and everything is either claimed or on private ground.Most of the old channels are buried,some over 400 feet deep.On should consider that alot of these buried channels still make water,which means enviromental stuff.In a few spots the overflow surface gravels carry pretty good values if one was able to work them....Not all old channels carry good gold values..some have no yellow.After reading many mining reports it may be safe to say that most of the previously worked tertiary rivers only worked the better pay streaks in the channels and sometimes ignored the channel rims.Also very few quartz veins were worked in these channels when found in the bedrock,unless they were rich.Many of these channels are tied up in litigation.Getting permits is a very bi area of concern as that might take many years,or not at all.

 

[N-Lionberger]

the bigger Alaska operations usually run dirt that is 10-20 bucks a yard. I've found spots that are easily 100-200 a yard in Ca

Seen better in large enough yardage in various places in California. The ancient channels are barely explored.

 

[dave wiseman]

N-Lionberger,have you read Tertiary gravels of the Sierra Nevada?

 

[arizau]

N-Lionberger,have you read Tertiary gravels of the Sierra Nevada?

It takes a while but you can download it for free here...click where "Document" is highlighted. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp73

 

[Tanneyhill]

Seen better in large enough yardage in various places in California. The ancient channels are barely explored.

Any reports where I can read about ancient channels in California? Appreciate your guidance. Thank you.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Any reports where I can read about ancient channels in California? Appreciate your guidance. Thank you.

Look at post #3 or buy this -
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[tamrock]

Within the last 3 years, I've seen maybe as many as 4 large placer washing operations start up in Park and Lake County, Colorado. One was the Gold Rush show group, but I think they pulled the plug on it. You gotta suspect California has plenty of placer gold left. Still, that state has been fighting over large destructive placer mines going back more than a hundred years.

 

[Reed Lukens]

California is still rich in Placer Gold, but we've all gone quiet because of all of their anti-dredging greenies...

 

[Tanneyhill]

California is still rich in Placer Gold, but we've all gone quiet because of all of their anti-dredging greenies...

The vast majority of the gold is in the area of the range just north of Chico to Mariposa. That's a massive area with hundreds of old mines from the 49ers onwards. I wonder if there are unexplored regions of the Sierra Nevadas, places that are far from any roads and a ~2 day hike in bear 🐻 country.

 

[Reed Lukens]

The vast majority of the gold is in the area of the range just north of Chico to Mariposa. That's a massive area with hundreds of old mines from the 49ers onwards. I wonder if there are unexplored regions of the Sierra Nevadas, places that are far from any roads and a ~2 day hike in bear 🐻 country.

I tossed some of the Old Channel maps up in my Journal -

Reeds Travels

Reed's Travels Today we will be detecting at Carpinteria State Beach in Southern California just outside of Santa Barbara and we will be here until Friday morning in space 126. It's past time for me to have started my own thread on our travels, so here it is :)

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