How To Dig Out An Old Mine

[gold tramp]

You know very well the end product is sand and slurry. (Mostly slurry) Never heard of anybody working them. I have heard of folks tearing the mill stones out and trying to find gold there. Why don’t you just come out and say what you mean?

I don't know how you northern folks work this tool maybe you use hg or sluice them. Don't even have same ore as you do.
Just asking no worries
Gt..

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I don't know how you northern folks work this tool maybe you use hg or sluice them. Don't even have same ore as you do.
Just asking no worries
Gt..

I don’t know of ANYONE using an arrasta in Northern California. I thought you were being smart. I apologize.

It’s likely nearly a lost art. I seem to remember you have a little knowledge?

I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t use a couple riffles above a Mercury coated copper plate?

Could they have just put a ball of mercury inside the arrasta? I’ve seen them around, but never knew how they exactly worked.

 

[Carl-NC]

Is there a find a mining expert search for Utah?

This hole is in Utah? I'm gonna double down on my skepticism; outside of wishful lore & legend, the Spanish weren't known for mining in Utah. In general, I'm highly skeptical of ALL treasure lore (most of it is fabricated) and recommend that folks chase a legend to its core before spending a dime digging holes. I'm certain that people have wasted more money chasing fake treasures than the value of all the real treasures put together.

Here's my suggestion, and it's cheap and safe. Take a decent metal detector up there, hunt the area outside the hole, at least 100 yards outward in all directions. If anyone was operating a mine then there will be artifacts. If you find artifacts, they will likely suggest who was there. If you find nothing, then it's likely just a hole.

 

[russau]

Thanks for that SUPER VIDEO Very informative & interesting ! I wish I was still young and strong enough to do this In that beautifull country !

 

[OwenT]

I live in Utah and I roll my eyes every time I hear about “Spanish Mines”. I have not done much research on the subject so I could be wrong I admit but based on all my common sense and knowledge of mining and history in this county, as well as the current situation, no significant gold has ever been found in the Unitas. If it had, we would still be finding some today. It would have been impossible for the Spanish to have gotten it all and very unlikely that there were only a few pockets of gold on the surface and no other gold in nearby areas. The same goes for everywhere else.

Millard county is large and there is gold in the Drum and House range. If the Spanish found gold there then it was in places that were mined again during the mining booms or are currently being mined still. Truth is there is nothing special about a “Spanish mine”. It’s either an old mine and has gold in it or it doesn’t. Lost mine stories are much more likely to be myth than fact and the details are so skewed over the years that it would be impossible to match up for certain with anything.

People may say that the gold was so good that the Spanish had to remove every trace of it and bury the entrance and all that but it just isn’t realistic. They didn’t leave a pile of gold at the end, buried for however was going to come and unbury it. If there’s gold there you will be able to find it in the surrounding dirt or rocks, even if small amounts. Remember, if it was there, they were only after the rich stuff. The idea that they took anything with gold off to another location is a little far fetched. Even if they did take the richest or to another location for processing.

Hope you do find the gold but as others have said, if there’s is a mine behind that dirt, you’ll just have to dig it out which will take forever and it’s probably going to dangerous judging by the fact that it’s currently full of dirt. The most likely reason would be that nature has filled it in over time. How many people go through the effort of backfilling a mine like that?

 

[LUE-Hawn]

Any tips? It's filled to the ceiling. Supposed to be Spanish.

Hello Mindy,

I agree with some of the comments. You have to be aware of the structure and stability of the earth above you. Thats why the Spanish sometimes removed the timbering as to prohibit others from reaching too far into the mine.

Look for danger signs. Go to Terry Carter Treasure Hunter videos where he interviews Kelly Neilson he talks about death traps and danger signs. It pays to be knowledgeable about what to look for and how to avoid potential problems beforehand. It not worth dying over if you don’t know.

Another thing to do is get snake repellent by spraying in and around the entrance to the mine opening. It will also discourage pack rats and other vermin due to the obnoxious odor that the snakes and rodents do not like. I think the smell is pleasant to humans as opposed to the smell of rat or mouse feces. Wear a respirator as the hantavirus is a very real problem when going into cave openings just like wheat happened to the wife of Gene Hackman she died due to the effects if the virus.

Be safe is of upmost concern

Best In Treasure

LUE-Hawn

 

[LUE-Hawn]

I'm so confused. You all say don't touch it, but then I see pictures of other people digging them out. So you all have never found a Spanish mine before? When you did you just left it there? Or hired a professional? That just doesn't sound right. Some people say dig, the other half says don't. Then someone said something about me asking this question on a treasure forum. Ummm, I guess nobody has ever found a mine before. Where the heck else would I go? Is there a "you found a lost Spanish mine, now what" forum filled with expert mining engineers I'm unaware of? It's one thing to find a lost mine, it's another to know what to do with it when you find it. You could locate the lost dutchman but without a professional thats with you there's nothing you can do. I don't get it. Are those people just for hire all over the place? Is there a find a mining expert search for Utah? Lol sheesh

Hello Again,

You can take a sample to Greg Gardner the owner of Moon Lake Lodge in Mountain Home, Utah. He has a Spectrometer to give you the exact percentages of what the rock samples contain. He charges for the use of the machine but it is worth the effort and it will give you immediate results. He did one scan for me and it gave me the results that made me start looking elsewhere.

You could probably call Greg as he has a wealth of information about Utah in general.

Bests In Treasure

LUE-Hawn

 

[Deleted member 122652]

What are arrasta tailings and how does one go about working these tailings.
Just wondering...
Gt...

I don't know if they used them in all areas, or just in relation to the patio process. But in my area there would be a circle of rocks that the mules would go around pulling a big stone that crushed the ore. This was done at a nearby spring. Many years have gone by since they were created and used and not many have survived. Even the tailings are treasures to find nowadays. I know Marysvale, Ut still has one preserved and a few people have found them here and there but not many.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

Hello Again,

You can take a sample to Greg Gardner the owner of Moon Lake Lodge in Mountain Home, Utah. He has a Spectrometer to give you the exact percentages of what the rock samples contain. He charges for the use of the machine but it is worth the effort and it will give you immediate results. He did one scan for me and it gave me the results that made me start looking elsewhere.

You could probably call Greg as he has a wealth of information about Utah in general.

Bests In Treasure

LUE-Hawn

Holy moly thank you thank you so much! That is very helpful. I appreciate the information. Awesome!

 

[Deleted member 122652]

Hello Again,

You can take a sample to Greg Gardner the owner of Moon Lake Lodge in Mountain Home, Utah. He has a Spectrometer to give you the exact percentages of what the rock samples contain. He charges for the use of the machine but it is worth the effort and it will give you immediate results. He did one scan for me and it gave me the results that made me start looking elsewhere.

You could probably call Greg as he has a wealth of information about Utah in general.

Bests In Treasure

LUE-Hawn

Hello Mindy,

I agree with some of the comments. You have to be aware of the structure and stability of the earth above you. Thats why the Spanish sometimes removed the timbering as to prohibit others from reaching too far into the mine.

Look for danger signs. Go to Terry Carter Treasure Hunter videos where he interviews Kelly Neilson he talks about death traps and danger signs. It pays to be knowledgeable about what to look for and how to avoid potential problems beforehand. It not worth dying over if you don’t know.

Another thing to do is get snake repellent by spraying in and around the entrance to the mine opening. It will also discourage pack rats and other vermin due to the obnoxious odor that the snakes and rodents do not like. I think the smell is pleasant to humans as opposed to the smell of rat or mouse feces. Wear a respirator as the hantavirus is a very real problem when going into cave openings just like wheat happened to the wife of Gene Hackman she died due to the effects if the virus.

Be safe is of upmost concern

Best In Treasure

LUE-Hawn

This Spanish mine is different. It has absolutely no markings whatsoever. It's a placer mine that's a few miles off of the main vein. The main vein mines all have symbols but not this one. Yes it's Spanish as I have researched and found documents. It's been sealed at the mouth up to the ceiling. I haven't even gotten to any ore. People have been searching for this mine for generations.

 

[LUE-Hawn]

This Spanish mine is different. It has absolutely no markings whatsoever. It's a placer mine that's a few miles off of the main vein. The main vein mines all have symbols but not this one. Yes it's Spanish as I have researched and found documents. It's been sealed at the mouth up to the ceiling. I haven't even gotten to any ore. People have been searching for this mine for generations.

Hello Again,

Start from the main vein structure. I am sure there are Spanish signs leading towards your site. If you would like a brief tutorial please don’t hesitate to contact me via a private email.

Bests in Treasure

LUE-Hawn

 

[Quinc]

Can you drive to the mine or is it walk in only? If you can drive to it look into the little tow behind excavators. Also could bring in water and a box to setup a rock crusher and recirculating sluice box for sampling. If walk in only.. Mini bike, Pick, shovel, and a lot of gator-aid. =) To save money on a gas detector just get a candle and a stray animal in a cage to put in there. (kidding... kidding..)

 

[Deleted member 122652]

I live in Utah and I roll my eyes every time I hear about “Spanish Mines”. I have not done much research on the subject so I could be wrong I admit but based on all my common sense and knowledge of mining and history in this county, as well as the current situation, no significant gold has ever been found in the Unitas. If it had, we would still be finding some today. It would have been impossible for the Spanish to have gotten it all and very unlikely that there were only a few pockets of gold on the surface and no other gold in nearby areas. The same goes for everywhere else.

Millard county is large and there is gold in the Drum and House range. If the Spanish found gold there then it was in places that were mined again during the mining booms or are currently being mined still. Truth is there is nothing special about a “Spanish mine”. It’s either an old mine and has gold in it or it doesn’t. Lost mine stories are much more likely to be myth than fact and the details are so skewed over the years that it would be impossible to match up for certain with anything.

People may say that the gold was so good that the Spanish had to remove every trace of it and bury the entrance and all that but it just isn’t realistic. They didn’t leave a pile of gold at the end, buried for however was going to come and unbury it. If there’s gold there you will be able to find it in the surrounding dirt or rocks, even if small amounts. Remember, if it was there, they were only after the rich stuff. The idea that they took anything with gold off to another location is a little far fetched. Even if they did take the richest or to another location for processing.

Hope you do find the gold but as others have said, if there’s is a mine behind that dirt, you’ll just have to dig it out which will take forever and it’s probably going to dangerous judging by the fact that it’s currently full of dirt. The most likely reason would be that nature has filled it in over time. How many people go through the effort of backfilling a mine like that?

I don’t know of ANYONE using an arrasta in Northern California. I thought you were being smart. I apologize.

It’s likely nearly a lost art. I seem to remember you have a little knowledge?

I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t use a couple riffles above a Mercury coated copper plate?

Could they have just put a ball of mercury inside the arrasta? I’ve seen them around, but never knew how they exactly worked.

 

[Deleted member 122652]

They filled them in.

 

[Gare]

Please be careful because of the breathing conditions in the cave

 

[Deleted member 122652]

Please be careful because of the breathing conditions in the cave

Thank you. I have stopped so I can learn more first. I appreciate it!

 

[Deleted member 122652]

They filled the mines in. They didn't leave a trace. As much as possible.

 

[bc5391]

Never seen arrastra tailings, but I would guess it would look like a
pile of powder?

They are hard to find. I have found several Arrasta's, but very little tailings, what I have found is probably someone trying to drywash near the arrasta.

 

[bc5391]

Without permits and bonds, you cannot use motorized equipment on a claim, only pick and shovel. So once you have cleared the opening, do what others have told you and test the air quality, place a claim. buy your bonds,permits, timbers.