Is it gold?

[Teris]

Hi everyone. I went panning for the first time ever and found these pieces. I'm confident the smaller one (magnified) is gold, but what about the one in my hand? I'm pretty sure I found a bunch of pyrite and maybe some mercury (or platinum) as well, so thought I'd ask the experts: is it gold?

 

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[OwenT]

If I trigger Clay correctly, he will chime in with a very well thought out and written primer on the two types of "mining claims"...Clay participates in the development of the Landmatters website, is a wealth of info and I know he is reading this.

Maybe someone else can chime in with some slightly true..slightly misleading information to trigger Clay in providing some helpful literature. ; )

Lol [emoji23].. That is how it works with him, isn’t it. I really do appreciate Clay Diggins’s (or Barry as some of you know him) comments. He has chimed in many times as he does on many threads I have started.

That’s being said, I think you pretty much covered it, IMAUDIGGER, and Teris is on the right track and will probably be searching the forum and asking questions as needed.

 

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[Teris]

Well, now I hope Clay is sufficiently triggered because I'd love to be further educated on the topic! Thanks, guys.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Well, now I hope Clay is sufficiently triggered because I'd love to be further educated on the topic! Thanks, guys.

Lots of people here to steer you in the right direction.
This forum has been slow as of late, so be patient and check back in..

 

[Goldwasher]

Well, if its on youtube it's no secret. So, you may as well share.

E. Fork? san Gabriel? Lytle creek.

we'll let you know it it is in fact claimed.

 

[Teris]

Well, if its on youtube it's no secret. So, you may as well share.

E. Fork? san Gabriel? Lytle creek.

we'll let you know it it is in fact claimed.

Yes, that's where I was panning! If it's claimed, the owner isn't doing a good job of keeping people away. I was told there are some other good spots in the area, but people are tight-lipped about them.

 

[beekbuster]

I'm in Southern California. I had my son's crappy plastic shovel and kid's beach pail (that maybe holds a half gallon). I filled that pail 4 or 5 times and found those two pieces of gold. After watching the videos on this site about panning, I realize I was doing it all wrong and probably lost any fine gold that was in there. I pulled those two pieces out of the pan by sight using terrible panning technique and certainly no classifying. I'll go back soon and see if I can find more!

you need liquifaction. create it in the pan, this requires a basin with water, it cannot be done satisfactory with just water in a pan, it must be submersed in water. liquifaction, sift off the top layer. repeat until there is enough material to see whats in the bottom. to save time you could just dump it in a bucket then render a new load of concentrates, dump in bucket take it home to work the gold from the other heavies. Its not rocket science, and its not perfect.some super fine gold will find its way out no matter how good you are.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

As long as it isn’t posted “no trespassing” you are OK.
It’s next to impossible for the average person to figure it out anyway. There simply isn’t enough resources out there to help keep the average Joe from getting into trouble mining. You have to be an expert and expend lots of $$ to even get started. Almost every piece of public ground is claimed up so the weekend family outing is almost impossible unless you just wing it.

These lands were not meant to be exploited anyway..so what is the purpose of mining claims? I’m not sure mining claims are even constitutional what the heck gives a guy the right to just start exploiting land we all own? It’s supposed to be for the people by the people. I don’t see the point.

Wink wink

 

[N-Lionberger]

Those guys must have siblings and other relatives living nearby.

 

[Teris]

Those guys must have siblings and other relatives living nearby.

I hope so. Honestly, we just went there for something to do and have some fun. I didn't expect to actually find any gold. But now I'm feeling obligated to go back and reunite the whole family in a glass vial.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I hope so. Honestly, we just went there for something to do and have some fun. I didn't expect to actually find any gold. But now I'm feeling obligated to go back and reunite the whole family in a glass vial.

Well GoldWasher kind of left us in the dark...not sure if he said “it is in fact claimed” or “ we will let you know IF it in fact is claimed”...

GW care to elaborate?

 

[OwenT]

Not Goldwasher, but I think he meant the latter.

 

[KevinInColorado]

As long as it isn’t posted “no trespassing” you are OK.
It’s next to impossible for the average person to figure it out anyway. There simply isn’t enough resources out there to help keep the average Joe from getting into trouble mining. You have to be an expert and expend lots of $$ to even get started. Almost every piece of public ground is claimed up so the weekend family outing is almost impossible unless you just wing it.

These lands were not meant to be exploited anyway..so what is the purpose of mining claims? I’m not sure mining claims are even constitutional what the heck gives a guy the right to just start exploiting land we all own? It’s supposed to be for the people by the people. I don’t see the point.

Wink wink

What a load of crap you are shoveling. So wrong.

 

[Clay Diggins]

What a load of crap you are shoveling. So wrong.

IMAUDIGGER is just trying to bait me into posting. He thinks he knows my triggers. He doesn't really mean it.

I'm guessing he could answer the questions as well as I could. He knows this stuff pretty good. At some point he's going to have to change the post. He's way to honest to leave it up that way.

Maybe then I'll put in my two pennies.

Heavy Pans

 

[Teris]

Maybe then I'll put in my two pennies.

I could use those pennies!

 

[Goldwasher]

Yea, East Fork is open. Its part of a mineral withdrawl.

There are no grandfathered claim in the area.

Keep in mind it is your obligation to know if the land is private or if there are claims.

If you want to venture elsewhere your gonna have to do some research.

 

[Teris]

I'd love to speak (PM, email or talk) with anyone who knows the area well about other spots to pan or sluice. If you're game, please let me know. Thanks in advance!

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

IMAUDIGGER is just trying to bait me into posting. He thinks he knows my triggers. He doesn't really mean it.

I'm guessing he could answer the questions as well as I could. He knows this stuff pretty good. At some point he's going to have to change the post. He's way to honest to leave it up that way.

Maybe then I'll put in my two pennies.

Heavy Pans

Sorry Clay...too much time has passed. Can’t edit. If a moderator wants to delete..I’m ok.

I think even with only 14 posts..Teris didn’t get confused.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

What a load of crap you are shoveling. So wrong.

You ain’t seen nothing yet! I’m full of it most times.

 

[KevinInColorado]

You ain’t seen nothing yet! I’m full of it most times.

Haha ok then!

You just be nice to my friend Barry or expect to hear from me again!