looking for the yellow stuff

hikeinmts · Jan 30, 2009

I live in S. Korea. Many old gold mine sites. Need to know how to work tailings, working the stream beds, etc. And wanting to know a couple of the best machines for the job.

packerbacker · Jan 30, 2009

If you are just going to detect, and not dredge or pan, I'd go with the Goldbug ll. It is relatively inexpensive compared to the Minelab detectors and can find some pretty small stuff. Learn the machine through practice and GO SLOW! Good luck

hikeinmts · Jan 30, 2009

Thanks, Probably will not pan, as I don't know how. And, can't dredge, as the Koreans would never allow it.....if they see me doing it, they would want to know what I am doing, and as soon as they heard, "gold," they would shut me down. but, if I use a detector, then I can be finding a lot of "stuff' and they become disinterested very quickly.
Thanks again for your hints. Will look into that detector.

gametalman52 · Jan 30, 2009

Goldbug 11, Light, works great, very small nuggets, also discrimintes out iron. Cheaper than most of the rest

Goodyguy · Jan 30, 2009

I think for the streams learn to pan it's not that hard. You could even build your own sluice box. Tailings would be best detected but if you come up empty that way, then you need to sluice out the tailings to get the fine gold. Of course a source of water is needed for that.

If the streams are down to bedrock you could try digging out the crevices for pickers and nuggets. Also if the water is clear and not too deep you could try sniping for nuggets by using a divers face mask or by looking into a tube or box with glass at the end that you put under water.

If you get caught have a cover story ready (looking for pretty rocks,fossils, etc) if that fails try a bribe.

Good luck and happy hunting,

Buddy~

hikeinmts · Jan 30, 2009

Thanks Buddy, The streams here have to be worked carefully. Can get into the stream above where the last level of their rice paddies is located. They used human feces as fertilizer, until late into the 1980's, and some of the bugs a person can get from that water will put the person down - for us westerners - permanently, as we have no immunities to them. (I found that out the hard way, in the 70s, ate a beautiful lettuce leaf that had been washed and cleaned in local water.....spent the next 3 weeks in the Army hospital, the drs. hunting for what was wrong with me, but never finding it.)
The streams above the rice paddies are clear, cold, and very very shallow, usually drying up in the late summer/fall. Those are where I plan to hunt, as many that I have seen have developed pools with sandy bottoms. I just don't want to be in the right place, but doing the wrong thing or be armed with the wrong equipment.
Thanks again for your input, and IF I FIND SOMETHING, I will remember you and try to get a sample to you. :thumbsup:

Goodyguy · Jan 30, 2009

I assume you are in the military. If you find something send it home to someone you trust to keep it for you. Or have them cash it in and send you the money or deposit the money for you.

Have fun and stay safe. My son was stationed there to guard the DMZ 4 years ago he's home now safe and sound. I also thank you for your service. :icon_salut:

Buddy~

hikeinmts · Jan 30, 2009

Hey Buddy, Was in the military, but retarded.....uuuuuu.....retired about 20 years ago. Was first sent to S. Korea in 1974.....shortly after
the S. Korean's President's wife was assassinated.....flew into the airport, and saw that the international airport was ringed with military, and all had M50s and 60s.....and to my young mind, they were ALL POINTED AT ME!!!!

Now I am an owner/teacher in a small English school here. But, began hiking and finding old things in 1976, second trip here.
Now, with the price of gold up, I want to try, at least a couple of times, to go to the areas marked on some old military maps, and
look through the tailings, etc...as some in the States are doing. Don't know if their methods were any better than ours in the States, but assume that there is some smaller stuff still in the hills/mts......and I want to find it.
Tell your son, thank you, for me, for his service in this extremely hard, challenging time. Wish I had known that he was here.....my wife and I would have invited him to dinner to show him our appreciation, and OF COURSE would have tried to talk him into going hiking with me and find some old Korean coins.
I will post, as I find/don't find things. God bless. Best to you. hillhiker in Korea

Goodyguy · Jan 30, 2009

hikeinmts said:
Hey Buddy, Was in the military, but retarded.....uuuuuu.....retired about 20 years ago. Was first sent to S. Korea in 1974.....shortly after
the S. Korean's President's wife was assassinated.....flew into the airport, and saw that the international airport was ringed with military, and all had M50s and 60s.....and to my young mind, they were ALL POINTED AT ME!!!!
Now I am an owner/teacher in a small English school here. But, began hiking and finding old things in 1976, second trip here.
Now, with the price of gold up, I want to try, at least a couple of times, to go to the areas marked on some old military maps, and
look through the tailings, etc...as some in the States are doing. Don't know if their methods were any better than ours in the States, but assume that there is some smaller stuff still in the hills/mts......and I want to find it.
Tell your son, thank you, for me, for his service in this extremely hard, challenging time. Wish I had known that he was here.....my wife and I would have invited him to dinner to show him our appreciation, and OF COURSE would have tried to talk him into going hiking with me and find some old Korean coins.
I will post, as I find/don't find things. God bless. Best to you. hillhiker in Korea