New Mexico gold prospecting

bhfontenot · Oct 30, 2013

I am planning on doing some prospecting in the Jicarilla area of NM and would like some advice on the better equipment to use between a drywasher and recirc sluice. Thanks.

KevinInColorado · Oct 30, 2013

If you can haul enough water to make it worthwhile, a wet system is always more efficient than a dry one.

goldenIrishman · Oct 31, 2013

Kevin is 100% right on that one. EVERYTHING is better when wet! However if the soil has a high clay content dry washing may not even be an option. Do your research and if possible talk to others that have worked in that area to get their opinion on which types of equipment works best in it. There's nothing worse than showing up to a new area and finding out that the gear ya brought won't do the job.

Clay Diggins · Oct 31, 2013

One of my favorite gold areas!

Processing options depend on which area you are looking to prospect in and the current soil conditions. If you will be on the North side near Ancho a drywasher will do well in the DG there if the soil is dry. If above White Oaks a wet setup might be better.

Water is scarce there and really highly mineralized. It can be hard to find someone willing to give you water to haul. Do not use the water from stock tanks - it is illegal and in that area could get you in real trouble. A good alternative if you need water is to pay the day use fee at Valley of Fire National Monument just West of Carrizozo and fill up there. They have showers too.

Be careful about where you prospect - always know where you are. People take their mining, and their claims, seriously in those mountains. There have been problems between the locals and the Forest Service for a while now (100 or so years). Billy the Kid is still considered a local hero by many. Beautiful country up there but it's getting pretty cold at night now. Enjoy your trip.

Heavy Pans

bhfontenot · Nov 1, 2013

Thanks for the great answers! Would metal detecting for gold in this area be worthwhile and if so should I use a PI or VLF detector?

goldenIrishman · Nov 1, 2013

Never hurts to do some detecting in a new area. As to VLF or PI I can't say. If ya have room to haul them, bring both.

Clay..... Is there an area anywhere in the west that you DON'T know? LOL... Not that I"m complaining mind you!

I'm doing some research into an area near here that I might need to pick your brain on if I can find the claim owner and secure permission to do some detecting there.

Clay Diggins · Nov 2, 2013

goldenIrishman said:
Never hurts to do some detecting in a new area. As to VLF or PI I can't say. If ya have room to haul them, bring both.

Clay..... Is there an area anywhere in the west that you DON'T know? LOL... Not that I"m complaining mind you! I'm doing some research into an area near here that I might need to pick your brain on if I can find the claim owner and secure permission to do some detecting there.

bhfontenot - If you have a good VLF made for gold you will get constant hits on very small gold in many areas. All the nuggets I've seen in the area were on bedrock about three to seven foot down - not much use for a detector. It's shovel territory for the most part. You might have better luck than me, I'm not a great detectorist. Just one mans experience.

Heck Jeff I'm nowhere near finding all the gold locations in the West. I've got way more areas on my bucket list than ones I've already dug. I just don't have any problem sharing what little I know. There is plenty of gold out there for everyone. I've been prospecting for more than 40 years and I've got prospector friends that consider me a newbie. It's like a candy store for gold prospectors in the West!

If you are thinking of that spot north of you and west of the highway I might be able to help you. If you are talking about the "Alps" I might just have to come along, it's on my bucket list! Please use a small pick when messing with my brain - the last guy used a mattock and I'm still turning left when I should be turning right. :laughing7:

goldenIrishman · Nov 2, 2013

I'll send ya an e-mail about it that will include Lat/Long for the area I'm looking into. Give ya a hint though. I can see it from our back deck.

dbigkahunna · Nov 10, 2013

Wondering how your trip went. I have interest in the area. Had an opportunity to run a 2 inch dredge in Dry Gulch years ago with the owner of the Helen Rae. We pulled over 1/2 oz out of one setting. Found a lot of coarse and several nice nuggets. The claim owner said that was the most gold he had seen pulled out of there and had never seen the nuggets from that area.
There was a man who lived in Seminole who survived in the 30's dry washing in the Jicarilla's. His tales always peaked my interest. He and his partner found a spot above Ancho where they took four tow sacks of ore that assayed in El Paso at $1,800 per ton. They had put in a drift and were back in about 12 feet when the drift collapsed. Not knowing the value of the ore, they took off for a rumor in Silver City. Coming back through El Paso later that year they had to ore assayed. When they found out what they had they headed back to the location. They never found the location again. But it was up one of the draws above Ancho.
I always loved his stories. He had some silver ore samples he took from somewhere along the Llano river.