Old grinding mill?

Sample Pan Dan · Dec 1, 2012

Found this in our travels in them thar hills NE of San Diego. Couple old mine locations in the area. Thinking this was here before the stamp mills came in?

Aurabbit79er · Dec 1, 2012

An old Arrastia, cool.

63bkpkr · Dec 1, 2012

Kinda looks like the forerunner of modern helicopter blades but then I digress. Thank you for the post as I've never seen one of those. I've come across a couple of ten stamp mills and lots of other old mining equipment but not something like you posted. Whereabouts in San Diego area, Jullian??......63bkpkr

kuger · Dec 1, 2012

Arrastra....but unlike one I have personally seen

Fullpan · Dec 1, 2012

There's one just like that below the Gold Bug mine in Nevada co, Ca. - nice pic!

Aurabbit79er · Dec 2, 2012

kuger said:
Arrastra....but unlike one I have personally seen

So that's how you spell it.
What else could it be, grain mill maybe?

NeoTokyo · Dec 2, 2012

Neat!

Try to get back there and metal detect the area.

kuger · Dec 2, 2012

Aurabbit79er said:
So that's how you spell it.
What else could it be, grain mill maybe?

I guess thats how ya spell it...Aussies call em Puddlers I think

Sample Pan Dan · Dec 2, 2012

That mill is about 20 miles south of Julian. Not for grain, not in that area. And Neo, we tried the gold bug in there and found about a hundred nails in just minutes! It's been used as a fire pit for years it appears. We do have plans though to dig it out some, down to the grinding stones in the bottom, and then either try the md again, or just sample some dirt from below.

63bkpkr · Dec 2, 2012

Right, Julian is apple country not grain country. Every restaurant in town has its own apple pie recipe. I was supposed to be moving to San Diego but the job never came through....63bkpkr

Sample Pan Dan · Dec 2, 2012

Bkbpr, I no you like pictures, so here's a couple more from yesterday.

chucktx2 · Dec 2, 2012

Now, that one is well made,

Oakview2 · Dec 2, 2012

Here is one on a club claim about 20 + miles northeast of Coulterville

Very similar to this one found on Google images

Sample Pan Dan · Dec 2, 2012

So my "old timer" buddy in GA, is thinking this might be a cyanide wash plant, after coming from the stamp mill. Based on the size of it. What do you think?

63bkpkr · Dec 3, 2012

Thank you drywallman,
Yes indeed I do love pictures, my 'Granny' got me started when I was eleven and I've never stopped. That's some interesting country and I would like to play around in it, maybe if I'm a good boy that will happen still.........63bkpkr

Sample Pan Dan · Dec 29, 2012

So we went back out to that arrastra today. Damn it was cold out... Well for us San Diegans anyhow. Looks like the bottom of it is layers of rock.. Dug a couple out and got some dirt from the crevices below. Gonna have to take a big breaker bar out there next time as these rocks are all well wedged together. Just brought a few lbs of good looking dirt home and plan to process it tomorrow. But, I pulled a little bit of ore that was buried and wedged in there, and I think I might have found my first San Diego gold! Will have my buddy crush a few of these and blue bowl them to find out. Wish us luck!
Thanks y'all for the great input.