plz help

[tweeta_bear]

i a few questions for the experts out there. i recently viewed google earth in the hopes of finding new places to prospect for gold. i observed a section in the remote rockies and noticed a strip of land just off of an outcrop of rocks, this strip of land has a red tint to it, it seems to be about 3times as long as it is wide. i am curious if this section of land could be rich with gold. i have also seem snow drifts at about 12,000ft that waves of red in it almost like the rain has washed down some sort of mineral. the land and rock outcrop around this area seems to be dark grey. could some one please give me a little more knowledge on this. i would go get samples but i will have to plan the trip, like i said its in a very remote area of the high rockies.





p.s what i am really looking for is some one to tell me that this may be a fissure exposed. i do have screen shots of these areas if anyone is interested in seeing them, mayb it will help in the identification of these things.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Honestly, I think sharing the screen shots is the only way anyone is even going to
be able to take a reasonable guess.

 

[tweeta_bear]

ok here they are... in the second photo the strip im talking about is on the left side if the impression.

 

[Alex Burke]

I'll guess iron rich soil I can't see it too well at all so it's just a guess, is it in Grand County?

 

[tweeta_bear]

gunnison county. is the iron accompanied by any precious material?

 

[tweeta_bear]

i can say this... with what they say about all the gold already takin is only 10 to 20 percent of whats out there, im going to keep doing my research until i find my own exposed vein.

 

[B H Prospector]

Iron can be an indicater that gold maybe present but not certain. Plan a trip and test. That is why it is called prospecting.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector

 

[Alex Burke]

gunnison county. is the iron accompanied by any precious material?

Sometimes, I would check in the low parts first before climbing too high, if there is placer gold on the mountain it will find its way down with water and gravity so I'd check the creeks at the lower elevations first. Even if you find a hardrock vein with gold in it you still have to process it so it usually isn't worth it at high elevation. You either have to stamp it or leech it with chemicals to get the gold out so its easier to just hunt down a good placer deposit IMO get hit by less lightening too lol.

 

[tweeta_bear]

what if the vein at that height was a lode vein it still wouldnt be worth it?

 

[DizzyDigger]

A lode vein might be worth the effort, however at that elevation your
mining season would be fairly short, no?

FINDING that lode vein first might take some time (or lots of time),
and hardrock work is dangerous and very physically demanding. The real
question is; Could you get enough ore out of there in the season you have
to make it worth the risks and efforts involved?

I can really appreciate the zeal you have, and hope you find great success.
The areas you've picked out (any of them) could take years of prospecting
before you've covered them completely, so which one might offer you the
easiest access and most benefit in the short season you have?

 

[Alex Burke]

what if the vein at that height was a lode vein it still wouldnt be worth it?

Well it's been done before with mixed results lol. It's just dangerous as I'm sure you know. I can think of several ways to get hurt up there, the longer you stay up there the greater the risks. I don't think it's economically feasible unless you found a really rich vein. Then you have all the legalities and logistics of mining it. That's just my opinion I just think you should go for placer gold further down the mountain. If you want to rockhound and crystal hunt up there I'm sure there's a club in area too and other hunters to do that with too which would be safer. I like how motivated you are though don't let me discourage you at all as your attitude is great, good luck. Here's some info to research about your area.
http://www.mindat.org/usdistance.php?loc=113881

 

[tweeta_bear]

yes the seasons are relatively short and i will never stop searching... well maybe to drop a line for a nice brown or rainbow for dinner and work cause i still have a mortgage, lol. i have also noticed several excellent places for some lunker trout. i just love being in the mountains!