Prospecting for gold in Eastern New York / Hudson Valley...?

[Turnpike]

I'm new to the idea of prospecting, (though I've spent hours online reading and watching videos) and more interested in exploring it for the fun than a bet on hitting it big. While my research shows that not a lot is out there about gold in eastern NY, I'm SURE that a lot of documentation and sharing online is skipped because of NY's claim on whatever you find here.

I'm not saying there's a ton of undiscovered gold in New York, I'm just saying there's likely a good bit more than we read about because of it automatically belonging to the State. It only makes sense that would be the case.

So I'm wondering, are there any other prospectors here that are also in the Hudson Valley...? Or even anywhere close? Or does anyone know of any good/legal places to look anywhere in Eastern NY? Most times when I find something that mentions NY State it's about western NY or somewhere far upstate.

Also, for what it's worth, I'm open to helping/buying/investing in equipment for prospecting, treasure hunting, whatever... as long as it's not too far away and sounds like fun.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Hello from White Plains! Bottom line there is micro gold in New York State, pushed down during the ice age from Canada. It will take weeks, or months, to find enough gold in the Catskills, or further north, just to pay for a simple Garrett gold pan. If you want to have fun - Great! If you want to find a gram or two of gold, you need to go anywhere but New York. Now there are a lot of people who will argue with me on this, but the New York State Geologist Association, is not one of them. Want to find gold? Metal detect a beach, a park, the woods. Your chances of finding a gold ring or coin is far better than finding a gold nugget in New York.

 

[ToastedWheatie]

A number of years ago I came across an old map, that was labeled "gold mine" or gold found" or similar for a small stream outside Ellenville in Ulster county.
I always just assumed that maybe someone was lucky enough to find a nice pocket of glacially dropped flakes.

I have no illusions of gold in the area, but I often think of this:


What was it they found?
I've heard of pyrite in the area, but I have to assume the assayers knew the difference.

EDIT:
Maybe the assay was seeded. Enterprising fellows....

"A series of infamous events in the history of the Marlboro Mountains and the town of Esopus involves gold mining operations at Hussey Hill. In the 1870s, a Kingston chemist and physician, Edgar Eltinge, claimed that he had found gold at Hussey Hill. Though locals doubted his find, Eltinge, along with another man, Royal Dimmick, bought a lease on the hill. After forming the Hudson River Gold & Silver Mining Company the two began mining for gold in 1877.[7][8][9]

Ultimately, the men claimed to find gold-bearing quartz. However, the gold that was found was supposedly not enough to make up for recovery costs, the mine closing after just eighteen months.[8][9] Later, in an odd twist, Dimmick’s son claimed to develop a second sight which allowed him to sense gold deposits. The Dimmicks would lead Eltinge and others on fruitless gold finding expeditions in the Shawangunks and Catskills, leaving their followers broke.[8]

In 1879, the owners of the land on Hussey Hill granted a lease to Simon S. Westbrook, who had purchased the Hudson River Gold & Silver Mining Company’s equipment at foreclosure. Westbrook became involved with the Home Gold and Silver Mining Company, which established offices in Esopus and New York City. The company quickly acquired two million dollars in investment funds to work the mine on Hussey Hill. Much of this funding was raised through public viewings of weekend dig operations directed by a company sales associate.[9] As with Eltinge and Dimmick, no appreciable gold was ever verifiably found, and none of the gold supposedly produced was ever shown.[8]

The last gasp of gold fever at Hussey Hill occurred in 1891. A farmer, Conrad Burger, claimed he discovered a rock on his farm at the base of Hussey Hill which contained gold. A sample of the rock was sent to New York City to verify the claim, and it was judged to actually contain gold. However, whether the rock came from Hussey Hill is questionable. In spite of this fact, Burger managed to sell a twenty-year lease to three men hoping to strike gold on his property."

 

[Darth Placer]

Hey Turnpike... I used to live in Dutchess County ... as has been said swinging a detector would probably yield some great results, lots a history in that region.

I never panned a single stream in that state, but have been in many of them trout fishing over the decades in the Appalachians, Catskills, and Adirondacks.... I still wonder if any of them were gold bearing since taking up prospecting. It haunts me a bit every time I wonder about it. I think of all those damn rock walls and digging on property on top of a hill and finding large somewhat rounded rocks (traveled) in dirt. It would suggest lots of glaciation.

I would look for the lowest spots in glaciated regions and do some panning. I strongly urge you to learn how to pan before "trying your luck" in the streams. Get some paydirt and practice. When your ready get at least a 1/4" bucket sized classifier and start shoveling. The fine flood gold is easiest to find on the inside bends of streams... mostly on the top couple of inches. If you can find that start broadening your search elsewhere in the streams and brooks. I would avoid the larger rivers until you learn the ropes (much harder to find a pay line in them)

I have seen some gold come out of the NY that is of a decent size... like red pepper flake.

Keep in mind nothing is guaranteed with prospecting..... I have seen some beginners declare no gold in creeks that are just busting with it... much to there dismay being shown it was right under there feet.

I cannot stress enough to learn how to pan and do it well so you have a chance of finding it in the streams. Learn how to pan with fine flour gold ... all the good stuff will follow. If you can find that your odds of success will increase a couple 1000 times and you will be ready to hit the streams.

I don't know if its against the rules here but my suggestion is to get a bag of Dirthogg Paydirt .... really great stuff to hone your skills with.

Get yourself:
A good strong shovel (them rocks are cobbled in them streams and will bust a weak one quick)

A deep riffled pan

1/4" classifier ... it can be as simple as a 5 gallon bucket with a ton of 1/4" holes drilled in it..... it works best when you only try to classify one shovelful vs filling the whole bucket.

5 gallon bucket

Snuffer bottle

Some vials to put the gold in

A drop magnet (magnet attached to a plunger inside a tube for picking up and removing black sands) those black sands will hide a lot of your fine gold especially when just starting out.

And of course a bag of paydirt

Good luck and please do keep me posted

 

[Chase7628]

The problem with gold panning and prospecting in NY State is that, NY state is one of the few states that own the rights to any gold you find...so keep it hush hush, on the DL, and a fishing pole nearby...if anyone questions what your doing you looking for bait for fishing...lol