Sign of the times??

[russau]

Well it's either pointing to the economy or Gold mining in any style is slowing down or going passé in my opinion. Clubs are folding up , people don't want any free dredging / prospecting help ! I've offered to our club here in Misery free dredging lessons if they locate a location for over a year and not 1 question about it popped up. After all that I thought about my situation (health wise) I decided to hang it up ! NOT that I wanted to but it was getting to the point that I had some health problems to say the least ! So I put my equipment up for sale at a very reasonable price and didn't get any offer's (even from the club I belong to. They would accept donated items and promptly sold them off for cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ended up selling all my equipment to 2 people in Illinois for give away prices. To me this is pointing to a deep recession coming soon. I'm keeping a close eye on the Prez. election's and who get's reelected or elected into office to fatten their pocket's! Now it's time for me to sit back and watch the hypocrite's and their lie's and how much Joe Public will swallow their lie's !!

 

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[goldenmojo]

Russ It’s sounds like your in Misery but we’re in California. Imagine that kind of pain....

 

[fuzzymaster]

I try to keep on the sunny side in general.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Russau,

I think it has more to do with uncertainty right now more than anything. We're sitting on a major platinum metals group claim but not sure exactly what to do just yet with the election and an idiot liberal judge here in Tucson basically reinterpreting the 1872 Mining Act to suit his purpose. So we'll see where things go over the next year.

 

[russau]

Good luck Mad M. I truly know the pain !! Been there ,done that kinda day !

 

[gold tramp]

I think people just dont like the hard work.
Politics is just an excuse not to work.
You got a claim lets see some work.
Heck i would be more than happy to do a bunch of muckin this day, just cant find the productive grounds to work!

Gt....

 

[Lanny in AB]

Russ, genuinely sorry to hear about your situation; it does indeed sound depressing, and not nice that your equipment got sold so cheaply.

Hang in there, and all the best,

Lanny

 

[Mad Machinist]

I think people just dont like the hard work.
Politics is just an excuse not to work.
You got a claim lets see some work.
Heck i would be more than happy to do a bunch of muckin this day, just cant find the productive grounds to work!

Gt....

We got the go ahead on one amd we are moving forward. The water withdrawal was for nonmetaliferous ores only. So ots on like Donkey Kong.

And we are dealing with the Fecal Circus aka Forest Service on several others, so its gonna be awhile on those.

 

[mendoAu]

Came to the conclusion that all I can do these days is to give the BLM people homemade blackberry ice creme topping to take home with them during their visits....go figur'
A couple of months ago I had a chat with the local sheriff and wondered if any youngsters from the local organizations wanted to come out and learn how to pan.....not a word back yet.

 

[Hard Prospector]

If a socialist gets elected in 2020, economy will tank and precious metals will go through the roof. Gold at $2000.00 + an ounce and people will be buying up claims, flooding back into clubs and buying prospecting gear like crazy.......I fu(k'n guarantee it! Any mining gear you want to sell just be patient.

 

[BillA]

I would opine it is the disinclination for physical labor.
The imaginary golden pot at the finish motivates some for athletics, so later they have a useful body and perhaps some bad joints (I know many).
I used to hire the support techs for a pipe mfgr, 6'2" min and 220lbs +; they simply had to be big and strong - ex-athletes all.

It used to be that one had brains, capital, or muscle; the best was all 3 together, but without the first 2 a man needed to be prepared for physical work. Times change, we live in a service industry. (Spengler would call ours an apex society, we are no longer builders.)

in todays news: https://www.rt.com/business/471050-illegal-immigration-crackdown-oil/
not just mining (btw, who would want to be a coal miner ?)

 

[Goldwasher]

gauging small scale or large scale mining activity based on club member and retiree participation...is not an accurate metric.

When I moved to Placerville I figured the local gem and Mineral and Metal Detecting clubs would be awesome. The Gem club meeting was packed. People of all ages.

An hour and a half of discussing everything but Gems and Minerals...no outings...no geology finds or activities discussed. Never went back.

Metel detecting club much smaller.. Mainly Park Hunters. Show and tell portion consisted of two guys showing of rusty nails and canslaw. Never went back.

Most people get into it as a "hobby" cause they think it's easy..

95% give up pretty much right away.

A large jump in price is good for miners...and also people who like to find good prices on gear from craigslist after that boils over.

I know Russ wants real bad to at least enjoy the dig vicariously...But, I learned a long time ago that most beginners " recreational" and overly politically worried "prospectors" Have way more motivation to talk themselves out of digging and focus on excuses.

Basically gotta do your thing and if you run into someone else who does it as much or more well, your lucky.

 

[Jason in Enid]

People just dont want to deal with the ever increasing govt restrictions. Why spend thousands on equipment when the primary usage places are outlawing it? I didnt buy my dredge to play around with flour gold that wont even cover my dredge gas. Dredging in places like Oklahoma and Misery are fine for learning the hands on portion, but if I knew back then that the Kali gold fields were about to be outlawed, I likely would have never stepped down that road.

Now look at the gold regions that still allow dredging... Every foot of river system is either private, removed from mineral claiming, or already held in claims. People treat claims like property and hold them jealously even when they have zero intent to return. Even the claims held by clubs are mostly off limits because the clubs dont want to do the paperwork to allow a club level motorized recovery. People watch the claims reporting system for ANY chance to pounce on a claim that has been allowed to lapse. Its the only way to get a shot.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Prospecting and small-scale gold mining is thriving here in Colorado!

 

[Underburden]

You can thank Todd Hoffman for the Sizzle and the Fizzle. What you see on the forums now is what it was like before Hoffman. Think about it.

 

[Hillbilly Prince]

I would opine it is the disinclination for physical labor.
The imaginary golden pot at the finish motivates some for athletics, so later they have a useful body and perhaps some bad joints (I know many).
I used to hire the support techs for a pipe mfgr, 6'2" min and 220lbs +; they simply had to be big and strong - ex-athletes all.

It used to be that one had brains, capital, or muscle; the best was all 3 together, but without the first 2 a man needed to be prepared for physical work. Times change, we live in a service industry. (Spengler would call ours an apex society, we are no longer builders.)

in todays news: https://www.rt.com/business/471050-illegal-immigration-crackdown-oil/
not just mining (btw, who would want to be a coal miner ?)

Bill, one thing I got from that article was that companies wouldn't or couldn't pay fair wages to American workers for hard, dangerous work. Hire llegal equals cost savings. Not to get political, but people who are all about letting workers just stroll over the border ignore the exploitation of these people.
Furthermore, I am beginning to loathe that word "fair".
Certain folks love to throw that word around.
My impression is that many activities are becoming out of reach for individuals. Between regulations, permits, cost of equipment and so on, it is easier to just watch tv or stare at your phone
Wonder what the situation is in Mexico or Alaska as far as unloading equipment.

 

[BillA]

HP ya got one, "fair" - whew, talk about a subjective evaluation
I have lived with Mexican workers, 12+ to an apartment; clean and safe, there for the work no more

as big as the US is, everyone competes economically - eventually

 

[et1955]

Mining is uncertain at best but with the proper knowledge it is profitable in many ways, keeping yourself in shape to mine is your best practice, trying to mine to get into shape will not work. Give up the dream no way.

 

[akflyer]

Bill, one thing I got from that article was that companies wouldn't or couldn't pay fair wages to American workers for hard, dangerous work. Hire llegal equals cost savings. Not to get political, but people who are all about letting workers just stroll over the border ignore the exploitation of these people.
Furthermore, I am beginning to loathe that word "fair".
Certain folks love to throw that word around.
My impression is that many activities are becoming out of reach for individuals. Between regulations, permits, cost of equipment and so on, it is easier to just watch tv or stare at your phone
Wonder what the situation is in Mexico or Alaska as far as unloading equipment.

I can say in AK that it seems people are still asking pretty much top dollar for a 20+ yr old clapped out keene with rotten hoses. I can also say that I see the same adds for claims and dredges staying up for long periods of time on craigslist and the like.

 

[Bejay]

I will throw my two cents into this thread. I believe my mining days are over(health and age issues): I told my wife 10 years ago this day would eventually come. But the biggest part of the end for me has been the abusive regulatory intrusions intent on making it difficult to continue to mine. Granted some states are worse than others, but for many of us the inability to "get the gold" due to restrictions on us allows the fever to diminish...year after year. I will be putting all my mining equipment up for sale...…...and there is no end to the extent I have gone to cover all the methods needed to extract gold from the ground. I don't see an end in sight to the restoration of "freedom to mine"....as the courts have not supported miners but rather have favored critters and fauna. At least I got to enjoy 40 plus years of "seeking and finding gold".

Bejay