Stupid question from a newb

[jonesy2012]

So, im just getting into the geology of gold, but here is my question. New so bear with me. If you find flakes and placers, shouldn't you through hard work and research be able to find the "lode" source? It obviously isn't that easy, but isn't that the basic premise? Thanks for your insight!

 

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[TerryC]

That is the theory, Jonesy, but is not quite that easy. If you are in a "gold rich" area, such as The Mother Lode, you may have several sources of the placers. One general idea is, the closer to the source, the courser will be the gold. Gold that has traveled a long way in a river will be well rounded and "smooth". I would suggest (for what my opinion is worth) that the time spent looking for the source would be better spent gathering all that placer in the river! Or try looking for the outcrop with a detector. Good luck. (NOT a stupid question!) TTC

 

[jonesy2012]

Yeh im kinda along the same lines with your thinking. I mean it's got to be extremely well hidden or extremely remote if for example people find fines and little pickers regularly but nobody is taking home significant amounts. Ya see, i'm a kinda out there thinker and have a lot of free time on my hands, but i live in tn and it's not an incredibly "rich" area, but i see people posting videos frequently with them finding gold in the gold belt here. It tells me that somewhere upriver or upstream is the origin of this gold. Why are we not finding it? Not looking hard enough? Content to find the pickers and not the source? Or is it just flat out that elusive?!

 

[TerryC]

Keep on looking. Go where it has been found before. Granted, TN is not like The Mother Lode, but you will find some. Hard work though. Good luck. TTC

 

[jonesy2012]

Yeah im definitely gonna look. Wonder how long it will take me to build up an ounce?! With the free time i have, i have 3 days every week ro commit to looking, an ounce a month would be a nice supplemental income! Hahaha. I also am going to get out to sacremento area too. Is that in the cali gold region? Dont know much about that area

 

[ahaulil]

So, im just getting into the geology of gold, but here is my question. New so bear with me. If you find flakes and placers, shouldn't you through hard work and research be able to find the "lode" source? It obviously isn't that easy, but isn't that the basic premise? Thanks for your insight!

Read this story:[h=1]All Gold Canyon by Jack London[/h]All Gold Canyon by Jack London @ Classic Reader



This is a way to trace gold's journey.

 

[jonesy2012]

My buddy's ranch is 50,000 acres located in NorCal between sacramento and redding. Would that be considered "gold country"?

 

[kuger]

....are you sure your area is not Glacial gold?

 

[jonesy2012]

Kuger,

By "my area" do you mean the area in TN?

 

[kuger]

Kuger,

By "my area" do you mean the area in TN?

any where you may be prospecting for a "lode"

 

[jonesy2012]

Got ya. Im not sure really. Ill need to read up.

 

[kuger]

Got ya. Im not sure really. Ill need to read up.

with Tiertiery (SP) Channel gold you may be chasing a phantom as well

 

[jmoller99]

In most placer river areas of Alaska, no one has ever found the Lode source (maybe its just the big mosquitos that are protecting it). A lot of places gave glacial gold - you may have some of that from a former Ice Age.

 

[jonesy2012]

That could be it i assume. Probably wouldn't have a load source if it were glacial. The gold made during mountain forming would have the lode though correct?

Also, geologists are learning more and more every year about the formation of gold right? So maybe it stands to reason that we may learn something eventually that we didn't know that could put us on the source better?

Fun to think about.

Thanks!

 

[TerryC]

My buddy's ranch is 50,000 acres located in NorCal between sacramento and redding. Would that be considered "gold country"?

Yes, Jonesy! You will do good in that area. The Mother Lode starts at about Mariposa and goes north up into Oregon. Do some reading/research on the area to maximize your chances. TTC

 

[Goodyguy]

So, im just getting into the geology of gold, but here is my question. New so bear with me. If you find flakes and placers, shouldn't you through hard work and research be able to find the "lode" source? It obviously isn't that easy, but isn't that the basic premise? Thanks for your insight!

Here is a thread from a few years back that addresses that question...... http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/hard-rock-mining/129814-one-way-find-mother-lode.html

 

[jonesy2012]

Thats great! I just actually read that thread last night. It's git to be more tedious than anything i i would imagine.

 

[63bkpkr]

Gold can be very elusive, in gold country or not in normal gold country. Where it comes from first is some rock formation that becomes eroded away with many sources of erosion being possible. Finding it is work and can also be fun but it is all about an adventure and some days or years you find it and some you do not. My last three trips out I've moved some serious river boulders where gold should have been but was not and I know that not 30 feet away about an ounce or two of some Nice pickers were taken out last year. Do your research and enjoy your time out there..........63bkpkr

 

[penster]

Good guy....thanks for the link.

 

[freddy williams]

Goodguy and 63bkpkr are some seasoned prospectors as well as the others who commented to your thread. I read alot of their info they posts it has helped alot. Good luck and may all your dirt produce some gold.