The truth about nugget shooting with a detector.

[Mitch Dickson]

So you found a nugget or picker with a detector. So what do you do? Why you grid off and sweep the whole area of course and try to clean up that patch, right?

That is the absolutely the most stupid thing you can ever do, period! Nothing else you ever will do can come close to the "stupid" that fiasco will be.

First, there are 3 kinds of gold, hard rock, placer, and pocket gold. Most people don't even know pocket gold exists! It is formed where a vein deteriotates and rots over the centuries and accumulates down the rotton vein into the ground in one spot. This means that a pocket 1 foot square and 5 feet down will be richer than 9 foot up a bull's rear end! As it continues to weather, small traces of gold are thrown off around the pocket on top of the ground and with the wind it can even go uphill! These are called loams and a loamer through a lot of work can locate and dig out the pocket. These can be extremely rich! In the old days pockets were found worth 20 to 30 thousand dollars when gold was $16.50 an ounce! The Dutch were experts at this and were very hush hush about it. The "Lost Dutchman" was probably the result of a pocket he stumbled on and was never found as there was no visible vein to find. That is why they came into a gold field after everyone else had left. No prying eyes! They didn't care about placer or hard rock gold. They were after the pocket gold!

Now that picker you just found came from somewhere, most likely a pocket. The larger pieces are usually found close to the pocket top or entrance into the ground. You need to stop, loam out the area (memorize a book called "Loaming for Gold") and find and take out the pocket first. There will be plenty of time to piddle around with a detector cleaning out the patch.

If you dig around and mess with the area until you clean it of your clues and wipe any and all traces of the pocket, words cannot express your stupidity! You will settle for pennies when hundreds of thousands of dollars are just 3 to 5 foot beneath you feet!

You have to know when to throw that metal detector down and find the real gold.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

That old saying comes to mind.. A "little" knowledge can really hurt you. Sorry Mitch but while I understand what you are saying, I certainly can't agree with the advice completely.

 

[gold tramp]

pocket gold is hard rock gold,
ive been diggin these for many a year, still waitin for that 10.000 dollar pocket, hell i would settle for a 100 dollar pocket, finding detectable pockets its a rare beast, i dont get that detectable gold but once in a great while.
just dug one last week it only had grams, but it had to be found by eye, good luck chasing the hard rock.

your right about the rotten center of the pockets being the richest.
GT....................

 

[azblackbird]

You have to know when to throw that metal detector down and find the real gold.

Ahhhhhh... see that's the key... knowing! Not all gold is found in pockets, and not all pockets contain gold. You make a really good case for knowing the geology of the area you're detecting, and how and why the gold (if any) in the area was found and what methods were used for extraction. Like you, I know for a fact that there's been many a detectorist who has left significant amounts of gold in the ground, all because they didn't understand how the one or two nuggets they may found got there in the first place, and didn't possess the knowledge (or just didn't care) to investigate any further.

 

[huntsman53]

While I can't totally agree with everything the O.P. stated, he does make some great points. Hopefully everyone that reads his post will understand that this is hunting on land and not in creeks, streams or rivers, even though the same scenario is possible in some locations along these as well. So we are nugget shooting on land, we find a Gold nugget and we know that it had to come from somewhere. That somewhere could be a rotten pocket or a hard rock deposit but of course we could consider that it was found elsewhere by another Prospector and lost here but this is highly unlikely. In the O.P.'s scenario, I believe that a person needs to carry two metal detectors. A good VLF or PI unit for finding the Gold nuggets that are on or near the surface of the ground, then switch to a two box unit for locating the rotten pocket or hard rock deposit as the likelihood that the first unit is going to find these pockets or deposits at those depths, is somewhat of a long shot. Also, in most cases by digging, racking and scraping an area 10 or 20 feet in diameter around where the nugget was found or hoping to locate these with the eye, is wishful thinking at best.

Just my thoughts on the subject!


Frank

 

[azblackbird]

Also, in most cases by digging, raking and scraping an area 10 or 20 feet in diameter around where the nugget was found or hoping to locate these with the eye, is wishful thinking at best.

Many a lucrative pocket and nugget patch here in the AZ deserts have been found by using those exact methods.

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

I agree, metal detectors should be used for PROSPECTING not looking for nuggets, without a PAN, you are just fishing in the dark!

 

[RW]

Well at least I learned what "loaming for gold" is. Gotta say though, never done it but fishing in the dark for nuggets sounds great to me.

 

[gold tramp]

all nuggets are born from hardrock pockets, a pocket can be as big as 1 flake up to poundage, metal detecting is absolute the best way to score nuggets from the ground.
as dredging and sniping is the best way in the water to score nuggs.

We call it a pocket in hard rock because of the shape, most resemble a pocket once removed even the tiny ones, even on strong paying veins you can hit pockets of enrichments , ore Shoots these were what made the stuff you placer hunters pan for in the waters.

Good thread
GT..............

 

[MadMarshall]

How I wish gold was that simple.. You make it sound so easy... Though it seems you have left out a whole lot.. some of these "Pockets" have been completely eroded away." Just an small example". To many things in your post are just not sound advice more opinions I think. What experiences are these opinions born from?
I would be interested in seeing some of your RESULTS? Any vids or pics of your exploits?
from your thoughts about pockets to the habits of others prospectors to your praise of the Dutch Miners all seem to be born out of opinion.

 

[Jeff95531]

Hey Mitch. I am not here to slam you, I see you have been a member for awhile. It's just that I got the feeling you were going to try and sell me something. When we discuss things like loaming here, it goes something like this:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/panning-gold/325118-loaming.html

We all want to find the source, but I know this to be THE most difficult part of prospecting. Please keep in mind there are no absolutes in prospecting as all areas are a little different and require different tools of the trade. I do agree a MD for nugget shooting is a great tool but it depends on the area and the gold you will find there. Lanny has several good threads on this.

 

[Mitch Dickson]

Hey, you boys do as you please. The pockets I am talking about are where no visible vein is left at all. It was higher up and eroded away. It is a spot where if you dig down you will find the weathered pocket. The trouble is finding that spot! The Dutch could track down a pocket with enough work and time from just 2 or 3 colors in a pan from a random sample. If you find a picker, out in the middle of nowhere, it is a good sign, a pocket might be nearby. You should search for that first and then go back to your detector if nothing is found. Tearing up the area, scattering the loams, and making it impossible to track down the pocket if there is one is not a great idea. Old Sam Cash who wrote down what he knew around 1934 in his book called "Loaming for Gold" took out over 200 pockets in his lifetime in Australia. You might want to at least see what he had to say about pockets and loaming. As for me, I've had a few good days, and a whole bunch of bad ones prospecting No one knows it all but old Sam knew a lot! I have found out enough not to have to work for another man in several years. You there yet? Then either stay exactly where you are or educate yourself.

I got some more news. Platinum did the exact same thing gold did. There are pockets of it waiting out there that no one has even thought to look for. Problem is, it is not in nuggets. A detector is usless, as is quicksilver to retrieve it. It is in colors only. Much harder to run down. Gold methods don't work! But here is a hint, got any old copper smelters around with lots of old slag heaps? Check the slag! You see copper, silver and gold melt at 2000 degrees and were smelted out. That won't even get Platinum warm so it went into the slag! Platinum wasn't worth squat at the turn of the century, no one was going to retrieve it, it was dross. Didn't the fact that the Chinese are hauling that old slag to China by the train and dump truck loads give you a clue? I'll swear they are hauling off wealth that makes Fort Knox look like a piggy bank! Titanium, Chromium, tungsten, and who knows what else is in that slag.

Maybe the kid that wants video and pics can go get his own proof

You find copper slag with Platimun in it and the area where it was dug should be full of platinum pockets. Nuff said.

 

[MadMarshall]

Was just hoping to see something else from ya then talk.. No worries though.. I enjoy stories.... Also I find it comforting that I aint the only one making an ass of themselves thru Posts... I do that myself from time to time. Anyway from how you write your posts I am still not certain if your intention is educating.. Or you are angry that less skilled prospectors for tearing up clues to these pockets thus making it more difficult for you to succeed. both? something else? When reading your posts something comes to mind..." Oelewapper ". (I have some Dutch in my family tree)

 

[huntsman53]

Many a lucrative pocket and nugget patch here in the AZ deserts have been found by using those exact methods.

I am sure that they have but how many or how much more would have been found with a good Gold Metal Detector and a Two-Box Metal Detector!!??


Frank

 

[azblackbird]

I am sure that they have but how many or how much more would have been found with a good Gold Metal Detector and a Two-Box Metal Detector!!??

That's the cool part. There are still many pocket veins out there that are in range of a good gold detector that may have been overlooked or undiscovered by the old timers. That's my primary prospecting focus as we speak.

 

[delnorter]

I seem to recall an old saying about the pot and the kettle. Ha, Ha.

Mike

 

[Cassews]

I dig up flake gold does that count ? But we don't use a metal detector for that .. Sorry all..

 

[ice9]

Oh yes, the Chinese are taking all of America's slag piles and getting rich!

We must alert the world to this terrible new conspiracy!!!

Those wily Commies!

Best laffs ever on this forum, the best!