highdesertranger
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can't beat Estwing. Guy one these days you need to come out west so we can do some digging. highdesertranger
gold mining
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Every Road Leads Home
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Great thread, thanks for bumping it and thannks to HDR for originally sharing the info. This is something i've always wanted to get into but it's on my long list of things I want to get into ha. When I was around 23 I started doing some construction work on the side and rented a 10x20 storage unit to store tools and materials in because I lived in an condo at the time. One day in the unit next to me was an older man with a bunch of prospecting stuff. Got to talking to him....he and his brothers had prospected for gold on the weekends at a little camp they had in Maine. He wouldn't tell me exactly where but said they never got rich off it but it did pay for a lot of weekends away together. Ever since meeting him, my interest was piqued
HDR, do you belong to any local clubs or have own claims you work on?
I was involved in a mining claim in AZ for a period of time back in the 80's. That is where I became familiar with a dry washer and really familiar with a shovel. There was a very large tailing pile there I wanted to re-work with larger equipment but couldn't get it pulled off. Long stories about that situation.
Next adventure was a trip to the Feather River in northern CA where my brother and I bought a high banker and worked on a section of river there and explored the area for a few weeks. Spent a few days at a public dig at Rich Bar owned by Norm Grant. That was some grunt work but was a nice place. My brother got into sniping and dredging and spent more time there during that summer and I had to get back and see after another project I had going at the time.
Still have a bug to do some more but thinking about trying metal detecting again for nuggets. Back in 1979-80 I had a Garrett Master Hunter that I used for coin and jewelry hunting. Bought it from Charles Garrett himself at his plant in Garland, TX. Met Hardrock Hendricks and Jimmy Sierra there one day.
I was involved in a mining claim in AZ for a period of time back in the 80's. That is where I became familiar with a dry washer and really familiar with a shovel. There was a very large tailing pile there I wanted to re-work with larger equipment but couldn't get it pulled off. Long stories about that situation.
Next adventure was a trip to the Feather River in northern CA where my brother and I bought a high banker and worked on a section of river there and explored the area for a few weeks. Spent a few days at a public dig at Rich Bar owned by Norm Grant. That was some grunt work but was a nice place. My brother got into sniping and dredging and spent more time there during that summer and I had to get back and see after another project I had going at the time.
Still have a bug to do some more but thinking about trying metal detecting again for nuggets. Back in 1979-80 I had a Garrett Master Hunter that I used for coin and jewelry hunting. Bought it from Charles Garrett himself at his plant in Garland, TX. Met Hardrock Hendricks and Jimmy Sierra there one day.
highdesertranger
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hey Dennis, I used to belong to the GPAA. at the moment I belong to the New 49ers and the Quartzsite Metal Detecting Club. I work public areas, private claims, and private property. I used to have my own claim north of Barstow CA. I am searching for a new claim now. I have seriously prospected in AZ, AK, CA, NV, and OR. I have fiddled around in ID, Yukon, MT, and UT. if Kalifornia every pulls it head out of it's *ss I will be back up on the Klamath River dredging. you can make money there, still lots of gold fairly easy to get to. highdesertranger
I guess that is Happy Camp you are talking about? Hear it is a great area. Although I'm not an underwater operator it has been on my list of places to go if only to look it over. When it comes to mining in present times I don't know if the Golden State will ever change directions. Used to visit the New 49ers site some years back and used to have some of Dave McCracken's early books.
Anyone ever find anything big enough to see in the Quartzsite area with detectors? Or is it detected to death?
Anyone ever find anything big enough to see in the Quartzsite area with detectors? Or is it detected to death?
highdesertranger
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yeppers lots of gold still in the Klamath. the Klamath was not worked as hard as the Mother Lode area.
as far as Quartzsite I really can't say, last year during the RTR was the first year I have worked the area. although I got permission to go on private claims I didn't find much at all. this year I will expand the search. note that last year we had pretty good storms go through and the ground was way to wet to run the dry washer. as far as metal detecting the area, metal detecting is the hardest form of prospecting. I have found more gold with a pie pan and garden trowel then with a metal detector. I have a White's GMT. what are you swinging. highdesertranger
as far as Quartzsite I really can't say, last year during the RTR was the first year I have worked the area. although I got permission to go on private claims I didn't find much at all. this year I will expand the search. note that last year we had pretty good storms go through and the ground was way to wet to run the dry washer. as far as metal detecting the area, metal detecting is the hardest form of prospecting. I have found more gold with a pie pan and garden trowel then with a metal detector. I have a White's GMT. what are you swinging. highdesertranger
Yeah, might do as good sitting on an Oregon beach with a Gold Cube and a spoon than using a detector. I don't have a detector at the present. Sold the Garrett I had long ago. Took it to AZ and didn't find a speck with it. It actually had a malfunction I had to get Garrett to fix. A friend's mother found a pea sized nugget with a dowsing rod on that trip. I did bring back some big chunks of high grade silver ore.
Not sure I will get another detector just something I have thought about when I make it back west.
Not sure I will get another detector just something I have thought about when I make it back west.
Wanderer
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HDR, sorry to be late, but curious (If this wasn't addresses earlier) but do you have someone watching while you're dredging/prospecting?
I heard from some who had a six man crew with one armed and watching hills or areas for "Others"
Never had issues or have you? (No not asking for a body count!)
I heard from some who had a six man crew with one armed and watching hills or areas for "Others"
Never had issues or have you? (No not asking for a body count!)
Many nice specimens shown there. Thanks for the link! I don't know if they still find nuggets like that these days like in years past. Always wanted to go look for myself and to see Australia but doubt I will ever make that trip.gsfish said:
highdesertranger
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Wanderer short answer is no I don't have armed guards. basically I go to areas where I feel they are not needed. however there are some areas in So Cal that I will not go to anymore because I won't leave my stuff unattended. highdesertranger
highdesertranger
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bump. highdesertranger
blmkid
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GOLD FEVER! I went to the Charlotte, NC GPAA gold show back around 2010? Tom Massie was telling the story about, how with his Dad (Buzzard), found the gold worth almost 1 million bucks. It was in the 80's? I enjoyed watching Tom when I had directv, on the Outdoor Channel.
Well..guess I could bring my never used gold pan from GPAA. Maybe there is gold in the Colorado River? Or maybe HDR will give me a gold panning lesson? I'll be at Ehrenburg 1/6/2018.
If gold don't excite you, you might be dead. IMO.
Well..guess I could bring my never used gold pan from GPAA. Maybe there is gold in the Colorado River? Or maybe HDR will give me a gold panning lesson? I'll be at Ehrenburg 1/6/2018.
If gold don't excite you, you might be dead. IMO.
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highdesertranger
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yeah I am still trying to learn AZ. haven't had much luck there yet. someday I will change that. highdesertranger
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Now I'm lookin for a way to tag specific threads so I can watch this one closely !highdesertranger said:
Always hope to learn more ! wheels
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wheels said:
on your PC upper right corner, there's a star next to magnyifting glass, click on the star to save this thread(an example) a little box pops up "Bookmard added" , go to folder under name, click on the arrow pointing down, click on that, a list or not drops down, at the bottom, click on , choose another folder, click on that, bottom left of the new box that opened, it will be highlighted in blue, hit backspace key on pc and you rename it whatever ya like, it will show in the bookmark bar. I guess if you have Windows 10, which I use.
I hope this helped. I'm learning also.
highdesertranger
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blmkid, yes there is gold in the Colorado river, but it's what known as flood gold very small and very widely spread out. it's very hard to find a place were it's concentrated. up by Lake Mead and down by Yuma there are some deposits next to the river.
for sure bring your pan. I give the prospecting seminar at the RTR and will teach everyone how to pan. this year I am planning a surprise at the seminar. highdesertranger
for sure bring your pan. I give the prospecting seminar at the RTR and will teach everyone how to pan. this year I am planning a surprise at the seminar. highdesertranger
highdesertranger
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a member asked about prospecting in a PM so I am using that as an excuse to bump this thread. highdesertranger
HalfShadows
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Thanks HDR for leading me to this thread. I live in Washington and became interested in prospecting last fall. I have built a portable recirculating sluice and purchased a blue bowl and a smelter. The area which i live are foothills to the cascades and the material i work with(Practice) is mainly glacial moraine. I sample rocks with mineral stains by crushing then running thru my sluice in the garage then classify and run thru the Blue Bowl. Through out last winter I have gotten about 6 gold flakes the rest black sand mainly magnetic along with sulphides. I have smelted a 24gm batch of sulphides poured it in a cone mold and got a few grams of silver. Have not smelted the rest. Since it rains all winter here I utilized the time to acquire aforementioned equipment and build skills using it. My goal is to travel, see the sights and prospect. I will be building a cargo van soon to accommadate my prospecting equip. So far i have enjoyed the skill building and want to develop skills in the prospecting for gold side.
