Points for Prospectors.

 

 

A very brief inspection of old workings will toon enable the "new-chum" to recognise the bedrock of a river when he reaches it in sinking a shaft. It Is usually soft and decomposed just where the alluvial deposits rest on it, and in that condition is often known as "pipeclay" on account of its whiteness. A few feet further down, however, the slaty structure become visible, the rock gets harder, and the colour changes to yellow, grey, and other darker tints.
Down to this bottom the prospector sinks and takes up the stuff immediately resting on it with a few inches of the bottom Itself, as gold often lodges down in the crevices. In very shallow ground open trenches in various directions, or a number of holes at short intervals, are sufficient to enable the ground to be tested, but in deeper ground it is necessary to open drives from the bottom of the prospecting hole so as to try the stuff along the bottom in any direction desired. The object is to test the gravel resting on bedrock, as that is the most likely to contain gold. In some ground not a foot should be passed over without panning it, as it is not at all uncommon for cold to occur in certain narrow "runs," while promising looking stuff on either side is valueless.
While the Importance of working the gravel on the river bottom is greatly stressed, It is always advisable to pan any layer of gravel passed through In sinking a hole.
Old, abandoned ground, If it has not been too often reworked, will frequently be found to afford a living, or an occasional patch or nugget, if again carefully worked.


the newbie that is ready to take the next step in climbing up the ladder to success as a prospector should read the above statement !!!! If it doesn't jump out at you the first time read it again and again and again!
I'm not going to spoon feed you as to what I mean by my post when ready you will understand what I mean !
Thanks Whiskers for posting this in here and as all of your posts are informative some are really inspirational towards getting people to think about how? Why? Where ? Well done !

I seriously need an old hand mentor

Went back out to me head bang spot, with the aim of diggen to bed rock in a now dry gravel bar! and diggen sideways trench's between old shallow diggings trying to figure out what the oldtimers were up to/on to??

Conclusion: The rivers has good patch's of flood gold, yet the gold in my opinion is not coming from the river at all!
the river was just a mode for washing the dry banks in times of long ago floods??

Next plan! I dug me first trench about a foot deep across the width of the oldtimers diggens between their rock piles, then sample panned the length of me trench!!
One particular spot along my trench showed a couple of colors, cool!
Dug 2 new trench's about 8 feet either side from me first one! Not a spec, Not cool at all

Started to sink a hole in the first trench where I got the color, sounded like a plan?!?
Scored a lot of fine specs and a nice little picker in the next foot, "alright" I'm smellen Gold
That was it, nothen ended up down about 5 foot in never enden old river rock
Now I know why the oldtimers dug trench's in this area rather than holes! Man thats hard yakku!!

Conclusion: apart from the gold must have been won from the higher layers, I have absolutely No Idea!

Cheers
Frustrated Chris

Maybe that's why the old timers only dug two shallow trenches ! you have to read the ancient line ! What is today was not what it was a few millennia ago ? You know that of course! so you could be digging on the outer side of he flow but to day it looks like the side of the bend .
I think you conclusion of how the gold is in the river or creek is correct . So more prospecting is required on your behalf , have a look at that the old timers found and then try and arrange that either on paper or in your mind .
I wish you well

 

 

Someday,

Keep working on it !

As was said before, sometimes it's best to actually draw what you have done to get a better idea of what you have and what needs to be done yet.

"Strong and steady wins the race".

Joe

Thanks guys, I'm hearen yu's
This river sucks donkey's balls

The oldtimers rock piles are everywhere, at a guess I'd say about 100+ over about 5k's on both sides of the river!
The smaller piles right on the river banks are no more than 3 foot tall, the taller piles being anywhere up to 300 feet away from stupid river are about 6 foot tall!
As for the direction of the trench's they run every which way

The spot I'm at has and still does produce the best gold by far
there's diddly squat info on the area, which I still feel is in my best interest, even tho it's a head bang experience

Bought me 5K purely for this spot! wrong tecktu in my opinion, a GB2 wouldu better suited SIGH! or maybe not given the high amount black sands??
a fellow prospector recently gave me some insight with me 5K, so maybe there's still hope for me expensive walken stick

Anyways, back out in the heat, about to run me sluice box cons through me new invention

Cheers
Chris.

Keep us updated someday !

 

Woohoo, cons all done

2.41 grams the heat made it look more
me middle catch tray ain't performing like it did, bit of a tweak on that one and she should be all good

Cheers
Chris.

Crikey's, this map drawing bizzo has merit

Always mapped out what I was diggen and where, nevu mapped out what the oldtimers dug??
There's a very good reason why me trench hole was so barren

Also provides a very clear reason why this spot in the river has always produced! "wrong spot"

I can't believe I've been such a dummen? well actually I can

Thanks Guys

Cheers
Chris

Well done !

Thanks Ark mate, the join the dots drawing makes perfect sense, and not so random at all when you start pin pointing certain diggings

I was so blind, now I can see

Still lots of work required! I can only hope the guys doing well were shaking there heads while watching the guys diggen in the wrong spot on another bend

Might be wishful thinken, but I will nevu look at this river the same again

someday wrote:Thanks Ark mate, the join the dots drawing makes perfect sense, and not so random at all when you start pin pointing certain diggings

I was so blind, now I can see

Still lots of work required! I can only hope the guys doing well were shaking there heads while watching the guys diggen in the wrong spot on another bend

Might be wishful thinken, but I will nevu look at this river the same again

Looks like my job here is done !

t'is indeed, may the sluice be with you! or pan, or tecktu

I was prospecten a river in WA many moons ago which to me had the same frustrations involved! I'm so shaken me head

someday wrote:t'is indeed, may the sluice be with you! or pan, or tecktu

I was prospecten a river in WA many moons ago which to me had the same frustrations involved! I'm so shaken me head

Lol! The basics never change !

I only wash for gold these days !

always looked at it, that I was carven the new trench, then follow the gravy trail "always, always" kept track of my path!

"What a stupid thought" on my behalf !!!! however there are some benefits to come out of the whole ordeal!
Me and fine gold are so happy together, courser gold will have no choice but to call my pan home

 

Dofus says thanks

If it wasn't for some deep holes I'd sunk in barren ground and me trusty hand auger, I doubt the penny would've dropped in tying to link the dots!

I've got a terrible knack for landing me shovel on the only gold when I'm taking sample's, go back for a better looksee and nothing wtf
the mind boggles over that one but it happens time and time again

Now if someone could turn the temp down I'd be most grateful! the odds of turning into a shishkabob out there are rather high

Cheers
Dofus Chris.

 

Minus 14'C here in the Central US (Indiana) this morning @ 10:00 AM.

Order up all this lot you want! (willing to trade!)

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Stilesville&state=IN&site=IND&lat=39.6383&lon=-86.6323

Joe

 

reckon you can keep those temps Joe with your top of -3c on Friday "No thank you"
I know where a crazy bunch BUT

Cheers
Chris.