Here's part II.
___________________________________________________
4.6 Idaho
Boise Basin is popular; maybe too popular.
4.7 Canada
4.7.1 Yukon Territory
>If you have any mining claims or leases in British Columbia or the
>Yukon, I would be interested in looking at them to buy.
>
>
>Peter
>Vancouver, Canada
In the Yukon, you might want to get in touch with Ted Fuller at-
tfuller@YKnet.YK.CA - He is the Govt. Geologist for the Yukon
District Placer Deposits. He might be able to direct you to some
information on claims available there.
'Ain't Computers Great!'
>>>>---Indian---->
(RDPC)
4.7.2 British Columbia
At the present time, panning only seems to be the status for any U.S.
citizen visiting B.C. Anyone with information to the contrary should
contact the FAQ author.
4.8 How Can I Get More Information?
PRECIOUS METAL LOCALITY LISTS
Detailed printed iists of specific precious metal localities are
available which give the site name, mining district, latitude,
longitude, country, state, province, metals present, deposit model
type, size of deposit, status of work, age of mineralization,
and host rock type.
Current lists available:
Arizona 966 sites, Mexico 610 sites, California, Ecuador, Nevada,
Idaho, Colombia, Panama, Oregon, Alaska.
Lists can be made tailored to specific areas on request.
For further information contact:
...............................................
. G.H. Hamilton .
. Geologist .
. EMAIL,INTERNET: 3326954@MCIMail.com .
. FAX: 804 490 0516 .
. TELEPHONE: 804 363 8093 .
. MAIL: P.O. BOX 5381, VIRGINIA BEACH .
. VIRGINIA 23455. U.S.A. .
. TELEX: 6503326954 MCI UW .
. X.400: G=hamilton; S=exploration; .
. DDA:ID=3326954; A=MCI; C=US .
...............................................
4.8 Do you Have the U.S. Geological Survey Contacts?
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
______________________________________________________________
ALABAMA (205)349-2852 TUSCALOOSA, AL 35486-9780
ALASKA (907)474-7147 FAIRBANKS, AK 99709-3645
ARIZONA (602)882-4795 TUCSON, AZ 85719-4816
ARKANSAS (501)324-9165 LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204
CALIFORNIA (916)445-1923 SACRAMENTO, CA 95814-3531
COLORADO (303)866-2611 DENVER, CO 80203
CONNECTICUT (203)566-3540 HARTFORD, CT 06106
DELAWARE (302)831-2833 NEWARK, DE 19716-7501
FLORIDA (904)488-4191 TALLAHASEE, FL 32304-7700
GEORGIA (404)656-3214 ATLANTA, GA 30334
HAWAII (808)587-0230 HONOLULU, HI 96809
IDAHO (208)885-7991 MOSCOW, ID 83843
ILLINOIS (217)335-5111 CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820-6964
INDIANA (812)855-9350 BLOOMINGTON, IN 47405
IOWA (319)335-1575 IOWA CITY, IA 52242-1319
KANSAS (913)864-3965 LAWRENCE, KS 66047
KENTUCKY (606)257-5500 LEXINGTON, KY 40506-0107
LOUISIANA (504)388-5320 BATON ROUGE, LA 70893-2827
MAINE (207)287-2801 AUGUSTA, ME 04333
MARYLAND (410)554-5500 BALTIMORE, MD 21218
MASSACHUSETTS (617)727-9800 BOSTON, MA 02202
MICHIGAN (517)334-6923 LANSING, MI 48909
MINNESOTA (612)627-4780 ST. PAUL, MN 55114-1057
MISSISSIPPI (601)961-5500 JACKSON, MS 39289-1307
MISSOURI (314)368-2100 ROLLA, MO 65401
MONTANA (406)496-4180 BUTTE, MT 59701
NEBRASKA (402)472-3471 LINCOLN, NE 68588-0517
NEVADA (702)784-6691 RENO, NV 89557-0088
NEW HAMPSHIRE (603)271-3406 CONCORD, NH 03302-2008
NEW JERSEY (609)292-1185 TRENTON, NJ 08625
NEW MEXICO (505)835-5420 SOCORRO, NM 87801
NEW YORK (518)474-5816 ALBANY, NY 12230
NORTH CAROLINA (919)733-3833 RALEIGH, NC 27611-7687
NORTH DAKOTA (701)224-4109 BISMARCK, ND 58505-0840
OHIO (614)265-6576 COLUMBUS, OH 43224-1362
OKLAHOMA (405)325-3081 NORMAN, OK 73019-0628
OREGON (503)731-4600 PORTLAND, OR 97232-2162
PENNSYLVANIA (717)787-2169 HARRISBURG, PA 17105-2357
RHODE ISLAND (401)792-2265 KINGSTON, RI 02881
SOUTH CAROLINA (803)737-9440 COLUMBIA, SC 29210-9998
SOUTH DAKOTA (605)677-5227 VERMILLION, SD 57069-2390
TENNESSEE (615)532-1500 NASHVILLE, TN 37243-0445
TEXAS (512)471-7721 AUSTIN, TX 78713-7508
UTAH (801)467-7970 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84109-1491
VERMONT (802)244-5164 WATERBURY, VT 05671
VIRGINIA (804)293-5121 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22903
WASHINGTON (206)902-1450 OLYNPIA, WA 98504-7007
WEST VIRGINIA (304)594-2331 MORGANTOWN, WV 26507-0879
WISCONSIN (608)262-1705 MADISON, WI 53705-5100
WYOMING (307)766-2286 LARAMIE, WY 82071-3008
&
PUERTO RICO (809)722-2526 PUERTA DE TIERRA, PR 00906
(updated Feb20, 1993)
5. What are some placer mining methods?
5.1 High banker
Uses the same pump/hose combo as a dredge, but has a hopper on top with
bars so big rocks roll off, then a sluice at the bottom for the
concentrates to separate. Uses miner's moss or carpeting. Some high
bankers have a tray on the top to let you sample quickly, with little
slow down. High bankers work in two ways: you can either shovel in pay
dirt into the top of the high banker, or you can use the suction dredge
to squirt the gravels into the top hopper.
5.2 Trommel
Trommels are large cylinders with holes inside that spin and wash with
water. Raw pay dirt goes in one end, and cleaned gravels and rocks come
out the other. Concentrates are trapped and stored in large quantities.
Some trommels have many layers of screening in the cylinder. Trommels
work great with backhoes and large volumes of water.
Anyone ever heard of/built a mini-trommel?
5.3 Hydraulicking
This is the practice of squirting high-pressure water jets at entire
hillsides, washing all the dirt away, down to bedrock. The water flow is
directed toward sluice boxes to wash the gold from the gravel.
Hydraulicking is blamed for filling the Sacramento River with sediment
and creating a massive ecological disaster out of much of the area. It
is not legal.
5.4 Mossing
In some areas where flooding is common, the large river boulders take on
a green "skin" of moss. This moss traps black sands and gold particles
much like "miner's moss" in high-efficiency sluices. By crushing
the
moss and releasing the dirt and sand, you can find a lot of flour gold
quickly. Others have suggested using cement mixers to crush up high
volumes of moss, or drying the moss and burning it in a metal pan.
5.5 Dry washing
The desert is a harsh environment for gold prospectors. Without lots of
water, miners have to bring their own in, and hoard it for cleanup. One
way to make concentrates out in the desert is with a dry washer, which
vibrates and uses the fluid characteristics of air to trap heavy
particles from pay dirt.
To work, the pay dirt has to be screened to a fine, consistent particle
size. Some dry washers also use bellows to blow lighter materials away.
The most common complaint about dry washing is low efficiency.
>Hello. I am geting a Dry Washer and was wondering if anyone knows
>the do's and don'ts for using this type of gold recovery system.I am
>very faimillary with high banker and sluice set ups but,have never
>used the dry washer before any tips would be helpful.
> thanks
>claimer@primenet.com
>
Hi Robert,
Is your dry washer a bellows version or a blower??? The bellows
type has an air box with flap that moves mounted under the riffle tray,
the blower has an engine with fan, usually on the ground, with an air
pipe to the riffle tray bottom. In either event the easiest way to lose
gold is to run the air through the tray too fast, thus blowing your
findings out. Use some lead in with your diggings to bee sure you're
running at the right speed. All lead should be at the first riffle, no
further. If you're located in southern Calif I have claims in the El
Paso's where you can meet people and try it out! see ya
Charlie
5.6 Sluicing
Prospectors, Miners, we carry the Le Trap All-Plastic Sluice. It weighs
just 4 lbs (approx) and is in 1 pce. NO CARPETING required to
contaminate sampling, or having to change. Its engineered riffles were
designed to accommodate the 200 mesh gold found in Alberta, and works
very well in fast water. It easily converts to a highbank system
(accessories available)
Measures approx. 48" x 16", is green in color, and is manufactured
from
ABS plastic (as found in sewer pipe) which makes it extremely durable.
The price is only $79.95 + $5.95 s&h
(Canadian Orders add GST, BC order add additional PST.)
This Sluice was the subject of its own chapter in the Canadian
Bestseller "Modern Gold Seekers Manual", also available for $12.95.
(This IS my personal sluice of choice. I have sold many of them, and
have not as yet had one complaint.)
(Also available, Le Trap Square Gold Pans at $12.95)
6. Are there any magazines I can read about this hobby?
Anyone want to volunteer information about these mags? Or add more?
6.1 GPAA
6.2 Treasure News
6.3 others?
7. What is Dowsing?
Dowsing is a somewhat controversial method for finding coins, gold, or
lost mines. It is based on the same theory used by "water witches" --
super-sensitive individuals claim to be able to sense differences in the
vibrations around them. Since dowsers are often successful, but not
consistently enough in a controlled scientific settings, the controversy
endures.
8. Are Metal Detectors Useful?
They can be. Some metal detectors are better at finding coins than
finding gold nuggets, so you need to do your research. Other
detectorists have found that they can use their detector to find the
lead weights, sinkers, bullets and buckshot that accumulate in the
cracks in bedrock where streams flood over.
In desert mining areas such as Arizona, metal detectors are often used
to prospect in dry washes for nuggets. One of the biggest problems is in
using a detector that discriminates out 'junk' metal. You can spend alot
of time digging up bullets if you aren't sure of your target. Ground
balancing is also a problem in some areas. Continued advances in metal
detecting technology have helped to create brands that are powerful and
easy to use.
> -> I am very interested in gold/silver mining. Even though I have
> -> many books on the subject of where mines are located (Nev. Calif. &
> -> Arz.) and equipment to use. I am still having a problem of what
> -> type of metal detector to use and where to purchase one. Also,
are
> -> they a smart investment for a person starting out. Would like
> -> some info - thanks!
> ->
Unless you want to get into some real physical type work a metal
detector is your best bet to find gold but I suggest you stick to
dry washes or dredge tailings as I have not found them that useful
in stream placers. One of the best gold detectors is a Fisher Gold Bug
They are simple to operate and really find even match-head size gold.
The more remote an area you can find the less false signals you will
have to dig.
good luck,
Ernie
9. What are black sands? What do I do with them?
Black sands are the good news/bad news of placer mining. You will
probably never pan gold that does not have some black sands swirling
around in the bottom of the pan. You will often pan black sands with no
gold in them.
9.1 Definition
black sands - magnetite, or other heavy dark materials like ilemenite,
which are found in your concentrates.
9.2 Henry Henry
George "Buzzard" Massie, founder of the Gold Prospectors Association
of
America (GPAA) discussed on one of his shows a cheap, easy to build
contraption invented by a man named Henry Henry. Another name is a "poop
chute". The Henry Henry is a two or three foot length of ribbed, three-
inch irrigation pipe. Cut the pipe in half and nail it to a two-by-four.
Tilt it up at a good angle; you'll have to test it out. You should have
a mini sluice now. Use a hose, or set up some buckets, to get a trickle
of gold going through the Henry Henry. Use a teaspoon and feed in your
black sands. The gold in the sands should sit in the first couple of
riffles.
9.3 Can't You Just Pan Them?
It is possible. I noticed that I had less problems with black sand when
there was more gold in there to use as a spotter for what I was trying
to keep in the pan. If the gold is very fine, you should classify it
twice. Once with a #20 classifier and again with a #50 classifier. Then
use the tube concentrator to rid most of the black sand and lighter
material. What is left is very concentrated black sand and gold. You can
then remove most of the black sand with a miners magnet and pan the
remaining concentrates to separate your gold. Using a paint brush to
move gold and black sand apart can be very helpful.
9.4 Shaker Table
Shaker tables vibrate out the lighter minerals and catch the heavy gold
in tiny traps in the table. The black sands run off the end. These
tables are very efficient, and very expensive.
9.5 Using Acids
A strong acid will eat away
9.6 Spiral Pans
Some people swear by their spiral pans, usually the ones driven by an
motor - not the ones you spin by yourself. As with anything else, your
mileage may vary, but the concept is pretty straightforward: you dump
in concentrates and run the motor. The gold is picked up in the spiral
and moved to the center, where it collects into a cup.
9.7 Centrifuge
> Hi
>
> I am in an area where there is very fine (-100 mesh) gold.
> The stuff seems to be going right through the sluice. What I would
> like to do is build a small centrifuge for testing/and taking down
to
> the river. This is a weekend activity, and I cann't afford a $5,000
> unit.
>
> Does anyone have plans, or know of a source for some plans? Thanks
>
>Mike Waithe Whitecourt, Alberta
>mikew@nt1.altanewsprint.ca
HI from the great white north
Popular mining had some plans for a desktop centrifuge, I don't have a
copy but would be interested if some does have a copy, The commerical
systems that are advertised, are for full production mining. I haven't
seen an affordable centrifuge for the weekender.
Of interest, the Uranium mine at Timmins Ont. uses converted diary cream
separators to separate the yellow cake, in its process.
Mikew@nt1.altanewsprint.ca
Pop Mining has all back issues available plus a cross referenced index.
***
Centrifuge systems like the Knudson, Knelson, and High-G work very well
sometimes; other times not very well. Like all types of separatory
equipment, it is a function of the nature of the gold, size, shape, etc
as well as the other stuff. They would be THE answer but, as with
everything, there are limitations. There have been REAL, as opposed to
manufacturers, tests by guys in B.C. that have proven them at certain
sites. On the other hand dropping $4000-$15,000 to give it a whirl (so
to speak) is steep. If you have the specific mix of things that make it
favorable, then it is great; if not?? I have seen less and less
advertising on these in the past few years.
Steve Johnson
9.8 Using mercury
In article <45sga5$e2j@news.xroads.com>,
Jim Santee <jsantee@xroads.com> wrote:
>>I'm interested in fine gold recovery also. Not far from where I
live
>>found a lot of very fine color. I have some mercury and planned
on
>>trying that, but wifetype nixed use of mercury around the house.
I'm
>>not sure I could pan it down well enough to form the analgam or
>>whatever it is called.
>>
I use mercury to clean-up when the gold is very fine and hard to pick-
up. I collect over a long period of time. When the mercury is heavily
ladden with gold, it breaks apart in a gold pan when you swirl it. The
heavy part left behind is full of gold. What I do is ball the
mercury/gold amalgam) in the gold pan. I then extract as much mercury as
I can with a hypodermic neddle. This is a good way to save most of your
mercury. I then heat the remaining mercury/gold in a small metal gold
pan outdoors in a very ventilated area. It is a very good idea to vacate
the area until the mercury has completely vaporized. MERCURY IS VERY
DANGEROUS AND CAN'T BE INHALED OR ENTER THE BODY THROUGH A CUT OR SORE.
What's left in the pan is a glob of gold stuck together.
9.9 Other methods
9.9.1 Funnel
Steve Johnson
(http://www.halcyon.com/treasure/prospect/steves/welcome.html) writes:
I have become quite good at reducing black sand concentrates to get at
the gold. The areas I prospect are really loaded with magnetite and
Iron. At the end of the day, I usually can fill a Keene Super Pan with
nothing but black sands. I takes me about two hours to reduce this to
"gold" and I don't use high priced mechanical pans.
I have also found a way to remove gold from mercury which keeps most of
the mercury and intact and subjects me to very little fumes (none at
all since I vacate the area) when doing the final reduction.
I have made a very simple device for extracting gold from Black Sands.
It consists of a 5ft. X 1" clear tube, a funnel and a water control
device. I fill the tube with black sands and adjust the water flow so
that the lighter material goes out over the top of the funnel and the
gold concentrate stays in the tube. You can see a detailed explanation
at the web site listed above.
This does work. I would like to see other ideas some of you might use
other than the commercial pans available.
9.6.2 Micro sluice
LIGHT WEIGHT MICRO SLUICE
From: alhefner@aol.com (Al Hefner)
Newsgroups: alt.mining.recreational
Subject: Micro sluice instructions (FREE)
Due to the response from my offer to provide plans for this item, I
have decided to give step by step instructions for building it free of
charge!!!!
If you sent check or money order for these instructins, I will be
sending the money back to you as soon as I receive it.
The materials you will need are as follows:
5 feet of vinyl rain gutter
1 outside end cap
3 feet of ribbed rubber safety mat. (the kind with sharp ridges)
2 1/8 X 1/2 stainless steel screws with wing nuts
Drill
hacksaw
1. Cut your vinyl rain gutter into one section each of 3 feet and 2
feet.
2. Place the 2 foot section 6" into the inside of the 3 foot section.
(this will give you a 6" overlap of the two peices.
3. Drill two holes for the bolts 2" apart side by side to attach the
two sections.
4. Cut to fit a strip from the rubber matting so that it fits inside
the lip of the longest piece of rain gutter. This is your riffle
section! Make sure the ridges are running across the gutter and not
along the length of it.
Now you have a fully functional micro-sluice. The matting fits inside
the 3' section and the 2' section is screwed down into the 3' section
and holds the matting in place. This also provides a pan to place your
concentrates into above the riffles.
While adjusting the water flow, it is a good idea to place the loser end
in a pan or bucket to catch your concentrates and perserve any of your
gold that ma get washed out due to too much flow.
The end cap may be fitted with a hose connector for use at home. Simply
drill a hole to accept the fitting and clamp or glue it into place and
attach your graden hose. Use the hose valve to regulate the flow of
water.
Cleaning the sluice is simply done by shutting off the flow of water and
washing the matting into a pan or bucket.
With a little practice, you will find that this simple unit will save
you many hours of panning.
Sorry but no diagrams at this time.
Happy Hunting,
Al
9.6.3 The Micro Concentrator
I've used a Micro Concentrator from McCann Engineering for about 3
years. It's 12V, using two 750 GPM bilge pumps and a vibrator to give a
fluidized bed effect. There's a small grizzly on top made of 1/4"
hardware cloth and has two jets of water spraying over whatever you pour
onto it. It is mounted on two 5 gal. pickle buckets and recirculates the
water. The bottom part consists of an angled chute with a ribbed rubber
mat in the bottom, held down with 4 riffles consisting of plastic tubing
with aluminum pins through them.
I've used it both with 1/4" classified material and concentrates. I
amalgomate the remains with mercury and find it loses maybe 1 percent.
Here in New Mexico the black sand contains a significant amount of gold.
Sometimes up to 14 oz. per ton. Crushing and processing is required,
which is a different story....
Bruce Boatman nmhotair@rt66.com or Hey You, whichever
Tutor Computer
Los Lunas, NM 505-866-5533 Fax 505-866-5540
9.6.4 Laundry Tub Method
BTW, my Great (Great-Great?) Grandmother ran a laundry in Carson City,
NV back in the 1880's. She managed to move back east with a fair amount
of money after "mining" the sludge from the laundry!
GCB
10. Is it Easy to Stake a Claim?
> reb@usa.pipeline.com(REB) writes:
>
> --
> What is the differance between a patented mining claim and an
> unpatented one? OK, Yes...I am a newbie!
>
> Robert E. Beam
> Colorado Springs, Colorado
> reb@usa.pipeline.com
> "When it is dark enough, you can see the stars"
>
>>>>
Unpatented land is a standard "claim" where you get mineral rights
only.
After years of effort and various hoops to jump through you get legal
title to the land-a patent. Then you can do most all you want on it,
sell it,etc although in recent time there are generally rather severe
land use attachments to the patent.
Steve
10.1 Costs/rules/responsibilities
Contact the BLM near you.
10.2 Patenting
Under review, and it is even posible that you may never again be able to
patent land.
10.3 Current status
Under review, changing constantly. Just have to check back!
11. Is joining a 'club' a good idea?
It is, and there will be more addresses/phone numbers in the next
version of the FAQ.
11.1 GPAA
The Grandaddy of them all, with thousands of members nationwide. Lost a
few steps after founder George "Buzzard" Massie died in 1994,
but his
sons have stepped into the breach and are doing quite well with it.
11.2 New 49ers
Located up in the Klamath River area of northern California. Own many
claims on the Klamath and nearby.
11.3 Gold Prospectors of Colorado
They have several claims to work near Como, Fairplay, and Golden.
11.4 Arizona: Desert Gold Diggers
arivaca@aol.com (Arivaca)
NNTP-Posting-Host: newsbf02.mail.aol.com
I'm an officer in a local mining club here in Tucson, called the Desert
Gold Diggers. We've got several decent claims in southern AZ. You
could join for $15 if you're already a member of GPAA. If you're not,
then it would cost about $37 - pretty cheap as far as prospecting clubs
go. There are tons of places to go in AZ, but one needs to do research
first as far as land status, unless one goes to the several open panning
places set aside by the state or federal gov't. There are other clubs
in the Phoenix area that have lots of claims. One thing about clubs is
that one can forgo the research and red tape to get to specific placers
and claims, as well as network with locals for all sorts in info.
Good luck. Chris Morrett
12. Where are some other Internet sites?
12.1 Mailing lists
>I haven't been able to find a newsgroup on amateur
>minerology/rockhounding yet, but if there is one this
>seems like a good place to ask where to find it.
There isn't a newsgroup, but there are several mail lists (ROCKHOUNDS
and ROCKS-AND-FOSSILS are the two biggest). You find information on how
to subscribe to these and others at
http://www.calweb.com/~tcsmith/ores/geology/mine/mail.html
-- Ted
12.2 Web Sites
Here's a list of popular Web sites:
http://turnpike.net/metro/tuvok/detector.html
http://www.halcyon.com/treasure/welcome.html
http://www.dnai.com:80/gold/
http://www.info-mine.com/main.html
http://www.microserve.net/~doug/
http://www2.psyber.com/~stockman/
http://www.primenet.com/~miner/gold.html
I would appreciate any additions from the newsgroup, thanks - NKD
12.2.1 Canadian Geo
We invite you to visit our World Wide Web server -
http://www.emr.ca/gsc/
12.3 Other 'Getting Started' Stuff:
12.3.1 Books
I have a prospecting textbook I ordered from the University of
Alaska at Fairbanks that's about 15 years old. It's buried in
some cardboard boxes I haven't unpacked for several years.
The textbook covered EVERY aspect of placer mining at every
level. I suspect that it was often paraphrased by commercial
publications and sold at three times the price. I'd recommend
Emailing UofA and asking how to order the textbook used in
their prospecting class. That's my contribution to the FAQ
project.
12.3.2 CompuServe
Try the Prospecting and Detecting Forum on CompuServe, located in the
Outdoors Section. Plenty of activity, lots of new faces all the times
and a solid band of respected veterans.
12.3.3 Gold Pictures
Excellent mineral images can be found in the Smithsonian gem and mineral
collection. check out the collection at URL:http://galaxy.einet.
net/images/gems/gems-icons.html
12.3.4 Catalogs
In article <44bkhr$alu@homer.alpha.net>, mlangen@earth.execpc.com
(Mark
Langenfeld) wrote:
> I'm looking for addresses of catalog suppliers of miners' equipment
> (the stuff a working stiff needs: hard hats, lamps, belts, boots,
> self-rescuers, scaling bars,etc.). I do not need info re suppliers
of
> heavy equipment or hobby mining gear.
>
> Can anyone help?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark Langenfeld
You can request a free Keene Engineering catalog @ ...
http://www.halcyon.com/keene/request.html
13. What Else Does This FAQ Need?
How about adding the names and addresses of companies making
recreational mining equipment? Weight conversions used in mining?
Assaying? How to sell your gold most profitably? The names and contacts
for local clubs?
I'm just running my head early on a Sunday morning....this could work
into a 100 page document without much trouble! Sorry to be a bother.
Thanks for taking on this thing!!
_________________________
First, I have been following the FAQ listing, and felt something on the
current status of claim staking from the feds would be important. Also,
lists of books-references would be helpful. Whoever is taking on the
organization of the FAQ, I could help.
Top of this page
Back to part 1