Mine questions

[Chief OX]

Me and a buddy have recently gotten access to private land with a mine on it, it's on the other side of a mountain that had another big producing mine. My question is the creek we are digging in is a small creek and about 75 percent of the rocks are tailing, there's sum nice quartz but mainly chunks of the host rock. The material we are digging is goes from river rock to red clay about 3 inches or so down, then about 4 inches past that it gets into grey clay, I've found 2 nice peices behind a rock that I dug down about arm length. My buddies dredging with a 2" back pack and I'm sluicing, he's goin all the way down to hard pack but we aren't really finding gold like u would think being on a mine in the same area as one of the larger producing mines on the east coast. How far down should we dig, we have been getting behind rocks and his MD had been hinting there is gold around, but I would think we would find more peices, the peices are bigger and u can tell they haven't traveled far but it's baffled me, I have no idea wat to do next, the bolders are to big to flip with 2 people so can't really flip bolders using to dig behind them, needless to say I'm stumped

 

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[63bkpkr]

Chief OX ,
In this gold prospecting section, in the Thread "work safely to not tear your body up" I've just posted a little how to use a cable hoist/puller for moving boulders and not killing yourself with the severe work it takes. Take a read and then consider investing about $60 and then go get at the gold that is under those large stream boulders!

Good Luck..............63bkpkr

 

[Chief OX]

Ya ur rite I def need to invest in the 4 ton, thanks for the reply

 

[Fullpan]

Don't want to discourage you at all, but in Ca. there can be 40ft of tailings in small streams and rivers downstream of mines. Like 63bpkr said it can be fun
learning rigging techniques to move large boulders with a grip hoist cable puller device. If you want to go nuts on price, you can buy a "chain saw" capstan
drive winch. With proper rigging, pulleys, block and tackle, and time, you can move ten-ton boulders.

 

[Chief OX]

Ya that's my problem I don't know if I should keep digging til I can't or stop at a certain layer, u wouldn't think gold would make it past the thick clay

 

[Fullpan]

It sounds boring but I think you should clear a large area just above the gray clay, then using a square point shovel to just skim the top inch or two of clay.
The clay is a pita but a good day of sampling it will give you results to go from there. GL!

 

[63bkpkr]

Fullpan,
Interesting 'testing method' using the square point shovel.

"If you want to go nuts on price, you can buy a "chain saw" capstan
drive winch. With proper rigging, pulleys, block and tackle, and time, you can move ten-ton boulders.

" Sounds like something "I" would do, smile. I've looked at those very units and to date have stayed away from them as like you pointed out "If you want to go nuts on PRICE", darn they are expensive. Of course all one needs to do is uncover one nice pocket and the tool is paid for!..........63bkpkr