abandoned mine-HELP !!!!!!!!

gold fish

Bronze Member
Sep 21, 2006
1,116
20
N.W.A.
Detector(s) used
Tesoro - Cortez Minelab SE
So, my wife is from california, and in 5 DAYS were heading out to visit her family.........

Her father is a BIG time hunter(like, with a gun)............

One of the spots that they regularily hunt is an ABANDONED tungsten mine.........

I am new to detecting and have never even SEEN an old mine site(I'm from WI). In all his years going to this spot they have never even seen signs of other people. He says that it's a shaft mine, he's even been in the mouth of the mineshaft. There are a bunch of mostly standing buildings.There is also a "tailing" sluice leading out of one of the buildings.

WHERE DO I START?!???!!?!!?

I will have AT BEST one day to hit this spot, do I hit the buildings? the tailings? is tungsten worth anything? what would the building that they got paid from look like? where would they have slept?

I have no locational info on this spot, I have never even seen pictures of it!! If any one could give me info on where to look I would GREATLY appreciate it!!! I will definately post pics an reports when I get back(maybe even from CA if I find something that makes me all shakey)
 

I would hit around the buildings first, then the paths or driveways. Whatever you do, stay away from any vertical shafts! Also be on the look out for any shafts in the ground covered by rotten boards. Once you fall in you might not get out. Remember be CAREFUL! I have hunted old mine sites and I watched my step because you never know what could be hiding under that piece of metal you over turn. And if you are out in the middle of nowhere it's hard to get medical attention. Don't mean to sound like a mother hen but it only takes one mistake to ruin a good hunting trip. Have fun and don't forget to post your finds.
 

I have actually handled a couple of rattlers, and I'l have people with me (my wife and her dad). I should be OK,thanx tho' mom ;D
 

No, don't get me wrong, I'm not going snake hunting!!! I don't have time for that, I'll only have ONE DAY to MD!!!
 

Why only 1 day? Would be interesting to hunt for some gold nearby. If this is a Hydrothermal vein, there might be some close :)
 

You have approximately two hours after a rattler bit to not die....after that....you die......never tournequet, and alway find where the outhouse was, may find some junk lying around there..... sucking the poison out is a stupid idea, as, the blood vessels in the mouse are quite adept at the act of absorbtion....i wouldn't even worry about the area near the shafts unless you have thouroughly checked every where else.....get in side those remaining buildings, if they are of course, and rip off all the baseboards. that was a famous place to hide valuables....

GL and HH, bro......
 

Why don't you take a gold pan with you? Perhaps pan some of the material in the tailing piles or in that sluice. Not for Wolframite or Scheelite but for gold. I would do it differently as I like to look for minerals and would probably take a portable UV light to look for fluorescence Scheelite at night(only in areas that I have determined to be safe during the day).

You of course know to NEVER go into a mine shaft.

I just hope there won't be many "hot" rocks at the mine location to give you headaches.

Have Fun
George
 

definately around the buildings. There may even be the remains of paths left, if you look close enough to the detail of the grass and vegetation.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top