AZ Claim

Thanks Terry. This first trip is just to sample and find out whats there. What amount of gold would warrant bringing in a small excavator to move more dirt?

A simple cost analysis should determine whether the mineral values warrant heavy equipment investment.

First you will need to know what the mineral values are per yard of material. And then calculate what costs would be involved in the recovery of those values.
Such as fees, equipment, insurance, fuel, labor, refining, reclamation costs, transportation, etc.

For instance if you have $150 per yard values but average $160 a yard to recover them you would lose big time.
(There are about 40 full, screened and reasonably packed 5 gal buckets to 1 yard of material)

In my opinion the return should be at least double your investment to be worthwhile.

The use of a small excavator is going to require filing a notice of intent as well as posting a bond to insure reclamation.
Also you would need more than a 151 drywasher to process material.

To justify bringing in a small excavator I would estimate that the assay should show AU to be in access of 10 ppm

Here is the formula for figuring ppm or parts per million
1 ppm = one gram in one metric ton of sample
A metric ton = 2200 pounds = 1000 kilos
so a fast one on the calculator is:

ppm divided by 2200 x 2000 = grams per ton
grams divided by 31.1 = troy ounces

So lets say you are getting 10 ppm which is equal to 10 grams per ton. *That's nearly a third oz. per ton!
or over 1/4oz per yard!
*(provided my math is correct)



As Tim suggested "Don't bite off more than you can chew" But expect to spend some money on assays while sampling your claim.
You never know what valuable minerals besides AU may be in your samples.

Klondikeike has a couple of really good threads on that subject.

Here are the links:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/248741-okay-youve-found-some-gold-now-what.html

And:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/287774-how-do-placer-gold-assay-why.html


GG~
 

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Great info. Would I be better drywashing or setting up my gold cube as a recirculator? There is no water there so I would have to bring my own.
 

Great info. Would I be better drywashing or setting up my gold cube as a recirculator? There is no water there so I would have to bring my own.

I would dry wash as long as the material is dry enough to run and then use a recirculator to run the concentrates, I would also recommend a system of 3 tubs to help settle out the tailings to provide cleaner water for the finishing sluice.

No way of getting out of making water runs to the nearest creek or water source for a fresh supply of H20 so have large containers available. Also I would put the recirculator inside a screened-in canopy to prevent the onslought of bees that will go after the water. Ask the locals if they think bees will be a problem for the time of year/area.

GG~
 

GOODGUY I sent a PM. Please watch for it. TTC
 

Wouldn't the water get to muddy with a recirculating sluice. We plan to run for at least 10 hours a day. I would prefer the water method but it seems it might not work to well.
Work 10 hours with the 3 tub "chain". As long as the solids are not getting to the pump, don't worry about the color of the water, just the color in the sluice! TTC
 

Thanks Terry. This first trip is just to sample and find out whats there. What amount of gold would warrant bringing in a small excavator to move more dirt?
When you are jumping up and down, can't keep your heart in your chest, GOT ASSAYS (ligitimate assays) that show a profit can be made, and (most important) can cover the costs of a full blown operation, and put up with the never-ending govt paperwork, GO FOR IT! Good luck. TTC
 

If you recirculate with the Gold Cube watch out for clay or too much mud in the water. It will plug up the vortex matting real quick and the gold goes out!
 

mu50stang,

I got to see this Royal Dry Washer this weekend out at the swap meet in action. I had planned to order the dry washer prior to seeing it, now that I have seen it I will own it before summer hits Arizona. I being a perfectionist when it comes to quality, how well things are put together, and use of material, I was impressed. It’s large and very well made. The dry washer is built to last. Very obvious that Royal is using automated equipment as I could not find a flaw in craftsmanship. The legs are steel and cad plated not conduit. Here is a link to Royal, http://www.royalmfgind.com/index.php/home

royal5.png
 

You can save yourself some money, get a better drywasher - and local support here AZ Desert Gold
 

I am deciding to go with the gold cube and a 3 tub system. Can I get away with using jet dry to help settle the water or should I buy clay gone.
 

I am deciding to go with the gold cube and a 3 tub system. Can I get away with using jet dry to help settle the water or should I buy clay gone.

According to the mfg. it's not recommended to use jet-dry in the gold cube, although I have no idea why. :dontknow:
Are you planning to pan the concentrates that come from the cube or use a miller table, blue bowl, spiral wheel, rp4, or wave table, etc?

GG~
 

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Im going to bag the cons for each section I test and run it through my rp4 shaker table. This way I know what spots are good if any.
 

Mu50stang, I have some interesting stuff from a writer specializing in AZ placers. I will write some things tomorrow on the placering prospects around Mayer. Sounds like a good place! Tomorrow! TTC
 

Here is a passage(s) from Placer Gold Deposits of Arizona by Maureen Johnson: Pages 55-56...Placers are found adjacent to the highway at Mayer...placer mining... concentrated... Humboldt and Mayer...North and Northwest of Mayer... large-scale placer operations were active in the 20th century. TTC
 

You can save yourself some money, get a better drywasher - and local support here AZ Desert Gold

If you are going to compare Royal Drywasher’s to AZ Desert Gold Drywasher’s then let’s be fair in the comparison of the drywashers not just on $$$. Royal now has a smaller version and priced $46.00 below AZ Desert Drywashers. The larger Royal is more expensive but a large hopper, Zinc plated steel, made of 0.63 aluminum instead of 0.50. The smaller version is also made of 0.63 aluminum, has a larger hopper, but a smaller recovery box. All mounting hardware is Stainless Steel.

I believe this image says it all in the quality of workmanship.

royalexplorer.jpg

Royal Drywasher (Gold Washer): $479.00
Size of Hopper: 21” x 24”
Size of Recovery Box: 10” x 24”
Aluminum Gauge Size: .063
Hardware: Stainless Steel
Legs, Riffles, Classifier are all made of steel and Zinc plated
Weight: 28 Pounds

Royal Drywasher (Explorer) $349 .00
Size of Hopper: 15” x 18”
Size of Recovery Box: 7” x 18”
Aluminum Gauge Size: .063
Hardware: Stainless Steel
Legs, Riffles, Classifier are all made of steel and Zinc plated
Weight: 20 Pounds

Arizona Desert Gold: $395.00
Size of Hopper: 10.5” x 24”
Size of Recovery Box: 9” x24”
Aluminum Gauge Size: .050
Hardware: Steel
Legs are steel and painted, Riffles look to be made of Aluminum, Classifier made from steel.
Weight: 15 pounds
 

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You can save yourself some money, get a better drywasher - and local support here AZ Desert Gold

Well I am new to posting in these forums but not new in reading the threads of these forums or prospecting. I have to agree with Viper that the comparison shown I would purchase the Royal dry washer over Az Desert Gold dry washer. After browsing Royal Manufacturing website I am very impressed of the products that are offered and the quality of their products. When viewing Az Desert Gold website the buyer has very little information to build on to compare Az Desert Gold products to other products of the same design. No widths, lengths, heights, or weights of their dry washer are posted on their website. No up close photos showing any of the details of their dry washer. I suppose the end user has to buy and try.

Terry, for me the dry washer you are recommending (Az Desert Gold) from watching your videos airs on the cheapo side. I have no problem spending the $$$ to get a product that’s truly a better value, but Royal now has a dry washer that’s very competitively priced and priced below the dry washer Az Desert Gold offers. Here are two images showing photos of each of the dry washers. Anytime a piece of metal is rolled or folded strength is added to the metal. Look at the hopper of the Az Desert Gold dry washer, the hoppers top edge is flared out without any strength built into this edge, this edge will bend over time. Now look at the second photo, Royal double rolls their edge and builds strength in their hopper by using a double roll.

http://azdesertgold.com/images/DWBlower.gif

http://cp.inkrefuge.com/images/posts/Hopper resize 500pix for web_large.jpg

As for local support what good is that going to do that a phone call will not? If I am 500 miles from Phoenix I am sure not driving to Phoenix from Cali for support.

Bottom line, comparing Az Desert Gold dry washer to Royals dry washers is like trying to compare apples and oranges. Yes the two brands of dry washers may be of the same design and may look like each other but that’s where the comparison stops. The buyer needs to look under the hood to see the difference as the differences are many, but what would I know I have worked in the sheet metal fabrication business for over 25 years and have not learned a dang thing.
 

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