Dredge pile strategy?

[idowa]

My awesome new super-secret spot(actually there are a few other folks working it and I would gladly share with others) is in a creek that runs through a small canyon that was hydraulic mined from the 1880's to the 1930's.

The bank of the creek is comprised of the old tailings left by the monster dredge. I've found nice color working spots along that bank. However, since the area has tailings piles everywhere, I was wondering if there is traditionally better piles to work than others.


Say, are older piles better? Are piles closer to the creek better? I just work along the creek since it's very convenient to pan the classifieds, and everyone else sticks to the same area.

Any insights?

 

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[idowa]

Here is a Google map of the area...

The green circle is the area I'm working, and you can see the different areas where material has been deposited.

 

[idowa]

Went to the area today and grabbed 3 test buckets of material to bring home and sluice. 2 were from the areas in blue, and one was from the green area where I've previously panned, but a little further down to a honey spot I found.

Nothing from the furthest blue circle, one little speck from the other, and not a bad haul from the honey spot in green...