Gold Ore

[southfork]

A little sample that was found with a metal detector. Crushed by hand then panned to wash away some of the dirt and clay? The photo is macro so real small particles, but the quartz shows and what looks like iron and free gold. I think we need a small smelter to retrieve the values trying to speed up the recovery what's your thoughts ?

 

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[newnan man]

So, question. Is the gold you're finding worth all the effort or is it mostly a hobby with the chance of a nice score now and then? It looks like fun & a lot of work all rolled up into one.

 

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[southfork]

Glad to see you at it. I was wondering about your progress the other day.

Is this slag you found or from your own smelting?

This is a small sample from milled ore my son found with a metal detector. About an hour in the furnace the cupel absorbed a lot of stuff. I like to play with the furnace and ore samples some of these old waste rock piles still have Gold.

 

[Assembler]

So, question. Is the gold you're finding worth all the effort or is it mostly a hobby with the chance of a nice score now and then? It looks like fun & a lot of work all rolled up into one.

For most it is both fun and a lot of work as the larger percent of numbers show.
Best way to answer the question is ask how much work / time is spent for the returns given.

 

[southfork]

So, question. Is the gold you're finding worth all the effort or is it mostly a hobby with the chance of a nice score now and then? It looks like fun & a lot of work all rolled up into one.

Some days its worth a lot more than the effort. But for me it's a hobby a chance to find artifacts and gold. I gather float and stack in little piles when I have time I crush and hope for gold. This is all over my property I won't run out anytime soon.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

This is a small sample from milled ore my son found with a metal detector. About an hour in the furnace the cupel absorbed a lot of stuff. I like to play with the furnace and ore samples some of these old waste rock piles still have Gold.

That’s cool. So you ran your smelt in the cupel? Just filled with milled ore and let the cupel absorb what it could? I dig it.

I’m asking because I plan to smelt a bunch of my samples and may give that a shot.

 

[southfork]

That’s cool. So you ran your smelt in the cupel? Just filled with milled ore and let the cupel absorb what it could? I dig it.

I’m asking because I plan to smelt a bunch of my samples and may give that a shot.

Not really a smelt just a melt of slag on carbon rods and leftovers in the bottom of a cupel. With just a pinch of borax we melt concentrates from gravity wet sluicing sometimes. Be careful when heating any ore don't inhale the fumes no telling what's coming off.

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

Not really a smelt just a melt of slag on carbon rods and leftovers in the bottom of a cupel. With just a pinch of borax we melt concentrates from gravity wet sluicing sometimes. Be careful when heating any ore don't inhale the fumes no telling what's coming off.

Yes sir. Thanks for the warning, that’s already something I’m aware of.

I do a lot of precious metal recovery from electronics. Also a steer clear of the off gasses kind of activity.

 

[southfork]

My son and his friend dug and raked then swung the metal detectors yesterday. Those early miners left a lot behind on the tailing piles. Hand crushed and a quick wash.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

My son and his friend dug and raked then swung the metal detectors yesterday. Those early miners left a lot behind on the tailing piles. Hand crushed and a quick wash.

The ore was likely hand sorted by candle light. You might be pulling from the “reserves” side of the tailings pile.

 

[southfork]

The ore was likely hand sorted by candle light. You might be pulling from the “reserves” side of the tailings pile.

All small bits and pieces looks like was blasted mucked sorted and dumped into this pile. I wish there was water nearby love to setup a high banker next to that pile. Once in a while my son will carry a bucket full down and carry back to the house on a quad. Always a muddy treasure hunt Happy Mining

 

[Tesorodeoro]

All small bits and pieces looks like was blasted mucked sorted and dumped into this pile. I wish there was water nearby love to setup a high banker next to that pile. Once in a while my son will carry a bucket full down and carry back to the house on a quad. Always a muddy treasure hunt Happy Mining

Well like I’ve mentioned a couple times earlier. They knew they were dumping values. They were racing against the gold rush clock. Everyone was out gutting the heart out of shallow deposits.

Someday they envisioned a partnership where they built a wagon road, or constructed a flume during the summer. Left might be reserves, right might be barren bedrock.

They were aware that technology was changing at a rapid pace.

Someday never came.

It’s difficult envisioning how far away from your place this audit is, but a solar pump, some surface pipe, and a storage tank might be feasible. Also would be a good investment in fire protection.

 

[Chilli]

My son and his friend dug and raked then swung the metal detectors yesterday. Those early miners left a lot behind on the tailing piles. Hand crushed and a quick wash.

Thats good gold. I used to love specimen hunting and keeping some, crushing the others in a heavy duty dolly pot. Love specimen gold. Lucky man having it on your land. 😃

 

[southfork]

Well like I’ve mentioned a couple times earlier. They knew they were dumping values. They were racing against the gold rush clock. Everyone was out gutting the heart out of shallow deposits.

Someday they envisioned a partnership where they built a wagon road, or constructed a flume during the summer. Left might be reserves, right might be barren bedrock.

They were aware that technology was changing at a rapid pace.

Someday never came.

It’s difficult envisioning how far away from your place this audit is, but a solar pump, some surface pipe, and a storage tank might be feasible. Also would be a good investment in fire protection.

I have two 2500-gal storage tanks already but its several thousand feet and a lot of elevation gain. When the weather cools a little work on the trail might get us close enough to haul a little dirt to water. Not looking for a job just having a little fun treasure hunting.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

I have two 2500-gal storage tanks already but its several thousand feet and a lot of elevation gain. When the weather cools a little work on the trail might get us close enough to haul a little dirt to water. Not looking for a job just having a little fun treasure hunting.

That’s probably why it’s still there. You have similar issues that they were facing. What do you think about a dry washer? Could you a rake the material on a canvas tarp and let it dry? Never ran a dry washer, but I suspect even in the summer there would be problems with moisture.

 

[Assembler]

I have two 2500-gal storage tanks already but its several thousand feet and a lot of elevation gain. When the weather cools a little work on the trail might get us close enough to haul a little dirt to water. Not looking for a job just having a little fun treasure hunting.

FYI. not that this is a up front issue. Just make sure that the water you collect goes into the same drainage system as the State of California can check on it.

Nice idea about collecting water winter - spring rains for a one time use latter.

 

[southfork]

That’s probably why it’s still there. You have similar issues that they were facing. What do you think about a dry washer? Could you a rake the material on a canvas tarp and let it dry? Never ran a dry washer, but I suspect even in the summer there would be problems with moisture.

I have a dry washer an old Becks, but we try and fly under the radar keep things quiet. The cloud of dust would have people calling the fire department lol. We tried Dry washing out in the desert a couple of times found gold. But the dust and heat are not for me. I would rather look for arrowheads nice and slow.

 

[Assembler]

I have a dry washer an old Becks, but we try and fly under the radar keep things quiet. The cloud of dust would have people calling the fire department lol. We tried Dry washing out in the desert a couple of times found gold. But the dust and heat are not for me. I would rather look for arrowheads nice and slow.

No way around the sound issues however one can really reduce the dust factor with a lot of extra cost and effort........lol.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

When dealing with something other than flour gold, the earliest 49’r miners used canvas tarps to trap gold. I forget what they called the technique, but several men would use the canvas to flip the material up in the air, the nuggets would end up in the low spot. They would scrape off the upper portion of material, then add more pay dirt. Eventually it was said that they captured the heavy hold.

Can’t imagine the tarps lasted very long, but I can imagine if you screened out the larger rocks using a timber grizzly it would be possible to recover the big stuff.

Doesn’t quite fall in line with slow and easy work

 

[Assembler]

When dealing with something other than flour gold, the earliest 49’r miners used canvas tarps to trap gold. I forget what they called the technique, but several men would use the canvas to flip the material up in the air, the nuggets would end up in the low spot. They would scrape off the upper portion of material, then add more pay dirt. Eventually it was said that they captured the heavy hold.

Can’t imagine the tarps lasted very long, but I can imagine if you screened out the larger rocks using a timber grizzly it would be possible to recover the big stuff.

Doesn’t quite fall in line with slow and easy work

The noise is very low and the dust is likely lower as there is some control of it.

 

[arizau]

When dealing with something other than flour gold, the earliest 49’r miners used canvas tarps to trap gold. I forget what they called the technique, but several men would use the canvas to flip the material up in the air, the nuggets would end up in the low spot. They would scrape off the upper portion of material, then add more pay dirt. Eventually it was said that they captured the heavy hold.

Can’t imagine the tarps lasted very long, but I can imagine if you screened out the larger rocks using a timber grizzly it would be possible to recover the big stuff.

Doesn’t quite fall in line with slow and easy work

Winnowing. Early form of drywashing...toss material up and depend on wind to blow away dust and other fines while heavies fall back on the cloth, blankets, etc.