How deep

[omnicron]

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I last posted and I hope everyone had a good xmas and new years. So I have been having this nagging question i my head for months. The place I was dredging this past year was bucket dredged in the 1890's or so and I noticed that I was finding gold in the first 12" of creek bed but any deeper theb that nothing. If I dredged deeper I would hit this really-really hard material that I had to bust up with my spud bar but it held no gold either. I never bothered to go deeper as the effort was not worth it as far as I know. Am I wrong, should I keep going until I hit bedrock? Did the old bucket line dredges scrap clean the bed rock or just bust it up and take it up the line for proccessing. I have tried to research this but have not had luck. Thanks!

 

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[Goodyguy]

Have you read this thread?: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/dredging-hi-banking/183799-bucket-line-dredge-my-claim.html

 

[omnicron]

Yes I have read that thread but it doesn't really give me the answer I was looking for but then again maybe it does but I'm not connecting the dots.

 

[omnicron]

The question remains, is it worth the time and effort to keep going deeper? I tried a spot down the creek from were I was with my 2.5 suction nozzle and after 12" I hit clay. I went up stream and after the first 6" it was hard as hell dredging, even with a blaster nozzle. This could be a limit to my cheep azz pump though. I'm really trying to find out as much as I can as I am getting ready to buy either a 4 or 5 inch dredge with air so I can hit this area hard and heavy once spring comes...

 

[Fullpan]

Any guestimate how deep to bedrock? If its more than 3 to 5 feet - be satisfied with gold at 0 to 12 inches down, as ur current equip. is suited to that depth.
Using 5 inch dredge (with more capability) will get you down to about 8 ft, depending. Dave Mckracken talks in his dredging books about the mistake of
always trying to get to BR. Many have failed, when a gold paystreak was there nearer to the surface. If you can sample bedrock one time, you'll know
better what to do. Hope this helps.

 

[omnicron]

Hey thanks for the response! The deepest I was able to get was about 3 foot long arming it. Like I said, after the first 12" or so I hit this real hard layer that I had to bust up with a spud bar. This one spot that I was at, the bed rock was esposed and I sucked it clean. I got about 4 grams that weekend if I remember right, that was on the outside of the bend of the creek also.
I have 2 of Mckracken's books, gold dredgers handbook and advanced dredging. I've read and re-read both and know that bedrock is the prize but well...if I will find no gold there then the hours of work I will have to do to dig past this hard layer plus the strain on my surgically repaired knees and shoulder with be for nothing. If I even had hope that there would be something I would do it but based on what I know of bucket dredges there may be nothing there!

 

[Fullpan]

How deep to bedrock? any idea? If you can reach in about 4 ft., go for 2 sample holes to BR. then decide. If its over 4 ft. with ur present set-up, not worth
it IMO. Hope this helps. Sorry, double post - WTF

 

[Fullpan]

After your last post I'm thinking there's enough "new" gold moving in on top of the hardpack that will be worthwhile - just treat the hardpack as BR. GL!

 

[omnicron]

Thanks Fullpan! I'm starting to have withdrawl's.. God I miss working my nozzle for long hours on the weekends and then theres the setting up/down camp and the dredge then the hours spent proccessing the cons during the week....all for that beautiful yellow stuff! This year will be better as I'll have either a 4 or 5" dredge with air!!!!

 

[spillercanyon]

The gold you are finding in the top 12" is flood gold, deposited after the area was dredged. There is the possibility of finding areas on br that they missed or cracks in br that the buckets were unable to clean out. That said, with the equipment you have, I would do as Fullpan says and just go to town on the top twelve inches. Move as much material as possible, skip the breaking up of hard material. You would be surprised how much material you can move when you have decided to for go breaking up the hard pack. With a larger dredge, I would do some testing and see if you can find the sides of where the buckets were running.

 

[omnicron]

Thanks! I knew it was flood gold, I really wanted to try for the bed rock but with a 2.5" nozzle....way to much work. For sure I am going to target the bedrock with the larger dredge this year...

 

[Hoser John]

You've come across an impacted old gravel false bedrock. Most of the time nuttn' much underneath BUT for evey rule a thumb many exceptions. Punch a few holes 10 apart and see whatzup. John