How or would you keep working an area like this ? (10 pics)

[Ashman]

With me being new to all this I am still not sure where or even how to go about digging into a wall like this? Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

This is the first location I started with and is where most of the rocks came from that I posted pics of last week in my first few post here under rocks and gems.

This wall is maybe 30+ feel long that I have taken all these pictures from. After some research yesterday I did find a lode and a placer claim for this area that was active some for a few years back in the early 80’s. I really can’t tell if the big rains have washed this wall open or if this is how it was left some 30 years ago, maybe a little of both. The dirt that looks like someone recently has step on or moved around of course came from me.

As the crow flies this location is within a mile or two of the Crown Jewel Mine and plenty of other great local stories have come from this area as well.

Anyways I had some time on the computer this morning and I wanted to post these pics from last week and see what others might think about this location.

 

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[Claim Jumper]

Test pan the stream bed starting at the downstream side. Continue upstream until your pan gets no color. Go back to the last hole you got color out of and start working the wall there. Or use your detector on the wall and see if you get any hits first then if you don't proceed as above.

 

[Claim Jumper]

Assuming your prospecting for gold

 

[Claim Jumper]

Oh yeah. Dont dig too far back under that wall to where it may fall in on you okay? If you need to go deep dig out the top first.

 

[Ashman]

Well I am prospecting for anything honestly. The way I see it is if I am happy finding some kind of crystals, which I am. Getting lucky and finding some color like Gold would just be a huge bonus to me. The pic below came from this area and is my favorite find yet. In the close up I might even see a small spec of maybe some gold but at this point I swear I would hate to break this apart just to confirm, lol...

 

[BurntBear]

Nice. Looks like some serious veins running through there and probably some pegmatites as well. I would try opening up the ground a little and see if you can follow a vein down. -Luke

 

[Claim Jumper]

Very nice quartz specimens.

 

[DDancer]

Mineralization looks good and checking for gold is a good idea. As Burntbear suggests dig down from the top and in a bit to see what you get. If you have water nearby you might try screening some of the material as well... or take some to a nearby water source and do the same. Pan it while your at it

 

[Buckshotnc]

Would pick a location in the bank where you see quite a bit of gravel get some samples and classify with a 1/4" or 1/8" or 1/16" screen or whatever may be available and clean rocks enough to inspect before discarding and then pan out the material, remove any gold then look at the concentrates under the microscope if one is available, if not use your loupe and see what you have. Then pick a spot in the dry creek bed and repeat the process. As mentioned earlier don't get too far back under the overhang for safety reasons. From pics you have there are some good possibilities there so keep an open mind.

 

[huntsman53]

Build you a 4 tier sifter on four legs and sift the bigger material out and let the small stuff fall onto a tarp under the sifter. The top sifter should be a fairly large mesh of 1/2" to 1", then the next one with smaller mesh and so on. You can then sort what catches in each sifter, then pan what falls onto the tarp to see if there is Gold or other heavy metals in it. I have one that stands on four angle-aluminum legs and the sifter frames are also made out of angle-aluminum. You can process a lot of material with it, if it is dry and/or the material is not greasy as is the case with Kimberlite and some Pegmatite materials. Also, Kimberlite and Pegmatites often hold moisture real well in the ground, so you may have to dig a lot of material out, spreading it on the ground to let it dry before shoveling it through the 4 tier sifter.

Other than the above, just dig like you are trying to dig to China and you will likely get some nice specimens and possibly some nice gems for the hard work.


Frank

 

[Ashman]

A lot of great ideas and tips, Thank You for all the advice.

I am waiting till I can hook up with someone that wants to help out with this wall, any volunteers ?

 

[huntsman53]

A lot of great ideas and tips, Thank You for all the advice.

I am waiting till I can hook up with someone that wants to help out with this wall, any volunteers ?

It is way too far for me to drive over to help and besides, I have my own holes to dig, LOL!!


Frank

 

[Ashman]

LOL @ Huntsman53

 

[meMiner]

If it is allowed and there is water nearby, get a high pressure pump and/or power washer and wash it down. It will give you loose material at the bottom to sift and a rock face to inspect. If you find interesting stuff still in the rock, you can use a portable hand drill with a concrete bit to drill the rock around the good stuff that you want to break free.

 

[MineralsAndThings]

If you just want minerals and stuff like Quartz I would say stay there but be safe while doing so.