Im 17. Is it unusual for me to be so into prospecting?

[ShimpZD]

I've only been panning once. My first time I fell in love. Ive recently bought my own pan and am planning on going panning soon. Is this unusual? I feel like I will not be respected by the "old timers". Im very mature. I work construction. I maintain a farm with my grandparents. Any tips?

 

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[B H Prospector]

Hi Shimpzd and welcome to the wonderful world of mining and the Net. No disrespect was taken from the "old timers" comment. Here it is a badge of honor and many here are deserving of it. They will help any way they can. They only ask that you pass on the knowledge to others and help them when you are the "old timer". Nothing unusual about you wanting to mine. My grandson started at age 5. Be safe out there and always let someone know where you are if you go alone.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector

 

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[63bkpkr]

Shimp,
As has already been mentioned to you, you can learn a tremendous amount about prospecting from the internet. Then you can learn even more from the good folks here on Tnet. Learn how to 'read a river' for where the gold should be and that will give you a great head start.

Folks here have already talked about aches and pains and I can tell you they mean it! I managed to mess up my shoulders moving some heavy, large rocks. Did I mention they were big and heavy? Keep yourself physically fit even buff all the time and it will NOT be a waste of time. Do not tear yourself apart "out there"! Leverage bars work but the 8000lb Harbor Freight cable puller takes most of the work away from your body. Be careful to not crush yourself with those boulders as they will if you are not careful. A good set of automotive/truck snow chains work well as a Boulder Bra or Boulder Mover. Think before working hard. Sample with the pan at the right places and if you are in gold country you will find it. A person can actually do Ok with a shovel, classifier (sifter) and a pan. A few simple tools for scraping rock crevices (cracks) can also net you some reasonable gold.

A lot of the finding has to do with what you learn in town and then apply it out in the field. And being struck with the "Need" to go out prospecting is common on this site!!!!

Have fun, share and work at it and you will find it...........................63bkpkr

From the down river end of this rock (the one to the left of the crack) I pulled out the following gold,
It may not look like it in the picture but there are a couple of tons of rocks buried back there and that 8000 lb capacity cable hoist would have been well used in this location. "TRY" to work smarter not harder.!

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

You've seen my a couple few of my gold pics from recent times on your other thread. My wife used to really tease me about the gold prospecting...as in "hey, are we rich yet? Haha. Well now that I'm having a ring made for her out of my wild gold, she brags about me to her friends. Keep the faith!

That's awesome Kevin! My wife too likes to poke fun at my prospecting and the gold I've found so far... Prob $50 worth! Lol can't wait till I have enough to have a piece of jewelry made.

Shimp keep at it. Don't let no one tell you you can't do something. Go get that color young man!

 

[jog]

My mining partner just turned 75 years old and has been mining for over 35 years. When someone comes by or he see's someone new to mining he can't be held back, he just has to go over and give his 2 cents worth and sometimes he will be gone for hours just talking and showing others how it's done. I myself (48 years old) have met several other old time miners in the last two years and I could just sit and listen for hours. If at the age of 17 you are only intersted in mining then you should take that as a good thing and thank your parents for bringing you up right.....just my thoughts on that.

 

[AzViper]

I've only been panning once. My first time I fell in love. Ive recently bought my own pan and am planning on going panning soon. Is this unusual? I feel like I will not be respected by the "old timers". Im very mature. I work construction. I maintain a farm with my grandparents. Any tips?

Shimp, first and foremost welcome to the forums and never worry what others think. Everyone in these forums has had to start at the bottom at one point. These forums are a wealth of information and for the most part many are open to answer your questions and are willing to help. Pans and classifiers were the first items I purchased. I wished I had gotten the fever at your age. Again welcome to T Net...

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Howdy!

I saw you are in Washington state. Do your homework! As KvonM wrote, this is a field where beginner's luck probably isn't going to help you much.

Are you familiar with these?

Mineral Collecting and Gold Panning in Washington
Mineral Collecting and Gold Panning in Washington - 1MB - 5/25/2011

Bulletin 42: Gold in Washington (1955)
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_b42_gold_in_washington.pdf - 9MB - 12/27/2007

Information Circular 57: Handbook for Gold Prospectors in Washington (1975, reprinted 1983)
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_ic57_handbook_gold_prospectors.pdf - 5MB - 1/21/2010

Open File Report 79-0: Placer Gold Mining in Washington
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_ofr79-0_placer_gold_mining.pdf - 2MB - 12/23/2009

Recreational Gold Panning
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_gold_panning.pdf - 124KB - 10/28/2010

Search Center - Search

Keep at it!

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

 

[KevinInColorado]

Wow, awesome info! Almost makes me wish I lived in WA!

N.B. If some of the links don't work, use the last link then click thru to the others :-)

 

[norcalsteve]

I wish i had gotten into prospecting whan i was young ( I'll be 56 this month ). My wife told me for years that i needed go find a hobby. I joined a local prospecting club, golddiggers in Santa Rosa and then eastbay prospectors. If you have any clubs near you check them out. You will find people that will really go out of there way to help a newbee.
Im getting out there with my 7 yr old son and having a great time. And my wife also asks are we rich yet when we get home.
I can't wait to try out my bazooka when it gets here. The few times i have been out it has been just classifying and panning. So hard on a getting old body. We bring buckets home and do a little back yard panning on weekends. I wish i got into prospecting 40 years ago.

 

[Sawyer]

Why did you wait so long to start? Respect is earned, not given. You have earned my respect by asking good questions and being so respectful in your posts! I hope you keep going and find tons of gold!

 

[Old Bookaroo]

KevininColorado:

It's one of the secrets of our business. Some of the best (reliable, factual, and inexpensive if not free and downloadable!) information is available from state agencies. I'm sure, for example, Colorado has a department of mines and geology (or similar name). I haven't looked in a number of years.

Here's another thing. For example, both Arizona and New Mexico have excellent such agencies. No reason in the world 90+% of the technical information available from them can be used in every Western state - and most states in the Union.

Gold maps from the turn of the century through the 1930s are just as useful as those published this year. The earth hasn't changed that much in a hundred or two hundred years.

Now, land use has certainly changed. Permission must be obtained from current owners, as required. But the geology is the same and there are some excellent publications from the 1920's and 1930's that are quite useful today.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

 

[wildcarrot]

I posted something a while back about little kids like 4 to 12 yrs. old following me around on the beach. I always stop and talk, let them try the headphones on and throw a zinc in the sand. Usually the first question is "what are you looking for?" I always say "pirate treasure". They love this... I like doing a little PR for detecting and I think it goes a long way for the image. I've had some fun times showing and sharing my finds with kids and adults on the beach. We all share the same passion of finding stuff, age doesn't matter.

Have Fun Rich

 

[KevinInColorado]

KevininColorado: It's one of the secrets of our business. Some of the best (reliable, factual, and inexpensive if not free and downloadable!) information is available from state agencies. I'm sure, for example, Colorado has a department of mines and geology (or similar name). I haven't looked in a number of years. Here's another thing. For example, both Arizona and New Mexico have excellent such agencies. No reason in the world 90+% of the technical information available from them can be used in every Western state - and most states in the Union. Gold maps from the turn of the century through the 1930s are just as useful as those published this year. The earth hasn't changed that much in a hundred or two hundred years. Now, land use has certainly changed. Permission must be obtained from current owners, as required. But the geology is the same and there are some excellent publications from the 1920's and 1930's that are quite useful today. Good luck to all, ~The Old Bookaroo

Yup, our CO agency is the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. They are not famous for being helpful to prospectors though. http://mining.state.co.us/Pages/Home.aspx

There is one publication based on content from Dr Ben Parker, a professor at Colorado school of Mines which a lot of folks count on but I have found a number of inaccuracies in it. Places they say there's no gold...but there is! Here it is on Amazon with the content updated with gps coords: Gold Placer Deposits of Colorado (Gold Placer Deposits of the United States) [Kindle Edition] Richard L. Lampright (Author)

Also from their FAQ:
Can you provide me with maps of mine sites?
The Colorado Geological Survey can help you with this. Please call 303-866-2611 ext. 8321

Can you send me a list of all the mines in CO or all the mines in the U.S.?
We do not have a record of all existing mines in the state or the nation. We only have information on permitted mines in CO. You can find the permitted mines on our website. For a list of all the mines in the state, contact the Colorado Mining Association located at 216 16th St # 1250 Denver, CO 80202. Phone: (303) 575-9199. For a list of all the mines in the U.S. contact the National Mining Association at 101 Constitution Ave. NW, Suite 500 East, Washington, D.C. 20001, Phone: (202) 463-2600.

 

[poorman15]

Can one assume that the more gold you get the better looking those girls may get? I've seen some really ugly rich people with killer looking women by their sides, just saying. Digging gold may land one of those "Gold Digger" women.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Actually the trick here is to find yourself the "Right kind" of Gold digger like I did. My Gold digger knows how to dig, classify, runs a sluice with the best of them and can pan like a champ! She has no problem sleeping in a tent or cooking on a camping stove. Perfect partner compared to those "other gold diggers" that want the gold already made into something shiny and loaded with diamonds and are afraid of breaking a fingernail.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

My wife is starting to like the idea... Gonna turn her into a hell of a sluice tender.. :-)

 

[blackbeard81]

Hey shrimp welcome to treasure net.I myself just got into panning this year and i really enjoy it.i guess if I could give you any advice it would be to ask questions that's the only way to get better at this wonderful hobby.

 

[cwwj123]

Run with this passion. People love a man who's job or hobby is to find money.

 

[Fullpan]

Actually the trick here is to find yourself the "Right kind" of Gold digger like I did. My Gold digger knows how to dig, classify, runs a sluice with the best of them and can pan like a champ! She has no problem sleeping in a tent or cooking on a camping stove. Perfect partner compared to those "other gold diggers" that want the gold already made into something shiny and loaded with diamonds and are afraid of breaking a fingernail.

You must have found my better half's twin sister - we are both blessed. 30 years of living out of my GMC on long weekends, dragging in to work on Mondays (both of us). 100,000 miles on that truck, and it feels like that on our bodies - all those places, many near-miss catastrophies, wind storms, rain, snow, and an invasion of
Morman Crickets - not one complaint. Now we bore others to death with our shared memories. lol

shimp - remember that the calif gold rush had a big majority of under 20s who didn't know which side was up on a gold pan.

 

[goldhuntertim]

hello shimpzd I'm a newbee just remember this YOU ARE NEVER TO OLD TO LEARN SOME THING AND YOU ARE NEVER TO YOUNG TO GET STARTED IN SOME THING.Just get out there and have fun