Looking for prospectors in New Hampshire

[motohed]

Hi all , I will be spending a lot of time in the Twin Mountain , NH area this year from late April till late October . I'm looking to get together with some other guys to maybe prosect with , I have some idea's and some hand equipment a small sluice , classifiers buckets ,etc . I'm Not in the greatest of shape , I was in an accident a few years ago , so I'm sporting a new hip , and 4 disks in my lower back fused , etc , But I don't give up easy ! I don't have much sluicing experiance , but I have mining experiance per say , I have worked in the rock crushing and gravel industry , as well as the logging industry . I am a liceinced in heavy equipment operation . I still have my mini equipment , etc . I'm really just looking to meet some new friends and have some fun . Please forgive my spelling errors . LOL

 

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[nh.nugget]

I checked with people I know biggest one found was 16.2 grms. by my friend Martin. That's the biggest one known. First thing everybody said it had to be 50 oz. never in the history of that area. So big fish try Moby dick!

 

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[motohed]

I'm really looking forward to spring can't wait for my real first time looking for gold , my panning in the past was primarily for minerals like garnets ,etc . I never really thought about the gold . I will be prepared though .

 

[nh.nugget]

Garnets ! I'll show you Garnets by the pound! And hopefully some gold too!!!

 

[motohed]

I'm Like thinking gold by the pound and a couple garnets . I'm a dreammer , but what the heck , if your dreaming might as well dream big ! LOL

 

[triple d]

Theres both in the Wild Am. Nows the time to learn as much as you can.Start planning. Until the weather get better. There"s not only gold in the white mountains. But there a lot of minerals also. There more in the eastern part of the park.But some are world class. The mountain"s were a lot taller but were worn down. By the glaicers and volcano"s. Making it easier to fine the minerals. They say to the west of tunnel brook. You can find some larger garnets. And when your looking for gold you will find 100s of tiny garnets. And if you are interested the Central Maine Prospectors are always looking for new members. To teach prospecting. Right now there web site is down. But you can get info from there face book page. There outings are usually in the Rangley Maine area. And meet the third Sat of the month. Other wise there usually people on the river that will help you out. And im sure we can meet up.

 

[AGP]

GG the gold is old there, it's also new too. You have high bench glacial runoffs trickling in, then you have actual low grade high tonnage host formations nearby. $50,000 nugget found last year out in Haverhill

The biggest nugget I know of is Martin's 16.2 gram 1/2oz nugget. I know of 1 other 1/4oz nugget and a bunch of 2-3 gram nuggets. The biggest I ever got from there is 2 1gramers. 50oz is just out of the question.

 

[AGP]

Here is the biggest confirmed nugget from the Wam that I know about. It is Martins 16.2 gram nugget. You'll see his interview on my show.

 

[Adventure_Time]

Straight from NH DES:

"Dear Kevin:

Use of a rocker box or any work in excess of hand panning for gold; would need a DES mineral dredge permit:

See Gold dredge notice at hyper link below:

http://des.nh.gov/organization/comm...ov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5382892.pdf
US Forest Service information on panning can be found here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5382892.pdf

DES has asked the USFS to correct their web description to match the DES rules and statute:

Thank you for contacting DES with your inquiry.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann
Mary Ann Tilton
Assistant Bureau Administrator
Wetlands Bureau
Land Resources Management Program
NH Department of Environmental Services
29 Hazen Drive, P.O. Box 95
Concord, NH 03302-0095
ph: 603-271-2929
fax:603-271-6588"


Believe whatever you want, I'm still going to have fun dredging all the same.

 

[motohed]

Ok That is a super nice nugget , That looks hugh to me .

 

[KevinInColorado]

Adventure time, that first link didn't work but I found this: http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/geo/documents/geo-1.pdf

 

[nh.nugget]

Adventure time, you're talking two different Government agencies. State and Federal ARE two different cans of worms! Federal will override State any day. And if you read the state regulations for a dredge permit (which I have) it also say's in my understanding of it and others that have read it that you are required to have one for a sluice also. And your sluice can't be more than 10 sq. feet. I have done MY home work so if you want to go dredge in the WMNF by all means go right ahead! But when Ranger Rick takes every thing you own right in the spot and they will. Just think was it worth losing every thing I worked for all my life for a couple of grams of gold.

 

[triple d]

Brian the sluice"s that they are talking about is the ones attached to a dredge. And they can"t be larger then 10 sq. f.t.. As long as its not motorized.It doesnt need a permit but is covered by the waterboard rules. These are state of n.h rules. Unless i read it wrong.Ive read this many time and thats the way I take It.

 

[nh.nugget]

Really read it good I know the sluice on the dredge can't be more than 10 sq. ft. The way the state has it worded they make it sound like you need a permit for a sluice also.

 

[motohed]

Really read it good I know the sluice on the dredge can't be more than 10 sq. ft. The way the state has it worded they make it sound like you need a permit for a sluice also.

Thats the way it reads to me , in one place for the WMNF , it says you can only pan and use your hands to gather material , in another you can use a trowel , then it says you can't disturb or dig the bottom and create any kind of a silt wash , what the heck . Then you read the state statued , and it reads like you need a permit for any size sluice to be used anywhere in the state on non federal land . I have been very dillegent with this in commercial gravel and stone crushing , but this is in circles like I've never seen , and I thought RI was bad . The problem is , it is vague that the law can see it anyway they want on a given day , and I bet if you don't have at least their permit you will lose , I sure there are some law enforcement up there that will give you a chance , depending on mood , but I'm not willing to take chances .

 

[nh.nugget]

I'm looking at my dredge permit from the state right now. It say's a dredge with a hose no bigger than 4''and 5hp then it say's sluices or rocker boxes not bigger than 10 sq-ft. never seen a rocker box on a dredge! And it doesn't say anything about the sluice on the dredge. I've done my home work It could be taken either way yes or no. Usually no one will bother you and most of the Barny Fife's don't know the law. I've had a state trooper ask me once what I was doing after explaining even he didn't care just told me to make sure I was off the road when parked.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I think you are all missing one big piece of that puzzle. Always read the definitions before you read the laws.

"Prospecting"

New Hampshire Revised Statutes
Title I
THE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT
Chapter 12-E - MINING AND RECLAMATION
Section 12-E:1 - Definitions

XIV. "Prospecting'' means exploration for ores, rocks, or minerals performed by a company or professional agent in the business of mineral deposit exploration and development, using mechanized equipment such as a core drill, which will result in the disturbance of land greater than 100,000 square feet and greater than 10 feet in depth from the immediate land surface.

Dredge Permit "Wetlands"

New Hampshire Revised Statutes
TITLE L
WATER MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION
CHAPTER 482-A FILL AND DREDGE IN WETLANDS
Section 482-A:2 - Definitions. – In this chapter:

X. "Wetlands'' means an area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal conditions does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Panning and sluicing within the Forest Purchase Units is a regulated recreational activity. The rules and regulations are determined by the Unit supervisor and can be changed at any time. There are no mining rights associated with recreational activities in National Forest Units. You can't rely on any Federal or State mining laws in the Forest Units because they don't apply to recreational activities on federally managed lands.

Heavy Pans

 

[motohed]

I think you are all missing one big piece of that puzzle. Always read the definitions before you read the laws.

"Prospecting"



Dredge Permit "Wetlands"



Panning and sluicing within the Forest Purchase Units is a regulated recreational activity. The rules and regulations are determined by the Unit supervisor and can be changed at any time. There are no mining rights associated with recreational activities in National Forest Units. You can't rely on any Federal or State mining laws in the Forest Units because they don't apply to recreational activities on federally managed lands.

Heavy Pans

I read those first but the deeper you go into it on the state and federal , the more confusing it gets , they start talk about sediment , ETC . You can't really pan without creating sediment , never mind sluice . Some of it is vague at best , and open to interpitation .

 

[triple d]

The state laws are written by the water resource board. Then if there is a major problem. With silt and water contamination. They have legal recourse. Also it can pay the fish and game to monitor. Gold prospecting regs. But it doesn"t state that has happened.The laws are written but at this time. It sounds like no one is enforcing them. If you read any of there reg. Its the same they are worried about major water quality problems. So they have to be covered in the regs. And have some recourse. This my take on the regs.

 

[nh.nugget]

I've got all the regs. I'm not a large scale miner recreational miner is different. Yes it is issued by the wet lands dept.

 

[motohed]

OK all I could'nt stand it so I bought some paydirt from New Hampshire and Some from Whiskey pete in Arizona . I have gold fever bad , and just can't wait for spring . Do I need a wetsuit for spring or what , maybe a drysuit . Let me know !!!!!