Lost City of Paititi....................The greatest treasure hunt of our lifetime.

[Phil]

Gidday amigo.

Sadly it not abandoned old Spanish mines or virgin ground anymore. thousands of illegal miners have pitched into those gold bearing rivers and valleys all chasing a dream to strike it rich.


Here is one of of the mining settlements of people dredging the river. One of several.

View attachment 1907803

Down in these steep valleys falling east flat land is rare. So make shift mining camps are cut into hill sides. Making them prone to landslides below.

View attachment 1907807

These camps have high mortality rates no electricity or sanitation and sickness spreads like wildfire.

View attachment 1907808

To compound these gold rush miners. Government has been actively trying to push miners out. By burning out their camp.

View attachment 1907809

Just like the 49ers, Diggers in Australia life is hard. Many will fail and some no doubt will get rich.

View attachment 1907810

The ever threat of flash flooding is also constant danger.

View attachment 1907813

That is harsh reality of such places it is not for the faint heart.

Crow

Something needs to be done so locals can make a living while still protecting the environment. It can't be too difficult to find a compromise so they can feed their families without using mercury. Or is it?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[lilorphanannie]

This is where I see opportunity. The presedent has been set in several places, Colombia for example, where ecologically mined gold it set up and connected with end buyers ,large jewelery companies who actually pay an above spot price to be able to say the gold in their products was ecologically mined. Also in Mexico there are electric, government and environmentally approved retorts which have shown nor to release toxics into the rivers nor harmful to health.

 

[lilorphanannie]

Thanks for the encouraging comments. It would be a rewarding feeling to know that by passing on some of ones experiences,it could help others , make their efforts successful, save loss of time and money ,help them keep safe.
I am not proficent with the computer or know about proper protocol on these sites. I do not want to stray off topic. I know nothing about the Paititi legend, but about 10 years ago ,someone posted a photo,apparently taken from the window of a small airplane while flying over the Moxos, Mojos,región of Bolivia, that, if authentic,merits investigation. It was tip tip of a stone pyramid,towering well above the forest canopy. It brought to mind the tip of the Prudential building in San Francisco to give you an idea.
There is a shroud of mystery surrounding the Cordilera del Condor, northern Peru,Ecuador border supposedly extracted from oral history from indigenous speakers of that región that mentions a massive treasure hoard dating from the Spanish Incan period.
There was also a story, that a researcher passed on to me years ago about an explorer who showed up at the village of Bolognesi, which in on the Peruvian Brazilian border, who spoke of discovering an incredible lost city. He had fallen ill and was nursed back to health at the misión church there.
The current use of LIDARmapping in my opinión,will,and already has led to a rash of more recent discoveries than in the last 50 years all together. That with drones,and drones with GPR capabilities,and Muon technology, suggest that we are in a new era of possibilities for treasure hunting success.
I expected more interest in the Google map photo of the lake. Perhaps everyone all ready knows this site. If anyone wants to know more,or needs to compare data or confirmation,I will provide more info.
Books that can make up a Reading list on early Peru, are the chronicles written by Garcilaso de la Vega, as was mentioned in an earlier post,ans can be found online free and translated into english, Riches of Peru, by Pedro de Cieca de Leon, and Works by Augstin de Carate. And also El Peru by Antonio Raimondo. After whom the plant is named.Where he speaks of the Inambari river drainages and their mineral wealth. Still looking for the journal that specifically mentions the waterfall in some detail.
Anyone interested in investigating mining Co-ops in Peru to see if there exists opportunities there, Here is their website Portal de la Minería Artesanal There are other similar opportunities outside this format. If anyone is interested. Just let me know.
In broad terms the key and advantage to success in alluvial mining are volumen and relatively low startup costs. There are placers in the Altiplano,as well as in the lowland river deposits. Lowland placer s are hampered by massive overburden, and a rainy season. and high altitude deposits by boulders. There are virgin placers free to claim in both áreas. I would recommend partnering with someone already setup to produce, most operations report 300 to 800 grams recovered per shift, averaging 650. You can expect about 70% profit, and 227 grams daily on a 50-50 partnership. There are Americans ,as well as Peruvian nationals looking for investment capital. I would like t osee someone run a placer Project using a robotic submersible dredge, https://eddypump.com/products/dredging-equipment/subdredge/ It could be a game changer.
Most hardrock opportunities in the altiplano are polymetallic, if that is of interest. There are many possibilities. For free milling gold the target is in Arriquipe and the Nazca área. Many family mines exist working fairly higrade quartz vein systems.
I have worked in gold ,diamonds and emeralds,among other minerals. For buying these commodities I can give you my experiences for Bolivia,Peru,Ecuador, Colombia,Venezuela, Mexico,Brazil and Guyana. The advantages and disadvantages for each location. And profitability.
I am not promoting or representing anyone or anything. All information here is of course free and based on my experience. I am semi retired ,living in Mexico, working on my own treasure extraction. Trying to figure out the logistics. My true expertise are in Mexico and Colombia, this is pretty much a ll I know about Peru.
In closing,the paradox is…. that for entering most o f these activities is that it requires money and a lot o f it to be successful and ensure continued success. The paradox being that if you have that kind of money you most likely have found an easier and a more comfortable lifestyle to enjoy it from. If it is a sideline or hobby ,well have all the fun you can ,and I hope you hit on something that rewards your efforts. If you do have the financial capability and skill set to pull off a Project be it treasure , or mining I hope you will do proper testing and take a serious look at the new technologies that are out there.

 

[Crow]

Gidday Phil

30000 informal miners have entered the region. that the region has no facilities to cope with that population growth living ruff among the tributaries digging for alluvial gold.

There are no easy solutions amigo. That story goes on all over the world poor dirt miners versus big miners. Both have their good points and bad points. Several large companies was to develop big mining projects there. And there is a large cost to get infrastructure in places. That is why their building a hydro electric dam on the San Gaban. In proving the road and building bridges. This is not out of charity but because it is needed to open up the region to modern mining operations.

Palamina a Canadian company, AMR, Helios among others. But with modern mines open cut and even modern underground mines it not like the olden days wild west with men with pick axes. Today's mines are modern with modern mining equipment. Thus not requiring a large labour force. Although such projects require construction crews in building road works and secondary support services. Such as accommodation for workers families schools hospital. Workshops etc...that is where the real employment will follow not Necessary in actually mining.

But at the end of the day locals if employed will only be working for wages. But for many who have never had a job this could give them a chance for better living conditions a school for their kids access to medical services that for many is undreamed of. However for various reasons many will miss out left out on the fringe margins.

Crow

 

[lilorphanannie]

Wonderfully put. I would love to someone put a project togther to begin working on this problem. We say in the military Thank you for your service, I say thank you for your understanding of this problem and compassionate view.

 

[Crow]

Here is a map AMR project. Proposed working of alluvial deposit.





This is a smaller mining operation one of many that have leases all over the region.

Crow

 

[lilorphanannie]

Is this a project that you are going to be involved in?

 

[lilorphanannie]

is this a project you are going to be involved with?

 

[lilorphanannie]

The blocks shown on the map reference the AMR project, are not aluvial but eluvial deposits as they are not directly in the stream bed, therefore not transported. Although they could be identified as tertiary deposits after closer examination. Meaning they are part of a much larger now non existant river channel. The morphology of the gold will answer that question. And in turn dictate how and where to target gold deposition. Proper testing is a must in order to block out an ore body and reserves. The Banka drill is the definitative tool accepted in the evaluation process ,that will give you accurate figures. to a plus or minus 5% margin of error. There exist potential for nugget effect in that area,which must be thrown out when making calculations. Banka drill website https://conrad-stanen.nl/en/products/specials/banka

 

[BillA]

a Nica who works illegally here in CR was telling me about employment in the Nicaraguan gold mines and he said that if one spoke English and knew how to operate hydraulic equipment there were jobs aplenty, otherwise nothing
Canadians have the concessions and the controls are in English

nothing legal here, thousands of Nicas up north tearing up the land

 

[Crow]

is this a project you are going to be involved with?

Gidday amigo

In short amigo no. Just an example of mining projects that tried to be developed there. That was plan in 2007 and as far as I am aware have not come fruition? However they I think have done a deal with Palamina corp.

The trio have capital invested in a diverse number of mining companies. Some of failed others have succeeded.

In South America we have Aurania resources in Ecuador headed by Dr Kieth Barron. With a project called the ;lost cities project. We knew from new guinea. He was our boss once great guy to talk to and deal with.He has gone from strength to strength.

Reports in the archives of the Vatican library, Logrono in Spain, Quito and Lima point to the gold-producing centres of Logrono and Sevilla (the “lost cities”) being in the Cutucu Cordillera in southeastern Ecuador. We’re using LiDAR to see through the thick vegetation to the floor of the jungle to identify vestiges of old workings from the Spanish Colonial mines. But also using historical records, soil analysis, stream sediment sampling, geophysics,satellite data analysis. Progress have slowed since covid 19 by as the world leaves the pandemic behind.

It must be said Aurania resources is an exploration company which makes it money selling the project to bigger miners. In 2001, Kieth Barron co-founded Ecuador gold explorer Aurelian Resources Inc., which made the colossal Fruta del Norte gold discovery in 2006. The company was bought by Kinross Gold in 2008 for $1.2 billion.

So there is always chance " lost cities project " in time will develop into a huge money making venture as Fruta del Norte project did. For us like Lihir gold in new guniea selling out to Newcrest mining made us multi millionares over night.

But that project amigo does not dull our interest in Peru?

In Peru Palamina corp is involved in four projects in the Puno Gold Zone.

Which included Coasa Gold Project, with Cayos and veta discovery zone. Cori gold project, Gaban project . And Bendi Gold Project. All at various levels of development and exploration.Palamina corp is an exploration company looking to find a project to sell to the big miners like BHP, Newmount Gold Corp, Barrack Gold, newcrest mining,Rio Tinto etc....

Their main project is Gaban project they have 19 mining leases.

Crow

 

[lilorphanannie]

Very impressive and good for you. Happy for your success in this difficult game. I was encouraged to post here as I knew of the San Gaban treasure legend from my research and visit in the 1970s. Its been interesting to read everyones activities from this thread, and nostalgic and updating. I would be rambling for no productive reason and therefore have nothing more to offer on this topic. All the best to everyone.

 

[BillA]

loa, plenty of ramblers here, feel free
did you get to Central America or CR?

 

[Phil]

Very impressive and good for you. Happy for your success in this difficult game. I was encouraged to post here as I knew of the San Gaban treasure legend from my research and visit in the 1970s. Its been interesting to read everyones activities from this thread, and nostalgic and updating. I would be rambling for no productive reason and therefore have nothing more to offer on this topic. All the best to everyone.

Your ramblings are more informative and knowledgeable than my best educated guess. Please continue!

 

[lilorphanannie]

Those and kind and generous comments. And yes, I was in Central America during my second stint in the military, Panama,in Costa Rica only for high altitude helicopter training. El Salvador,Honduras. No time to prospect in those places then.LOL. this was 81 to 85. Then later in Panama with an exploration company about 94. I began my interest in mining and minerals after my first stint ended in 73.Luck of the draw ,last draft in 71. Total 13 countries related to mining activities and 6 related to military. I studied Panama in depth, really not qualified to comment on the other countries . I think I posted some stories about Panama here some time back.

 

[BillA]

ah yes, the ingot anchor if I recall
sure seems like an invitation to trouble

 

[lilorphanannie]

[FONT=&quot]I spent the first 10 years prospecting all over and completely alone. I guess I did OK. I will try to post some photos below from that time period. When I amassed 80k I bought a house in Colombia for 3k and kept my gold in the walls of the closet. And then setout to find those rare gold traps such as the waterfall posted here. Eventually I did find one and worked it out. Then people (companies) sought me out as a guide and then geochemical sampling,eventually running several placer projects.I am fluent in Spanish self taught. Also a fair grasp of geology, mineralogy, ,metallurgy and most important cultural history of the places I worked.I promised myself to leave everything and everyone in the places I worked better off than when I found it or them.I spent 3 full years on the back of a mule exploring the Sierra Madre of Mexico ,documenting old mines,mapping and exploring them. Over 25 years I guess, on those projects, Paralleling this work ,pursuing treasure leads along the way. I have ove 1000 pages of journals and wrote a book on placer,but it was never published. Now back on my own, pursuing a treasure ,trying to figure out how to move it.[/FONT]View attachment ORO_2[1] (1).bmp

 

[lilorphanannie]

1. is my largest nugget, 8 pounds, 42% gold. 2. Were some of my emeralds ,in that case about 100k worth, High end commercial grade. I mined them myself. Had them faceted in Bogota. 3. Crude ingots,but I was happy how they turned out. 4.Box was full of nuggets and a few to show content on top. I had quite a lot of photos ,but now long gone, But just to give you guys an idea.

 

[Phil]

Very nice!


On a different topic, I have reached a dead-end researching Jesuits. There is no question they wrote in code, and they knew where Paititi is, as well as several other deposits in their regions. Albeit, their knowledge is either lost to history, or sealed away in the archives in the Vatican.

The history of Jesuits in South America is highly intriguing though, and it was time well spent learning about them.

 

[BillA]

loa
a drop dead post, totally interesting to me at least
many topics I would like to pursue, want to start your own thread?
Phil seems done with this one but seems off topic

there is one overriding observation based on this site:
if one wants to see and learn different things, ya got to get out and do it
- a huge selection process right there