New Guy with a lots of questions

colddigger said:
Thats really cool ! So the last sand bar the gold should be on the front corner, right? Do you think any falls into the really deep parts? With big rocks, should I dig in front or behind? Do you have an idea for a shovel that when you bring up the dirt it doesnt get washed off? Any ideas about the sandstone ledges?
Click to expand...

Last sandbar- front, top side running right on thru and across the inside bend.
Deep parts - you bet, especially where that line goes thru it, it also helps when you have a strong flow before the deep section, remember gold sits down first chance it gets. The river loses its velocity coming into the deep section and the gold settles out.
Big rocks- front, back, under
Sandstone ledges- sample fallout areas, cracks (especially ones running perpendicular to the flow)
There is quite a bit more to it then this but I hope this helps you pull out a little bit more gold, sounds like you've got a real good spot to play with.
 

Welcome aboard, looks to me like your on your way to git'n the gold! Good luck! :treasurechest:
 

On your map you've marked very deep water and cobble. Usually the very deep water is slow water and the cobble is faster water. Any time the water changes from fast to slow the heavy materials will drop out of the flow. This is how the bars and cobble have been deposited where they are at right now. The cobble and bars now are creating eddies and flows that will continue to change the rate and place that heavy material falls out. If I would have been looking for a place to start digging I gotta tell ya I wouldn't have started on the point of the sandbar. But after seeing the gold samples in your pics it tells me you may have a pretty damn good spot and depending on how deep the water is that's marked "very deep" on your map, I'd be looking for holes and such. It had to take some pretty good water pressure to move that nugget from slow deep water to the nose of that sand bar. Or did it erode from the north face above the cobble and wash into the river.
 

Wow. Thats alot of info. The video helped alot. Lets see, the water is really fast leading into both the river bends and then the first bend is about 10ft deep with sandstone ledges ( pretty good fishing too for browns) the second bend gets really fast and drops out from knee high to ? in 10ft which is in the middle of the turn in the river . I know it was fast enough to move a 30 ft tree as big around as a tractor tire thru it with no problem. The river stones look almost like they are a road. Very flat and tight together. Then the water flow curls around and hits the backside of the second to last sandbar. That is so awesome because thats where the line that I drew on the map print out ran thru! Does it mean the bigger the gold the closer I am to the source or placer? ( like you said- eroded hillside) The quartz that im finding is very round. The large pieces- should I break them open with a hammer? I have been just tossing them in the pile to block of the flow of water. I also found that a 5lb chunk of that volcano glass rock stuff and really big chunks of blackish blue flaky sparkly rock also and have no Idea what it is. We found a 10lb Geod and I broke the cement landing on my ex-girlfriends porch breaking it open with a maul.
 

Check this one out. Good watch.
 

Awesome video Kaz. I had to do a double take because it looked very close to where Im at. This is really good stuff and is helping me alot. Thank you
 

That is why I told you to dig where I did. Because of this video. Hope it helps out. Doc seems like a good guy. He's on here lurking somewhere......
 

What are the dredging laws in your state? You might look into trading that gold you found for a dredge and get serious on that hole. The volcanic glass is more then likely Obsedian.
 

It looks like a big chunk of black glass with flowing lines on it . It must have been bigger at one time because it looks like it snapped off at the top and bottom. Is that a sign of anything? I have only found the one big piece. Do you have a guess what the other stones are? I don't have a clue what any of the laws are. I suppose I should check out SE michigan laws. I saw a thread on here about it.
Do you think it would be worth buying a dredge and what one would you suggest?
I just wanted to say that all you guys ROCK! I am so excited about this spring! Thank you for everything and if I ever get annoying please let me know.
 

Let it run. If set up properly it will give you less to clean up. After the last material has been run I usually have a beer or snack until no more material is leaving the sluice.
I am not a joiner, but joining a club lets you learn from others. Learning to pan properly is the hardest part to learn. Many miners that I know don't pan correctly (and they don't know that they don't know) but otherwise mine very well. They loose gold. Until you master panning, save your concentrates for re-panning.
Wanting to learn is good.
Good luck in a hobby with great reweards.
 

Cold,

Here is a link on Michigan gold. Make sure you check the laws before you buy any new equipment as we have some pretty restrictive laws. I have even contacted the DNR in regards to some of the gray areas and to be honest I don't think they are very clear on it themselves.

Pan&SluiceRules

michGPAA


The gold in your pictures is really really nice for Michigan gold. Anything that you can pick up with your fingers is HUGE for Michigan. The gold we get is normally 50 mesh and smaller. 1/50th of an inch. You may well be on a great spot so make sure you don't give away the location or you might end up with someone else in your spot.

Good luck and welcome to the hunt!


Remnar
 

Welcome to the forum colddigger. I too have been frustrated with the shovel being cleaned out by the current. I have had some success using a post hole digger. Shove the digger down as you would normally. Close, twist it 1/4 turn and pull up. It should be about 1/2 full.

What's your idea on the shovel?
Thanks for sharing the link on shovels fowledup:thumbsup:

Good luck and happy hunting!
 

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CD is that why she's your ex ,just because you busted her porch? Some people just don't have their priorities right!
 

LMAO!!!! No thats not the reason, I fixed her porch. I worked too much, and didn't see her. Booo.
The shovel thing, I was thinking about knocking a hole in a coffee can and sliding it all the way down the handle and over the blade. I will let ya know what happens.
I will also try the post hole digger. That should work on the deep areas.
Panning- I use the lead weights still so if I dont have them at the end, I messed up. It was a good trick that someone told me.
Thanks for the links on michigan law. I just dont get it. Im not hurting anyone or anything.
 

colddigger said:
Thanks for the links on michigan law. I just dont get it. Im not hurting anyone or anything.
Click to expand...


Welcome to the insanity. You ain't seen nuttin yet wait until you decide you want to dredge!
Shovels- you can also make them, divide the shovel into thirds. Heat up the disection lines with a torch and fold the sides up to a right angle. Let it cool slowly in sand. You can then weld an end cap across the back if you like. I think you'll find you can't stab the shovel in very deep with the coffee can. Depending on the flow try filling up the buckets underwater.
 

colddigger said:
This is the first sight that I have ever joined and the first new thread I have ever made. I hope I did this right. If not please tell me. I have a whole lot of questions about prospecting and how to do it. I welcome any and all to post here because any help is better than no help.
Click to expand...

Wow, by looking at your thread, you've got some great tips so far.

If you want to look at some tips or hints on how to chase the gold, and if you'd like to, take a peek at two of my threads. You may find a couple of ideas you can use. Lots of people have dropped in over the years on my main thread and added tips of their own too.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/398442-gold-hunting-prospecting-tips.html

All the best as you join the passion for chasing gold,

Lanny
 

Do you think I could heat it up enough with propane to bend it? That does sound alot better than the can.
Thanks Lanny ! I will check it out. Yeah, these guys are all great! Shoot, they have me so pumped up right now with all these great Ideas I might be making gold bricks by the end of the year! LOL I would love to get everyone together if things go great this year! How cool would that be.
 

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