Placer Claim Mined Out?

[desertgolddigger]

I belong to a local club that owns a claim. This club has had this claim for many years, and acquired it after the old timers had mined it previously, and others after they commercial outfits closed up.
I walked quite a bit of the 160 acre claim, and noted that just about every wash had been worked. Most of the surface nuggets has also been detected by those with gold detectors. In other words, this place has been picked over and over and over.
But I m a stubborn type of person, and I figured, just watching how people ram their puffer and blower drywashers, that some gold was just being blown through them. maybe not much, but some small stuff that never got a chance to settle behind the riffles.
I know many of you would never go to the effort of digging for three to four hours through the tailings in these washes. Again, I'm a bit stubborn, and anyway, I just wanted to have some fun locally, instead of driving 300 miles roundtrip to something that gives a little more for less effort.
I've spent the last three weeks, digging a few times a week along about 30 yards of wash, and have recovered just about a gram of gold. That might not seem like much, but I have only dug up 5 grams, not counting this one gram in almost 20 years out here drywashing in the desert of southern California.
As you would know, things always seem to go wrong. My gas powered blower motor decided it was time for the repair shop, and haven't heard from the shop in two weeks. So I purchased a WORX WG521 corded electric leaf blower to use with my Royal Large drywasher. I'm using a portable generator to provide the power. And it actually is working better than with my old gas powered blower. I have to run the blower on the lowest speed, or I just blow everything through the riffles. Results are very good, as I am getting gold specks so small that I will have to use the Blue bowl in order to recover them.
I'm not only getting a little gold, I'm having some fun, and I am getting a good workout. I've lost 10 pounds since I started. So things are going well.
I'm still digging test holes around the old time hard rock mines in the hope I will find where the gold has drifted downhill below these mines. So far just a couple specks here and there. I figure I just have to move laterally one way or the other before I get something better Of course, I' don't really know if the old timers stripped the hillsides. Even if they have, they apparently aren't as thorough as I am. I hope that I may be lucky and find a larger piece of gold that the old timers, previous placer miners, and detectorists have missed.
Hope everyone is having as much fun as I have been having.

 

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[Jim in Idaho]

WEll, DUHHH....I just finished a 12 hour drive home, including solid rain for 125 miles of heavy traffic along the Wasatch Front, thru SLC. My mind is a little dull. Of course a high-bench operation is for heavy metal...I just blanked on that one...LOL
Jim

 

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[N-Lionberger]

it doesn’t really matter anymore. I tried lol

Driving through SLC is terrible!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I want to build my shaker table to help with my mom’s high bench operation.

It’s a high n dry placer

Driving through SLC is terrible!

Yup...we usually go around thru Ely, but they had cold, and snow there, so horrible road conditions, so we figured it was best to go up I-15 thru SLC, bad as it is. Thankfully we went thru from about 7:00PM to 9:00PM, but traffic was still bad.
Jim

 

[DizzyDigger]

Yup...we usually go around thru Ely, but they had cold, and snow there, so horrible road conditions, so we figured it was best to go up I-15 thru SLC, bad as it is. Thankfully we went thru from about 7:00PM to 9

Used to drive a big truck for a company out of SLC, and although it's been 30 years since, I recall the best way around SLC was to take I-215 and go around all that mess.

 

[Assembler]

Nah...the slime table is just a shaker table without riffles. Meant to work on super-fine gold. I've never seen one operate. Might be interesting on a thin, mud type ore. If I get one built, it's going to be fun figuring out all the right operating parameters. Might work OK on the Snake River flour we have here....it's extremely fine.
Jim

A large steel shaker table should work very well for your very fine values. I'm going for very long stroke cycle.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

A large steel shaker table should work very well for your very fine values. I'm going for very long stroke cycle.

I just did some research on the actual Wilfley tables. The slime table did have riffles. They were slanted at +/- 10 degrees to the table motion. They were for fines from 200-350 mesh. The sand table had riffles inline with the table motion. They were for 20-200 mesh. The stroke length on current Wilfley tables is 3/4" to 1 1/4", and speeds from 200-300ppm. I'm going to build a little less stroke length into mine, and raise the speed to 200-400. I'm also going to use grooves, while current and older tables by Wilfley used 1/4" wide riffles.
Jim

 

[desertgolddigger]

I did the grooves in my test mini table, and needless to say, I don't do routing very well. The torque on my router is so powerful, it nearly jerks me all over the place, and does when I started each groove. So, I have a wiggle at the beginning, and had difficulty keeping the router along the line I drew.

You can see I had problems with the starting point on the two longer grooves. I did those first, and solved that problem, but just couldn't solve the wandering problem.

I think the big table I'll be doing eventually, will be somewhat easier. I will have a longer jig with stouter metal. I'll also be drilling screws in to keep any possibility of the jig moving to zero. I'll just infill those screw holes

But I think for a first try, it will be ok. Hopefully it'll function at least halfway decently.

Question: Do I need to add a few shorter grooves near in the upper area a few inches after the main upper grooves? I've seen those on other peoples tables, and apparently they keep the gold in the upper part of the table until it exits over the outfeed side.

 

[arizau]

I did the grooves in my test mini table, and needless to say, I don't do routing very well. The torque on my router is so powerful, it nearly jerks me all over the place, and does when I started each groove. So, I have a wiggle at the beginning, and had difficulty keeping the router along the line I drew.

You can see I had problems with the starting point on the two longer grooves. I did those first, and solved that problem, but just couldn't solve the wandering problem.

I think the big table I'll be doing eventually, will be somewhat easier. I will have a longer jig with stouter metal. I'll also be drilling screws in to keep any possibility of the jig moving to zero. I'll just infill those screw holes

But I think for a first try, it will be ok. Hopefully it'll function at least halfway decently.

Question: Do I need to add a few shorter grooves near in the upper area a few inches after the main upper grooves? I've seen those on other peoples tables, and apparently they keep the gold in the upper part of the table until it exits over the outfeed side.

You may want to start with shallow grooves readjust and make a pass or two more to obtain final depth.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I don't see a single thing wrong with that, Caley. You're not making them to sell, and the gold is indifferent to small errors. And, most of us fabricators are more critical of our own mistakes than the average person...most people don't see the things we see. Ya done good! The only issue I wonder about is the width of the grooves. I was thinking of making mine 1/8", but was worried that might be too narrow. Looking at yours, I have the same feeling, but there's no way to know, but to try it. Better to start too narrow, and have to open them up, than start too wide and have to make a whole new table. You're "paying your dues", and every fabricator goes thru the process....with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, I might add...LOL. And, they might look, in the pic, narrower than they actually are. As far as groove layout, there a dozens of opinions. I like a near full length just below the feed area, to carry most of the larger gold quickly toward the cons, but who knows? You'll decide for yourself when you run it. You absolutely will NOT be satisfied about something on your first attempt...guaranteed.
Jim

 

[desertgolddigger]

I don't see a single thing wrong with that, Caley. You're not making them to sell, and the gold is indifferent to small errors. And, most of us fabricators are more critical of our own mistakes than the average person...most people don't see the things we see. Ya done good! The only issue I wonder about is the width of the grooves. I was thinking of making mine 1/8", but was worried that might be too narrow. Looking at yours, I have the same feeling, but there's no way to know, but to try it. Better to start too narrow, and have to open them up, than start too wide and have to make a whole new table. You're "paying your dues", and every fabricator goes thru the process....with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, I might add...LOL. And, they might look, in the pic, narrower than they actually are. As far as groove layout, there a dozens of opinions. I like a near full length just below the feed area, to carry most of the larger gold quickly toward the cons, but who knows? You'll decide for yourself when you run it. You absolutely will NOT be satisfied about something on your first attempt...guaranteed.
Jim

The grooves are 6mm wide and about 5mm in depth at the deep end. Yeah, I figured perfectly straight grooves might be nice, but what I did should still work.

The dark areas are either burns from the router bit, or just the color of the wood/glue?.

I'll cut the thing to the proper size tomorrow, lightly sand where needed, and then use the POR-15 spray paint that southfork recommended to cover the top and sides. I'll use my Krylon lacquer spray to finish the bottom of the table.

 

[desertgolddigger]

I went to Homely Despotty this morning, thinking I would get SonoTube, and brackets for my 4x4 legs, as well as 4 bags of cement mix. I ended up with a better alternative, that being preformed cement piers with the 4x4 bracket already attached. I just need to dig the holes, and get everything level, and properly spaced in all directions.

I also purchased small diameter PVC pipe, an endcap, a fitting that looks like an elbow that fits over the other end of the PVC pipe, and has threads on the other end. I then got another thing, a brass fitting which was threaded to fit into that elbow, and a barb on the opposite end to connect to the clear plastic tubing that will connect to my water pump.

Now I need to find thin, but strong material that will hold the water spray pipe. Trying to find 1/4 inch thick wood that can be used for this purpose, or some kind of lightweight plastic of the same thickness. Hopefully I still have some 1/4 inch ply somewhere.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Now I need to find thin, but strong material that will hold the water spray pipe. Trying to find 1/4 inch thick wood that can be used for this purpose, or some kind of lightweight plastic of the same thickness. Hopefully I still have some 1/4 inch ply somewhere.

I find making the water supply setup the biggest PITA of the entire project. Unfortunately, it's important to get it right. On my first table I made all the supports and stuff....real PITB, but turned out kinda neat. Wilfley attached theirs to the table itself, but I don't like adding weight...just increases the power needed to move the table. You might try making the supports out of PVC pipe, Caley, Light, strong, and easy to cut and glue.
Jim

 

[Reed Lukens]

You can heat & flatten pvc also. Get an adjustable pump set up that puts out triple the water or more to account for pressure loss. The Holman instructions say that it takes around 80gph and I'm running twin 160gph pumps and could use a touch more to run -20. But I'm running straight from the trommel mats, screening to -20 or -30 and letting it go with good separation. A touch more water would allow me to flatten the table a bit more for better looking separation lines.

 

[desertgolddigger]

I find making the water supply setup the biggest PITA of the entire project. Unfortunately, it's important to get it right. On my first table I made all the supports and stuff....real PITB, but turned out kinda neat. Wilfley attached theirs to the table itself, but I don't like adding weight...just increases the power needed to move the table. You might try making the supports out of PVC pipe, Caley, Light, strong, and easy to cut and glue.
Jim

I like the idea. Basically then I'll have my mini plywood table with some of that plastic I made the teeth drip edges with, and of course the drip edges to ensure the material gets down to the catch containers. That should be it. I'll still have to work things out, as I still don't have the table anywhere near finished. I'll post a picture when I get it painted.

 

[desertgolddigger]

You can heat & flatten pvc also. Get an adjustable pump set up that puts out triple the water or more to account for pressure loss. The Holman instructions say that it takes around 80gph and I'm running twin 160gph pumps and could use a touch more to run -20. But I'm running straight from the trommel mats, screening to -20 or -30 and letting it go with good separation. A touch more water would allow me to flatten the table a bit more for better looking separation lines.

My mini test table won't need anywhere that much water. It's all of 24 inches long, and 15 inches on the feed side, and 13 inches on the outfeed side. The mini pump I have puts out 600lph, which should be more than enough.

 

[desertgolddigger]

I finally succumbed to cabin fever today, so I went out to the club claim to dig more stuff out of a waste pile just below a very deep vertical mine..

I also dug a test hole in two washes below a large hill that I haven't seen any kind of hard rock debris on.

Results of the dirt from the old mine waste pile was totally surprising. Since it was still damp, I couldn't sift my half bucket to 80 minus. Out of 1/3rd of that I managed about a cup and a half of sifted material, and decided to run it through my ribbed gutter cleanup sluice. What I found was hundreds of very tiny gold specks. I now realize that the dirt I ran about a year ago from that same waste pile was run through my big sluice, and that it was basically blowing all that very tiny gold right out the end. I sure hope my tiny shaker table works, as it probably will pick up this tiny gold a lot easier than the sluices.

Results from the two test digs were, first hole zilch, but the second hole produced one speck about 80 mesh in size. Gotta go back to that small wash on a very steep slope to see if I can find more farther up, and maybe a source.

I also brought back some waste rock from that old mine, but the weather here is starting to get uncomfortably cool and windy, so I didn't mill and check the gravel (about 3/4 inch and smaller). If nothing, I'll finally have discovered where I have been getting my gold in that pile from, the dirt?

Was really nice just to get out and dig a little.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I like the idea. Basically then I'll have my mini plywood table with some of that plastic I made the teeth drip edges with, and of course the drip edges to ensure the material gets down to the catch containers. That should be it. I'll still have to work things out, as I still don't have the table anywhere near finished. I'll post a picture when I get it painted.

I got the two pulley blanks made today, Caley. Didn't have the right stuff available, so welded them up from two separate pieces on each, and turned them on the lathe...one steel, for the drive pulley, and one aluminum to go on the motor. I need to get the belt ordered tonight. I still have to turn the belt groove on the pulleys, and then start on the whole mount setup. It'll be a race to see if you're ready for the drive unit before I'm ready to send it....LOL Speaking of drive units...have you decided how you're going to attach the drive to the table?
Jim

 

[desertgolddigger]

I got the two pulley blanks made today, Caley. Didn't have the right stuff available, so welded them up from two separate pieces on each, and turned them on the lathe...one steel, for the drive pulley, and one aluminum to go on the motor. I need to get the belt ordered tonight. I still have to turn the belt groove on the pulleys, and then start on the whole mount setup. It'll be a race to see if you're ready for the drive unit before I'm ready to send it....LOL Speaking of drive units...have you decided how you're going to attach the drive to the table?
Jim

I had to read this post a couple times before writing the answer. I won't be ready to put my table support base anywhere until the weather lets me. It's supposed be be icky for another week. And I still need to find someone to help me move that 150 pound behemoth out to my back-backyard. I also need to dig the holes for the table support piers, and then mount the table onto them. So it could be a week or a few months depending on getting help and it installed.

Can you tell me how large a shaker table blank I need, and about the upper limit of weight your drive system should be able to handle. Right now I have three sheets of 3/4x24x48 birch ply sheets, of if one of these isn't large enough, I can purchase another sheet, and have Home Depot cut it for me to the size you recommend.

It'll basically be like with my mini table experiment. Just the table and sides, with the sheet plastic drip edges. I have a
36 inch long linear rail system that can support the table, or I can make a v rail/v groove wheeled system, similar to southfork's idea.

I don't have a clue as to how everything will mount, as I really can't envision what you're building. You know I'm not very mechanically inclined. I can probably figure things out when I see things in the flesh. Only shaker table I've seen in person was goldtramp's table sitting out in his yard, but never got the chance to see anything except its top. GT wasn't feeling well, and still's not doing well, so I don't have anyone locally to help me figure things out.

Sigh! This whole project is daunting for me. I guess I'll somehow muddle my way though.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Don't sweat it, Caley. Just get things done as you can. it'll all work out, one way or the other...it always does. Ij can't recommend a table size, having no idea about your operation, or future plans. I would keep getting your small table finished, and then run it for awhile before deciding what you want to do. One step at a time.
Jim

 

[desertgolddigger]

Don't sweat it, Caley. Just get things done as you can. it'll all work out, one way or the other...it always does. Ij can't recommend a table size, having no idea about your operation, or future plans. I would keep getting your small table finished, and then run it for awhile before deciding what you want to do. One step at a time.
Jim

I think I can say that If I never find a hard rock gold source, a smaller table (3/4x24x48) would be OK. Right now I'm hoping my mini experimental table will be OK for cleaning up about half a bucket of 100 mesh minus per session. Probably take a couple hours spooning it onto the table. At the least, I'm hoping it'll move most of the gold particles with only a little other heavies in to the gold catch basin. My goal is to eventually rid myself of the use of mercury to gather up the small gold particles.

If I can eliminate the need for mercury, I'll just sell the mercury and retort to someone who needs it.