Quick Question for the Forum

L

Left-CA

Jr. Member
Jun 8, 2014
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My neighbor and I went to literally the middle of nowhere (Close to french meadows reservoir) along the middle fork of the American River. We camped out here for a few days. We did a few hours total of gold suicing with our bazooka. When we hit bedrock on the river bed(which took ages) we found 2 bb like objects that were perfectly round(we found em in the sluice box) however one was bigger than the other. We accidentally dropped one into the water and lost it however we still have one. Is this a common find/mineral? Or is it something rare? Im pretty sure its nothing, but it never hurts to check!

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Did you get down into any cracks in the bedrock? If you do, make sure you get to the bottom of the crack and clean it out well.
 

I tried, we only got down to bedrock the day we left so we didnt have long. We were in the middle of the river digging and our hole was 5ft deep. It was hard getting material out with the shovel.
 

yuup, birdshot
 

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Guessing it was light greyish blue/white.....birdshot. Good you got to bed rock would have been easier out of the water. Next time look for bedrock near the bank a lot easier to work.
 

Wouldnt the gold be in the river not next too it?
 

Left-CA said:
Wouldnt the gold be in the river not next too it?
Click to expand...

Nope. The river changes size with rainfall and flooding and drought. Gold will fall out of the flow wherever there is a low pressure area and eventually gets stuck in a crevice. Also gold that has washed down the mountain from the lode doesn't always make it into the stream before it gets lodged.

GG~
 

Question #1 is did you do any research i.e. TNET, google. youtube for previous finds or historical data on the amount of gold in that specific area?

Question #2 is how many colors of gold were in your first sample pan? How many in your 2nd, 3rd, 4th...........

Keep studying this forum on how to find gold, Gold Luck in prospecting.
 

Last edited:
We did around 15 buckets total to get that gold
 

There were some nice chunks in there. Great work.
 

Looking at the picture.... all those boulders that are the same color...seems to be the local "country rock" meaning the main geological matrix exposed int he area. Looks like granite it is hard and smooth. Some of those aren't boulders they are the top of exposed bedrock. Downstream on the right of the waterway you can see bedrock it has the remnants of waterworn areas on it from when it was part of the bottom of the river thousands (or more) of years ago.Find exposed bedrock like that and look for cracks and crevices. And when it forms a wall like that check the material in front of and behind it. And yes like Mojo said research the mining history of the area it will clue you in on a lot of things....were they ground sluicing? are there hydraulic mines....drift mines....hard rock mines...not all holes in the ground are the same. You will start to recognize tailings piles and piles from the old timers moving "worthless" material out of their way to get to the pay layers they were after.The river is a blessing and a curse to a miner you can use it for power for sluicing.. it concentrates material for you...but, sometimes its just in your way. Hundreds of miles of river bed was moved from one side to the other by the old timers so they could get to the material and bedrock under the water....they knew as you now do that shoveling in water sucks. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of all gold produced in placer mines is recovered out of the water. You will experience the same thing.
 

I just assumed that American River = Gold. I really really appreciate the long detailed response as It helps me learn more.

Just to clarify. Your saying that it was already at bedrock in some places?
 

looks like it to me.
 

I would recommend taking that out of your vial, had a buddy with all his gold and some fine iron pyrite in one, couple good shakes and it was all on the carpet. :O

Sounds like a good time! Great lookin yellow stuff too!
 

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