What Caused This Depression ?

[Cariboo5]

Recently staked a few gold claims online one of which has this depression. Pictures are from Google earth. The surrounding hill sides have been logged and all the slopes show a normal even down slope appearance. On the left is the creek bank which forms one of the sides of this circle hole. I checked local records for any gold hydraulicking but came up empty handed for this area. Could this possibly be an impact hole as it look to be fairly uniform? I will not be able to check it out till May / June when the snow is gone. All thoughts, opinions of what this could be or what caused it are welcome.. Thanks to all in advance..

 

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[augoldminer]

look for shocked quartz around the rim of the depression.

It looks like it could be a old land slide or a filled crater that the lower rim has held back the dirt moving down hill.

Shocked quartz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[JohnnyFlake]

Where is this location?

Looks like a mudslide or landslide.

If it were a meteor impact, of that size, there would be tons of shocked quartz/glass all around the area.

 

[BertC]

Are the edges rock or dirt?

I'd say if it's dirt it appears to be a slope to deter water drainage toward the valley area. Farmers use this method to keep water from building up in the lower fields.
HOWEVER, being that it is round, it could be from a meteor. Pictures can be very decieving. What's the width? Does the ground test high for precious metals? Too many thoughts on "what it could be"...

 

[Cariboo5]

Thanks all for the comments...I just staked these claims online and have not been to the area as of yet. This is in the gold rush area of BC and 1.2 miles east there are several good producing open pit gold mines. All that ground is staked so I'm up on higher ground with a good creek running through the property.

My first thought was natural erosion which is great as each year it will open up some what. This dip is about 400 yards wide so there will lots of digging to do.

Shocked quartz...thanks for that as I was unaware of what to look for but now I will have a closer look.

My area just border lines the area where formations with known lode source potential are known so it will be an interesting spring & summer working the area.....

augoldminer, JonnyFlake & BertC thanks as I have learned from your comments.....

 

[Brian T. Booth]

Recently staked a few gold claims online one of which has this depression. Pictures are from Google earth. The surrounding hill sides have been logged and all the slopes show a normal even down slope appearance. On the left is the creek bank which forms one of the sides of this circle hole. I checked local records for any gold hydraulicking but came up empty handed for this area. Could this possibly be an impact hole as it look to be fairly uniform? I will not be able to check it out till May / June when the snow is gone. All thoughts, opinions of what this could be or what caused it are welcome.. Thanks to all in advance.. <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=927693"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=927694"/>

Shocked quartz is hard to tell just by hand specimen. You need to make a petrographic thin section and look for undulation in the thin section. What you need to look for cone in cone structure. These are easily spotted by the naked eye. Also look for brecciated rock in around the depression. Hope this helps. For pics of cone in cone structure just google image cone in cone structure.

Good luck. Happy Hunting.

 

[Cariboo5]

Shocked quartz is hard to tell just by hand specimen. You need to make a petrographic thin section and look for undulation in the thin section. What you need to look for cone in cone structure. These are easily spotted by the naked eye. Also look for brecciated rock in around the depression. Hope this helps. For pics of cone in cone structure just google image cone in cone structure.

Good luck. Happy Hunting.

Thanks Brian and yes this all helps as my knowledge is getting expanded..I have seen brecciated rock but never cone in cone structure which at least now I am aware of what to look for. Thanks again & happy hunting it will be.....