Gold dredging

[colorider]

I would love to get out and try some panning some time. Does the fact that much of the Arkansas is a protected trout fishery effect what you can/can't do to the riverbed?

Also, I was under the impression that the old timers did a pretty thorough job of clearing out all of the placer deposits around the state. Is there really anything left worth pursuing?

Panning on public lands in Boulder county is strictly prohibited and they will ticket you and take your equipment. Total bullshit if you ask me, but they made the law.

[BushMasterBoy]

Where I am planning to dredge, the gold is mainly "flour" gold. Extremely fine dust. My understanding is that if you can get to bedrock and find a crevice, you will get paying quantity. I have found some ore near the area, so rich a 5 gallon bucket will bring $50K. Most of the gold found in the area was mined by heavy equipment and run through a washplant. I have done the high banking route and it is extremely laborious. We did find a raw diamond of about a carat. We found a lot of flour gold that was silver colored due to previous miners using mercury. We also found a corked bottle full of mercury while digging. I am not planning on being bound by BLM regs as I will own the property. This dredging operation will be considered "casual recreational" mining for the most part. Most of the material will be returned to almost the same spot it came from and there will be no surface disturbance.

I am buying a 3 inch dredge tomorrow and will probably upgrade it to 4" nozzle. I'll post some pics when it is operational.

[rondog]

That's something I'd love to get into! Except for that whole "making a living" thing.....

[newracer]

I don't know about it at all but buying my kids a couple of pans when we were jeeping in Ouray was the best $30 I have ever spent.

[speedysst]

You might check with Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA). I think its $85 per year for the first year and they have claims in CO.

[BladesNBarrels]

Contact the Rock Doc
He has good advice, knowledge, and can help you stay legal.
http://www.therockdoc.net/

[encorehunter]

I have a few sluice boxes and several pans. My mother has a gold wheel for when I can get more concentrate. We have a lot of fun when we go out. I have looked at dredges but hardly have time to use the sluices. I've been tempted to build a small one to carry on a back pack to get further back.

[sniper7]

This sounds like a lot of fun...and work! I have always wanted to try to pan for gold. I knew a couple guys in college that would spend their entire summer just hanging out camping, drinking and panning. It would pay enough for their next years tuition plus some

[BlasterBob]

If anyone will be looking for gold pans, I have two to get rid of. They are pretty well covered with surface rust. I panned gold while stationed at Fairbanks MANY years ago and only found gold dust. I was advised that a rusty pan will make it much easier to spot the gold. Have a large and small one that I had planned to use here in CO but just never got around to it. I'll be posting down in the Trading Post soon.

[speedysst]

That store is a fun place to visit!

Contact the Rock Doc
He has good advice, knowledge, and can help you stay legal.
http://www.therockdoc.net/