ColoradoProspector   CP Club Membership Info.

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Fine and flake gold recovery
nuggetstosmall
post May 18 2010, 07:59 AM
Post #1


Diggin' In!
**

Group: Members
Posts: 27
Joined: 8-January 09
Member No.: 6,834



Whats the best way to recover flake and super fine gold?? Since going to the Arkansas River and finding lots of fine and flake gold, its like herding chickens to recover it. So was wondering how to recover it?? Any help would be great.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
 
Start new topic
Replies (1 - 5)
Ryan
post May 18 2010, 10:35 AM
Post #2


Diggin' In!
**

Group: Members
Posts: 35
Joined: 20-April 10
From: Fort Collins Co
Member No.: 7,223



All I have been finding the last 2 months is fine gold. I have been using 2 diffrent things. The first is a mag system to get out the black sand, then the sluice I use in the sink for the gold.

http://gold-n-sand.com/#/gold-mag/4536608053

http://stores.rdh-prospecting.com/-strse-4...uice/Detail.bok
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
CP
post May 18 2010, 05:36 PM
Post #3


Master Mucker!
*****

Group: Admin
Posts: 4,149
Joined: 7-October 03
From: Colorado
Member No.: 3



I like the analogy, herdin' chickens smiley-laughing021.gif So true.

Not knowing any of the processes used so far to get your concentrate, a good technique that helps with Colorado's well know "fine gold" is to get that water tension down at anytime possible during any of the operations from start to finish pan. We've got some tips on this for panning on the plans and tips page if needed.
We also use the same technique (small soap seep set up) when sluicing, highbanking or dredging too. Works well to help catch all that fine stuff without ruffled feathers so to speak. biggrin.gif

This pan in the pic was a days highbanking, then the concentrates classified and run through a modified mini sluice recirc set up and 1 final pan to pan out.
You can see there is a nice amount of the very fine colors. It's still a flippin' pain to pan down and get clean though. biggrin.gif Mag seperation works well as Ryan said, we use a spring loaded magnent in the pan very gently without putting it to the bottom. Just try to keep the magnent hoovering above the well spread out (thin) black sand in water, the magnent will pull the magnetic paritcles up to the magnent.

If you use the blue bowl, Swizz did an awesome write up on how to make the best of that unit too.
Swizz's blue bowl write up

Good luck herdin' the chickens. happy.gif

Attached Image


This post has been edited by ColoradoProspector: May 18 2010, 05:59 PM
Reason for edit: to add link


--------------------
CP-Owner/Administrator
www.ColoradoProspector.com

IF YOU USE IT, THE GROUND PRODUCED IT!
MINERS MAKE "IT" HAPPEN!!


Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
YellowFever
post May 18 2010, 05:50 PM
Post #4


Shovel Buster!
***

Group: Members
Posts: 84
Joined: 12-April 10
Member No.: 7,212



Nice Pic!!!

I have a few "pygmy chickens" from that river that need herding up!! I have ran mine through a spiral wheel and blue bowl, still I get a little when I pan out the cons even after a 2nd run through the process!!! I can get the "Fly" specks good on the first run but the "Nat" specks are hard buggers to get!!!
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
nuggetstosmall
post May 21 2010, 06:57 PM
Post #5


Diggin' In!
**

Group: Members
Posts: 27
Joined: 8-January 09
Member No.: 6,834



Thanks for everyones input. I looked up Iodine leaching, making my own centrifuge and mecury amalgamation. None looked any good. So, went over to Salida, went to Rock Doc, with a sample. Guess what, its gold mica, value, nothing. What a waste. She gave me a class on gold, very good and worth it. Real gold dont float. Gold Mica does. Any way went on down to the Arkansas river and got some yellow stuff to remind me what gold will do and it aint floating.
So the trip was worth it.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
CP
post May 22 2010, 08:12 AM
Post #6


Master Mucker!
*****

Group: Admin
Posts: 4,149
Joined: 7-October 03
From: Colorado
Member No.: 3



Very cool, glad you got out to find some yellow stuff and had a good lesson at the rock shop. happy088.gif

I'd like to add a bit about gold floating. In an ideal environment, gold will not float......but, gold will in fact float when the environment it's in allows it to happen! smiley-shocked003.gif
There are several factors involved that can cause this to happen, but all effect the water/gold in the same way. The dirt and other contaminants gather in the water causing a rise in surface tension. Once this happens (and it will happen), the gold, such as in the pan above for instance, will all float on surface tension when the water is dirty.

This can be easily tried out at home by just taking some of that fine Colorado gold you just found, place it in a well seasoned/used pan. Make sure the pan, water and tub are nice and clean. Add just a drop of soap, jet dry or your choice of panning add in.
Now all that fine gold is sitting down and the chickens can be herded to the corner. happy088.gif Leave this pan sitting somewhere it won't get knocked or tipped over night and do not cover it. In the morning or the next afternoon, without adding anything else, see if you can keep that same gold down on the bottom. chin.gif Once the gold breaks the surface or is exposed, the next time water comes near it the gold will be along for the ride. bash.gif It will amaze you how large of a flake looking piece can be seen skatin' the surface.

Dust, oil from the air, cars, roads, and even your fingers all are trying to steal your gold......USE CAUTION! biggrin.gif You can prevent that from happening, and if it happens so easily in the pan, it's gotta' make ya' wonder just how much it can be effecting the field work as well. jawdrop.gif
If addressing the water tension in the pan clean up process can make such a difference, just think how much it might help in the first processes to gather more of that super fine stuff from all the hard work done. char092.gif

I was told once by a miner that "the gold you've just dug and is on your shovel is constantly trying to elude your grasp from that moment on, keeping it from that point on or lessening the chance of it's escape is really what counts in the end" Ie.....more gold in the final pan!
He also told folks all the time, "you have to use that thought at all times or your wasting your work by throwing the gold right back in the ground." jawdrop.gif slaphead.gif I hate it when I do that! smiley-laughing021.gif

Have fun experimenting with this both at home and in the field and good luck prospecting everyone.

CP


--------------------
CP-Owner/Administrator
www.ColoradoProspector.com

IF YOU USE IT, THE GROUND PRODUCED IT!
MINERS MAKE "IT" HAPPEN!!


Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
3 User(s) are reading this topic (3 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 28th March 2024 - 07:05 AM