My First Season is over, not too bad Options

[Evg]

Hi guys.

Couple weeks ago I ended my first prospecting season (trip) in Colorado. I want to share some pictures with you as well as to ask a few questions.

It was short but fun one for me.

I've claimed few claims in Grand County, ran 2" dredge for a few hours and found some gold.


First question I have. I've noticed that 2'-3' below the stream bed is a layer of blue clay. I've tested it and found couple flakes. Is it worth it either to work it as well or try to get under it and see what might be there? I just didn't have time to do it and now really wondering if I should've.

That's the test pans from the material I was working mostly on the surface going 1'-2' down.




I had total about 7 hours dredging and found nice amount of colour.





I ran some numbers and gound averages at 0.05 gram per yard. I'm sure there are better spots but that's all I had time for didn't want to prospect too much, just wanted to play around with my dredge.


That brings me to another question, is it worth dredging with 4" or 5" dredge or ground is not rich enough?

I had way more questions before I started this topic but now forgot what was going to ask. I'll just add them here when I remember what I wanted to ask.

Just a few more pics of beautiful area where I was.

[Skygazer]

I'm impressed that you got that much gold using a 2", using a 4" or 5" dredge would yield 2X or even 2 1/2X.

More material moved means more gold gained.

As for checking to see if the layer of blue clay has anything in/under it is something that seems worth looking into, cant hurt to test and find out if its any good.

Hopefully you'll be able to get back out there soon, seems like you have a very good spot, Congrats on the new claims and good luck dredging!

[Denise]

Congratulations on the new claims, that one looks like a great spot!
I would for sure check it with a bigger dredge if you have one handy. It will move more material in a lot less time and also yield more gold. Very nice finds for such a short time testing with a 2 inch dredge!

Hopefully your next trip will be as productive for you!
Thanks for sharing your adventure and pics with us.

[johnnybravo300]

That looks like good gold and a good prospect. Nice work!

[Evg]

Yeap, it was fun placing some corner markers on the steep mountain slopes.

With clay, I decided not to dredge it at that time as I didn't want the clay to pull the gold out of the sluice box. Next time I go there I'll test a couple buckets of it after breaking it up. Having limited time I decided not dig under the clay layer as well. Just want to know if any of you guys had experience with it, have you found less or more gold under clay layers.

It looks a lot on the pictures but it's mostly very fine gold, total weight was 0.25 grams.

I also don't like stock mats in the sluice and want to replace them with something else, would like to ask if there any mats that are way better in performance then just miners moss.

[johnnybravo300]

There could be gold under the clay yep. It's worth testing every change in layers. Sometimes the clay isn't worth messing with and sometimes it's good but for sure test under it for older deposits. There's probably another clay layer 6 feet down and another under that one....the flood layers under creeks can just pile over each other or if there's shallow bedrock, might be scrubbed clean after a gushing violent flood. Either way dont stop digging until you hit bottom.
I dont have a dredge but everyone seems to like docs gold hog mats. There's a few here that know that stuff.

[Evg]

Can't decide between dream mats and gold hog mats, each has its pros and cons, I'll probably extend sluice a little bit as well.

Was going to ask one more thing not related to prospecting at all. I live in WI and it's not common here that other drivers wave at you on the back roads and I noticed it's pretty common in CO, almost every driver of the incoming car, on mountain roads was waving at me. After a little bit, I got used to it and even was waving back :) Just curious why it's like that in CO, I haven't noticed it in any other state I was.

[Clay Diggins]

In the wide open west we've got a practical tradition of helping others in need when they are out in the big lonely. To do otherwise could mean disaster to those who are stranded or disabled. The wave is a way of showing you are friendly and worth having your behind saved when your car breaks down or you find yourself hanging from a cliff.

If you wave back you become part of the social compact of self reliance. When you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone service and no tow trucks or emergency services you will see the practicality of greeting others you see passing by. It just makes it easier for them, and you, to stop and help if they know you know the importance of that particular social ritual.

[EMac]

Nice pics; looks like a good time, and a decent spot!

[Crusty]

Gold Hog is tough to work with in the winter, as the ribber gets very hard. I'm a Dream Mat fan; I've got 5 "flavors" (2x 8" mini, 6" mini, 12" "regular" and 12" dredge mat. and sold a 10")

Nice looking ground. And as mentioned above, the more material you run, the more gold you'll get! I'm going to be upgrading my 3" banker/dredge to a 4" this winter.

[Evg]

I'm not going be working that creek in the winter for two reasons. First and the main one that Forest Service closed roads already and will not open them again until June 15th and it's a bummer I can't wait to get back there already. Well, and second is that I live and work in WI have to plan my trips way ahead.

I have dream mat in my Gold Cube but only at the final section, I wonder how it will perform in the dredge, as you can see from the pictures, bigger rocks do get in the sluice box. I'm thinking about adding screen classifier through the whole length of it but with a little bit larger holes than the one I have right now, don't want to miss any nuggets lol, I know it's not common but you never know :)

Next summer I hope to bring there a 4" dredge at least, but going to shoot for a 6" at first :) will not have lot's of dredging time next year as well so bigger dredge will move more material for me :)

[Crusty]

I'm not going be working that creek in the winter for two reasons. First and the main one that Forest Service closed roads already and will not open them again until June 15th and it's a bummer I can't wait to get back there already. Well, and second is that I live and work in WI have to plan my trips way ahead.

I have dream mat in my Gold Cube but only at the final section, I wonder how it will perform in the dredge, as you can see from the pictures, bigger rocks do get in the sluice box. I'm thinking about adding screen classifier through the whole length of it but with a little bit larger holes than the one I have right now, don't want to miss any nuggets lol, I know it's not common but you never know :)

Next summer I hope to bring there a 4" dredge at least, but going to shoot for a 6" at first :) will not have lot's of dredging time next year as well so bigger dredge will move more material for me :)

4" is as big as you can go recreationally. Go 6" and you up the degree of difficulty in getting approval significantly!

[Evg]

4" is as big as you can go recreationally. Go 6" and you up the degree of difficulty in getting approval significantly!

Yeah, I spoke to the forest service and sent them NOI last week for a 6" dredge. Just hoping since it's just for a short period of time, for about 2 weeks and the area I'm planning to use it on fairly small, they'll approve it. In case if they are going to ask for the plan of operation I'll downgrade NOI to 4". That's the plan for now at least, waiting for their reply, fingers crossed :)