Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: Another New Guy...
Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums > Colorado Prospector site and club info forums > Chat, Cam Events and Introductions
swizz
Hi there,
My name is Chris, 47 yrs young, Winter Park, flyfishing enthusiast, small business owner (log home industry), strong like bull, dumb like tractor.
I'm very new to prospecting (placer) and have been having a blast for the last month or so. I started out doing very basic online research regarding 'how to pan', 'where is it legal to pan', 'are there panning opportunities in my county', 'prospecting etiquette'.... things of that nature. Well... the research just led to more questions, answers, map research, and reading, reading, reading. The learning process seems to be endless (I like that aspect). Within the first week I purchased a nice sluice, classifier, pan, vials and other goodies.... more than enough to get started. And "get started" I did. Everything works beautifully and I've found gold and pyrote garnets on pretty much every trip as a result of the research I did on my county. Nothing of great value I'm sure, but heck.... I actually did something right! I'm enjoying this hobby immensely as it's a humbling endeavor to become a beginner at something again. It's fun to read the old prospecting stories that I've stumbled upon as well. I've spent most of my time trying to decipher information from mindat.org which can be really difficult for a greenhorn tin-pan like me (geology was never my strong suit unfortunately). Tonight... I thought I'd search for "prospecting" forums, just to see what was out there. This one really looks solid! I promise to have more questions than answers. blush.gif
Thanks for having me.
jim
Hi there Swizz. You have definately come to the right place to learn about prospecting. Dan and Denise are very knowledgeable about it. As soon as you get a week or so to sit at your pc, sit and stay awhile.
russau
welcome Chris! lots of reading todo here! you will enjoy this site and its help if you ask!
CP
Hi Chris,

Welcome to the website and club! smileywaving.gif Thank you for the compliment.
We are glad to have you and we all look forward to your future participation too.
Make yourself right at home browsing around, we don't mind questions at all. happy088.gif

Sounds like your'e off to an awesome start prospecting, nice work! Winter park is at the north eastern edge of Colroado's mineral belt so ya' never know what you might find out there. emoticon-misc-004.gif We know what you mean about the research develops into more q's too......... bash.gif biggrin.gif Well worth the efforts to wade through it though. Colorado has so many different things to prospect for and open lands to prospect it's good knowledge to have in the future for field work. This is all assuming the "prospecting fever" catches you (or has already? biggrin.gif ), then it starts, more equipment, buckets of samples begin to multiply, and you start a "to dig" list which takes priority over the "to do" list, etc......it goes on and on! smiley-laughing021.gif

Good luck on your prospecting and don't forget the camera too, we all like pics.

Thanks Jim and Russ for the kind compliments. signs021.gif

CP
nm jack
smileywaving.gif Welcome to Forum! Check out pics from 4th of July outing when you have time. It was a lot of fun.
swizz
Thanks all for the nice welcome! And yes.... I'm afraid I've got the fever. As I mentioned, I purchased a decent sluice before I went out for the first time. I knew from my preliminary homework that I was really going to enjoy this and I never like to pursue anything without the proper gear. Well, I already want to upgrade my sluice. I purchased a mid-sized tri-fold backpacking sluice (Royal Manufacturing) from Black Cat Mining.com. It works well but I'm ready for the Keene A52 (which I will eventually convert for a pontoon dredge rig... hopefully by spring [and I will need your project advice this winter blush.gif ]). Fortunately, as a flyfishing nut, I'm already extremely well equipped in terms of stream clothing.... heated Simms waders, cleated Aquastealth boots, GoreTex and Smartwool head-to-toe, etc.
I'm certainly not into this for 'the riches'.... there are so many other reasons.
Thanks!
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Invision Power Board © 2001-2024 Invision Power Services, Inc.