Gold

This manuscript is for personal enjoyment and information.

THIS MUST BE THE MOST MAGICAL WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:

WHERE TO FIND GOLD:

IN ALBERTA

The fine Alberta gold is found on the upstream end of the gravel bar, on an inside turn. The gold is just below the surface, about three to six inches. The Peace River:

Near the town of Peace River has had some favorable results. First you go 200 to 300 feet above the water-line of the riverbed. The gold can then be located in the upper two feet of that gravel bar.

The North Saskatchewan River:

( near Edmonton, South of Stony Plain, and about 15 miles down stream from Fort Saskatchewan).

The Red Deer River: Upstream near Red Deer. In the upper faces of the gravel bars, between the high and low water.

The Mcleod River:

(Along the river from below Hargwen to a point near Marlboro, from Reservoir to 6 miles below Peers Ferry. Up river from Whitecourt about five miles). The Athabasca River:

Starting from Fort Assiniboine, and around the vicinity of the town of Athabasca. Also by the bridge crossing the Little Smoky River, north of Valleyview, on the road to High Prairie. By the bridge west of Dunvegan, one student found a FLAKE of gold, "Not Just Color". Has been reported that gold was recovered from the Athabasca River, near Blueridege by the ferry.

Me and my nonpofitable gold drift mine.

Arizona - Riddled with tales of gold mines, Arizona has a rich and colorful history of lode and placer dispories. Cochise County has recorded B - two and a half million ounces of gold from lode production, but is desively poor in placer deposits. Reasonable amounts of gold come out of Mohave, Pima, Yavapai and Ypa Counties. The Bisbee, Tombstone, Turquoise, Gila, Ask Peak, Clifton-Morenci, Vulture, Wallapai, Ajo, Mammoth, Pinal County,Superior, Big Bus, Maricopa, Pingrove-Tiger districts have yielded vast amounts of gold, but have either come from hardrock lode operator as a by-product from copper, sulfide ore,or siIver production. The more interesting areas for the modem prospector would be the following: Bisbee , Ash Canyon in the Huachuaca Mountains, Payson Placers, in Gila county; the Globe-Miami District, the San (Dingo) Placers and Vulture District in Maricopa county; Pina County's Alder Canyon; Armargosa, Papago and Quijotoa Placers; the areas in Yavapal County include Granite ,Groom Creek, Placerita Placer and the Silwer-Rich Hill District; the LaPaz and Plomosa , LaCholla Placer, and Muggins Mountain of Yuma County. Oatmam (the San Francisco district, including the Vivian, Gold Road, and Boundary Cone localities in an area about 10 mi. Iong by 7 mi. wide on W slopes of S part of the Black Mts., with Union Pass sometimes included, discovered in 1864, with tot. prod. through 1931 of 2,045,400 ozs. of lode gold) (1) area (a)the Tom Reed Property (extremely rich), including the Pasadena,Aztec Center, and Big Jim-Aztec mines--lode gold;(b) beneath town, the Tip Top ore body;(c) 1 1/2 mi. NE of the Tom Reed,the Gold Road Mine, discovered in 1900,very rich--lode gold;(2) very many other rich lode mines, e.g., the Gold Dust,Ben Harrison, Leland Midnight,Sunnyside,Iowa,Lazy Boy, etc.; (3)the Moss Vein (4) N 1 mi., at Goldroad(Katherine), rich mines--lode gold;(5) SW 1 1/2 mi., the Pioneer (German-American) Mine--lode gold; (6) NW 5 mi. (6 mi. downstream from US 66 in valley of Silver Cr.),placers, (7) NW 7 mi. and 2 mi. N of Silver Cr.,the Moss Mine--lode gold (8)NNW 12 mi. extending from Union Pass NW in the Black Mts (summit of Rte. 68 to Bullhead City), W to the Colorado R., in sec. 5(21N-20W), the Katherine Mine, discov- ered in 1900, rich producer--85 per cent lode gold, 15 per cent silver;(b) 4 mi. E of the Gold Standard mill, the Roadside Mine-- lode gold,silver;(c) 3 1/2 mi. SW of the Roadside, in sec. 20, the Arabian Mine--lode gold,with twice as much silver;(d)other rich area lode mines are:the Tyro,Sheeptail- Boulevard,Frisco,Black Dyke Group,Pyramid, and Golden Cycle--gold,silver. Topock: (1) SE 18 mi.: (a)in SW part of co., in foothills of the Chemehuevis placers; (b) at SW foot of the mts., in area of the Red Hills , the Mexican or Spanish diggings (most productive)--placer gold;(c)NE side of mts.,area placer and lode-gold mines;(3) SE 55 mi.;(a) the Best Bet (Kempf)Mine--lode gold;(b) a few mi. N of the Best Bet,the Gold Wing Mine(and district), with other area prospects--lode gold;(c) on opposite side of mts., the Dutch Flat Mine--lode gold. Pima Co. Pima County ranks seventh among Arizona's gold-producing counties, with a total production of $3,212,000 through 1931, of which two thirds came as a by-product of copper refining. Ajo (major copper center with enormous open-pit mine, which produced 990,000 ozs. of by-product gold, 1924-59) (1) the New Cornelia Mine, open-pit, specboular; (2) S 30 mi. via branch from old Sonoita rd. and about 6 mi. W of Dripping Springs in the Puerto Blanco Mts.,the Golden Bell Mine--lode gold. Arivaca (1) in area of the Las Guijas Mts.: (a) the Las Guijas (Arivaca) placers, very productive; (b) along Arivaca Cr., in large channel along SW slope of mts., and (c) along Las Guijas Cr., along the NE slope (much smaller, drier), placers worked intermittently to the present;(2)regional pediment slopes, mesas, and watercourse beds,placers(mostly dry-wash);(3) pediment at N foot of mts,;(a)from pediment itself,and (b)from area arroyos and gulches, large-scale places(operated in 1933) Calffornia_ This is really the motherlode of all gold producing of the United States. More importantly, it amateur's (as well as a professional's) drcam. The richness of the California motherlode has been attributed to the gradual erosion and subsequent accumulation of gold from ancient rivers, of major proportions, that ran in a south-southeasterly direction through the central part of the state. The forces that formed the earth, moved and broke-up forces displaced the ancient rivers. The rivers cut a right angles through the Sierra Nevada and fabled Big Blue Lead(that carry its rich treasure) These other ancient river channels are theorized to have been off-shoots, tributaries if the word is appropriate for so large a river system, from a "super" river. The theory being that before the break-up of the continents, the ancient, monster water channel ran all the way from what is now the South American coastline, up through Mexico and through the western corridor to Canada;each tilting and breaking of its old path further segmenting its branches and obscuring more of its original course. Where these channels were forced closest to the surface and not protected by ancient lava flows, the canyons and fissures that cut into it released its mineral wealth. It is therefore the drainages of the western slope of the Sierras that have always attracted the most interest. ONE - TWO - THREE Before putting that gold pan into the car and starting for that secluded spot by the river, you must be aware of three equal important factors. ONE: You must know where to look for gold on a gravel bar, by a stream or river. TWO: The way to approach the study of the top map is to look for areas where the stream will be making a sharp turn. Gold, original point of deposit into the stream, rally move during periods of heavy flood/water, during this period of heavy water flow several factors effect the speed of the water: namely the stream(the amount of drop or angle of the stream, particular distance), and the width to cross were the gold has been freshly deposited,short distance will cause it to quickly settle and embed in various cracks, fissures, roots, and obstacles in its path as it moves down/ will, therefore, take substantial velocity to move again(Newton's "object at rest").Unuaually heavy flooding, which occur yearly,tend to rearrange these deposits.

: A Nuget's Travels

One standing at: a high vantage point after unusually heavy spring runoff. If you drop a relatively large lump of gold, say an almond, in this fast moving water, Were does it travel? If the stream were fast and with little obstruction, our test lump of gold probably travel uninterrupted for the most of the stream. But nature doesn't form that are smooth, straight, and narrow. There are new tributary, outcropping, variation in, will determine the velocity at each site. (Boulder or bedrock outcropping at inside bend will cause the formation of a gravel bar- prospect its upstream end.) If we were to drop our large nuggrt in a fast moving water with only one obstruction,such as a large boulder. The boulder would have an area of still or relatively calmer water on its down side. ln all likelihood our lump of gold wouId be travelling at a more-or-less constant rate pushed a]ong by the force of the water. However,on reaching and being swept around the boulder, the nugget's weight would most likely cause it to stop and hold its position in the calmer water on the lee side of the boulder, there to rest under water gradually receded. Let us take another instance using a straight narrow hypothetical stream of a fixed grade (river 2)swelled by a spring runoff. Midway trough its course imagine a sharp bend. Several hundered feet above this bend we drop in our test nugget. From our vantage point we see the nugget being swept along down the straight, smooth part stream until it reaches the point where the stream begins to make its sharp curve. In a straight channel the current is swifter near the mlddle than near the sides and is swifter above mid-depth than below. On arriving at a bend the whole stream resists change of course, but the resistance is more effective for the swifter parts of the stream than for the slower. The upper central part is deflected least and projects itself against the outer bank. In so doing it displaces the slow-flowing water previously near the bank, and that water descends obllquely. The descendJng water displaces In turn the slow-flowing lower water, which is crowded toward the inner bank, while the water previously near that bank moves toward the middle as an upper layer. One general result is a twisting movement, the upper parts of the current tending toward the outer bank and the lower toward the inner. Another result is that the swiftest current is no longer medial, but is near the outer or concave bank. Connected with these two is a gradatlon of velocities across the bottom, the greater velocltses being near the outer bank. The bed velocities near the outer bank are not only much greater than those near the inner bank but they are greater than any bed veloclties in a relatively straight part of the stream. They have therefore greater capacity for traction, and by increasing the tractional lead they erode until an equilibrium is attained. On the other hand, the currents which, crossing the bed obliquely, approach the inner bend are slackening currents, and they deposlt what they can no longer carry. quoted from G. N. Gilbert, Geology of Placer Deposits, Divisiorl of Mines and Geology, SP 34, (Inside bends have heavier gravel deposits and trap gold)

The water on the inside of that curve will be going slower than at any other point in the bend, therefore enabling our nugget to resist and settle in side curve. Its weight will cause the gold to go in a straight path following a line of least resistance from inside bend to inside bend. Another example relating to resistance and action of gold would be our stream with equal obstuctions throughout, but which suddenly increases its width at the midway point , our test nugget would travel along quite well, moved by the constant flow of water until reached the point where the stream widened. Wider point ofFers the water a chance to slow, affording the gold an opportunity to settle in a slower water. The transporting power of a stream is dependent on its velocity, which is a variant determined by the gradient, volume and load. gold cookies THREE:

You must be able to separate the gold from the black sand, and other concentrate which has accumulated in your pan. These three factors are closely interrelated. Being an expert on locating placer deposits is useless if you are unable to pan it. Being an excellent gold panner won't get you much gold if you can't separate it from the black sand and the other concentrate.

When prospecting for gold: Look at it as a recreation, not how much can I make mining for gold. Before you sell everything you have to mine for gold take a good look at the possibility of ont making any money.

GOLD PANS:

Steel Pan: - There is oil on the surface of a new pan. First You must burn off the oil, on an open fire pit. Heat the pan until it's an even blue all over, then dunk in cold water. Then lay the pan face down, to dry. This will leave the pan with a blue color, so the flour gold can be easily seen. You must burn the pan every time there are rust spots, or not blue any more. Black Plastic Pan: - This pan does not need to be burned: The black plastic pan is good for cleaning up after sluicing, it has a sand blasted surface. Also it's a good prospecting pan, rather then the steel pan, it doesn't rust, and the gold can easily be seen.

PROSPECTING:

PANNING: -

Place the pan under the water, and vigorously shake it side to side, about 5 seconds. Swirl the gravel in the pan, in a gentle circular motion to the right, about 2 seconds, and then to the left for 2 seconds. This causes the material in the pan to break up, and the heavy material (gold) to drop. If there is clay, or grass roots, set the pan in 6 inches of water, and physically work you fingers through it. This action will cause every bit of material to become exposed to the water. When you work the material by hand throw out the larger rocks. If there is clay on the rocks, be sure to remove all of it, as this is where much of the gold will come from. The next step is the process of working the small rocks to the surface. Pick up your pan, submerge it under water and, repeat the circular motion to the right, then to the left. Then agitate it side to side, with the proper tilt, dozens of small rocks are free and topple over the side. You also can use the side of your hand to 'rake off the top', and don't worry about raking out any gold. By using this same agitation that caused the lighter rocks to surface also causes the gold to sink down into the pan.

REMEMBER, Gold is eight times heavier than ordinary sand and gravel. It may be necessary to perform the "shake and rake" operation two or three times to get all the small rocks out of the pan. This will make the next step of panning much easier; to wash the remaining light worthless material out of your pan, and get to the gold underneath. Hold the pan just barely in the water with the proper tilt. Then with a slight thrust forward, some of the brown sand will wash out of the pan. When you have washed away some of the light gravel stop and shake your pan side to side, under the water, with out any tilt to the pan. This will cause any 'wandering' gold to settle back down to the bottom of the pan. Then repeat the circular motion, bringing the pan almost out of the water, with the correct tilt. Then thrust forward again, to wash out more waste material. Again stop to reshake your pan, without the tilt. Repeat this washing process until, you have worked down to the heavy black sand. This will be the last remaining substance in your pan. The panning process is completed. This is what we call 'concentrate'. Dump this concentrate into an ice cream bucket, which has water in it. Use your hand to splash water into the pan to wash the concentrate out of the pan and into the ice cream bucket. After several pans, when you have a fair amount of concentrate, you go into the extraction process. This extraction process you can do in your back yard. Set up a tub filled with water "to which non-sudsy soap is added. This prevents the gold from floating. Have some additional pail of soapy water handy. Screen the larger rocks out of the concentrate. Then add it to your black plastic pan (which has been scuffed up on the surface by panning some gravel). Pan into the tub using the back wash method to get the brown sand and garnets out. When you have panned out all the garnet & sand, you can run a magnet through to pick out the magnetic black sand. The magnet is in a pill bottle. When you run the magnet through the black sand, have about two inches of water on top of it. Without the water over it the black sand acts like tweezers, pinching some of the gold with it, as it attracts to the magnet. When you swish the magnet around in the water and black sand, the gold flakes should drop out. Release the black sand, by pulling the magnet out of the pill bottle. There is no need to save this black sand, although if you wish you can drop it into a gold pan and check for gold. When all the magnetic black sand has been picked out with the magnet, transfer the concentrate into the Garrett "gravity trap" green plastic pan. The Kelly green is particular good, because you can see the black sand and gold. The gravity trap pan, forces the gold to the bottom of the pan. Making it possible to pan out all the unmagnetic black sand, thus leaving you with gold only.

Future Prospects for Gold:

In light of the devaluation of the peso in Mexico, gold is an excellent investment. If you put $800 US in gold in 1980 you would have 28 grams. You would now have the same amount of gold worth only half it's original value, where as if you invested in Mexico, you would have lost all your value.

The governments of the world lie about the value of their currencies. So why not invest in gold? Gold has several qualities that few other metals have. One is that it has purity. Gold is rarely found contaminated with other mineral. Gold also has density. That is, it is heavy for such a brilliant metal. A inch cube of gold would weight almost a troy pound. Gold is very ductile. It can be drawn out into a very thin wire before breaking. Gold also has a mythical quality about it. It was and still is believed to have magicaial powers. From ancient times until the present people have believed that if you have gold you would have a longer and richer life. If you build a sluice box and work at it, you can have your own gold pyramid, if only in minature. (casting jewlery another hobby)

Click on Bert's photo to view Peruvian goldminer.A booming, makeshift gold mine spills down the mountainside at Serra Pelada, in the Amazon forest of Brazil. Nuggets as hefty as 15 pounds have been unearthed here by the luckiest of some 20,000 prospectors and laborers, who work by hand their tiny claims of only four square meters. All gold is sold to the government, which is counting on the regions mineral wealth - iron ore, bauxite, and manganese, as well as gold - to offset a ponderous foreign debt .