By Finn J.D. John — Posted with permission from the Author. The Author has a very interesting website at www.offbeatoregon.com

After a former Oregon farmer found gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, people from Oregon raced southward to start grubbing it out of the ground. The next year, people from the East Coast raced westward with the same idea.

By the year after that, it was getting to be hard to find a good patch of “pay dirt” that didn’t already have a miner or two working it. New prospectors might spend years poking around little mountain creeks before finding one worth working, and prospecting was hard work.

Increasingly, people started to realize there were actually several different ways a fellow could work the diggin’s:

One could look for gold the old-fashioned way, of course. But one could also go into business selling stuff, at inflated prices, to prospectors; many Oregon farmers got very rich this way.

There was another way, too. One could simply make a five-dollar investment in one of those new-fangled .44-caliber Colt Dragoon revolvers, then go find a successful miner and rob him.

Meet the Triskett Gang

There was one particular group of frontier rowdies who opted to follow this path. They were known as the Triskett Gang. This name sounds a bit like a Disney movie from the late 1960s — maybe as a sequel to The Apple Dumpling Gang? — but in reality, these guys were anything but lovable. They were named not after a yet-to-be-invented Nabisco snack cracker, but rather after brothers Jack and Henry Triskett. In their little band were three other thugs: Fred Cooper, Miles Hearn and Chris Slover.

The story of the Triskett Gang’s last day is a bit fuzzy. I haven’t been able to track down a solid source for the details. A visit to the Josephine County Historical Society in Grants Pass would probably be very helpful in firming up the details. But here’s the gist of the story:

Desperados on the run

In early August of 1852, the Trisketteros were on the run. They’d robbed a few people in California, as guys like them are wont to do, and were heading north with some armed, angry citizens on their tails, trying to lose themselves in the wilderness for a while.

They arrived one afternoon in a little town called Sailors’ Diggins, which today is a ghost town known as Waldo. About five miles north of the border with California near the present-day town of Cave Junction, Sailors’ Diggins was essentially an overgrown mining camp, but it was booming; at a time when the entire state of Oregon had fewer than 10,000 occupants, Sailors’ Diggins was home to several thousand. The mountains nearby were especially rich, and on that particular day, almost every able-bodied man was out working them.

The five bandits quickly found the saloon, went inside and started drinking their stolen gold. After a time, nicely sozzled, they wandered out onto the street. Probably they were contemplating the need to get out of Sailors’ Diggins immediately; a town that size would be the first place the posse would check when trying to get a fix on them.

Maybe it was this thought that made Fred Cooper snap. Bandits aren’t known for self-discipline. Maybe he wanted, more than anything, to hang around that saloon all afternoon, leisurely drinking and flirting and maybe hiring some female companionship for the evening — all those things that bad guys dream about doing with their ill-gotten gains. Maybe he was standing there outside that nice little saloon just getting madder and madder at having to leave, plunge into the woods and start poking around for a tree to sleep under.

Maybe. Nobody knows, really. What is known is that instead of heaving a heavy sigh and heading for the city limits, he pulled his pistol and, without a word, gunned down a random citizen who was walking down the street minding his own business.

Gunning down innocent bystanders

The rest of the gang leaped into action, if that’s the right word. The five of them stormed down the street simply killing everyone they saw. At least two women were raped as well.

Then, as they were leaving town, they paused, hustled down to the assaying depot and cleaned it out — roughly $75,000 worth of freshly mined gold. This they loaded onto two stolen horses and left town.

A mob of angry citizens takes up the chase

Now, Sailors Diggins was right in the middle of the mining action. Many of the miners could hear the gunfire and knew something was very wrong. By the time the Triskett Gang was leaving town, they were starting to arrive, probably with loaded weapons in hand. The 17 dead bodies still bleeding in the streets were their wives, children and aged relatives. You can imagine how they reacted.

All it took was one well-hidden survivor to yell, “They went that-a-way!” and the posse was off.

Weighed down with almost 250 pounds of gold, the bandits weren’t moving very fast, and the posse soon caught them up. The gang members must have been surprised by how quickly the angry citizens got on their trail. After a short pursuit, the bad guys turned at bay on the top of a little hill just outside O’Brien.

Gunfight to the death; but where was the gold?

I haven’t been able to learn much about the ensuing firefight. Presumably at least a few of the miners were killed; after all, the Triskett Gang were professional gunmen, and were able to pick the place where they made their final stand. I also don’t know if the bad guys tried to surrender. It’s certainly possible they didn’t; all they had to look forward to was humiliation and hanging.

In any case, when the shooting stopped, four gang members were dead, one was dying — and there was no sign anywhere of the 250 pounds of gold dust they’d hijacked from the depot.

To this day, that gold has never been recovered — or, rather, if it has, whoever found it was remarkably discreet about it. Treasure hunters still come to the O’Brien area to look for it. Most of them assume the gang hid it somewhere on the hill where they made their stand.

But it’s far more likely they squirreled it away earlier, when they first realized they were being pursued. It’s a lot harder to run from an angry posse when you’re leading a pack horse.

If that’s the case, it could be almost anywhere in the woods between Waldo and O’Brien, probably within a few dozen yards of the road. The stash would be worth about $5.5 million today.

(Sources: http://www.gwizit.com/treasures/oregon.php; http://www.josephinehistorical.org; Marsh, Carole. Oregon’s Unsolved Mysteries (and their “Solutions”). Peachtree City, GA: Carole Marsh Books, 1994; Friedman, Ralph. In Search of Western Oregon. Caldwell, ID: Caxton, 1990)

Miners mentioned in the above posted Bering Sea Gold videos are named… Steve Pomrenke, Shawn Pomrenke, Vernon Adkison, Zeke Tenhoff and Scott Meisterhiem.

The interview was conducted the week he left the show on television. Gold Rush Alaska is on Friday nights on the Discovery Channel. I am still contemplating publishing the full interview. The evidence is mounting that Gold Rush Alaska is scripted. I am actually withholding even more information that I may save for another time.

Here is a snippet:

To back up Jimmy Dorsey’s claims are the townfolk of nearby Haines, Alaska who were given lines to read as the camera’s rolled.

The following excerpt is from the Chilkat Valley News

When the question was put to borough facilities director Brad Maynard, he was enthusiastic. “I said, ‘I think it’s great.’ I kind of came up here on a pig in a poke. A lot of people came up here like that,” Maynard recounted.

Crew members then told Maynard that’s not what they wanted to hear and the interview was re-shot. “So I told them, ‘I think their chances at success are miserable and I think they’ll fail,’” Maynard said. “They had their own lines they wanted me to say… They pretty much had it scripted.”

Another piece of evidence is a post that has since been deleted from Dakota Fred Hurts Facebook page:

Fred Hurt: “What has America become? A crowd of blind haters, sucked into the contrived, misrepresented portrayal of “Reality TV”? The editors should be held accountable for altering words, and, deleting critical information that sheds a whole new light on the facts. Before the season started, I voiced great concern about how I was portrayed last year, and insisted Discovery clarify WHY the Hoffmans were going to the Yukon. 99% of that clarification was deleted from the show. The Hoffmans asked to be released from their lease. The owner, embarrassed both personally and professionally by the Hoffmans, immediately put the claim up for sale. He had 3 offers to buy the claim. Had Discovery aired this filmed sequence, and divulged what the Hoffmans knew, the public would have a totally different opinion. I am only giving out this information, possibly in violation of my aggreement with Discovery, because of the serious nature of death threats to me, both direct and implied. If the FBI has to get involved, so be it. This is what America has become. A crowd jerked around by overzealous editors, eager for ratings. You are focusing on the wrong person. I have NO control of the way it gets edited.”

Click here for the original interview

Click here for Todd Hoffmans reaction

Also check out a recent article I wrote about Dakota Fred Hurt and his purchase of the Porcupine Creek claim.

Edwin Waters, oregongold.net

Dear Recreational Placer Miner:

All recreational placer mining authorizations will expire January 1, 2012. It is now time to submit your year-end report for the 2011 season. Reports must be received by December 31, 2011.

After January 1, 2012, you may go online (www.statelandsonline.com) to apply for the 2012 season. Renewal of your authorization will require submission of a completed 2011 report.

You may submit the report electronically – go to www.oregonstatelands.us and click on Recreational Placer Mining Report under Current Information. For a paper form, call David McGraw at 503-986-5294.

Even if you did not do any placer mining last year, the year-end report must be filled out and submitted. Just enter your information and put “0” for the volume.

Information from the reports allows the Department of State Lands to keep the placer mining General Authorization available for your use. Every year we must report to the State Land Board the waterways where work is being done and the amount of material moved in each waterway.

Thank you!

Jo Ann Miles
Support Services Supervisor
Wetlands & Waterways Conservation Division
Oregon Department of State Lands
Ph. (503) 986-5277
e-mail: joann.b.miles@state.or.us
——————————————————————-

I filled out a report but when I filled it out it does not verify that the form was submitted.

Todd Hoffman: All my interviews have to run through Discovery. Your story with Dorsey was not only false but totally uncool. Take care.

Edwin Waters: Todd, I did my interview with Dorsey over the phone and I recorded it. Everything that I wrote on the site, was from his mouth, word for word. I still have the recording. If you would like to set the record straight, I would certainly like to hear your side of the story. Most of the questions asked during the interview were questions formed by gold miners on facebook, as I took a poll before the interview was conducted. I, myself, I have a neutral stance about the show, but I dont miss an episode. If Dorsey said things that are false I think the record should be set straight, and if you would be interested in doing that, I would like to help you set the record straight. God bless.

Todd Hoffman: I can’t tell my side of the story because the real story would hurt him and Im not interested in a pissing match, I don’t need it. If your going to post trash like that more power to you. You can read a good article by Garret
coming out in the prospectors magazine that I did recently. Good luck to you.

Edwin Waters: I understand and I respect your decision. Good Luck to you too.

—-End—-

Todd was referring to an article by Garret Romaine who is a frequent writer of a column in Gold Prospectors magazine.

First of all, I just conducted the interview. I am sorry if Jimmy Dorsey lied (if that is the case), but you cannot blame the guy conducting the interview. It sounded to me like Todd has a little animosity towards me or at least towards this website. I think it is good that Todd Hoffman decided to take the high road and not get into a pissing match as he called it.

It very well may be true that Todd Hoffman is right. The only way the truth would be known is if Jimmy Dorsey fessed up and withdrew his earlier statements conducted last year. I still have the recorded interview between myself and Jimmy Dorsey, to prove that what was posted came straight from his mouth and was not something that was made up by myself or to promote this website with false information.

I still challenge Todd for a interview. If he wants to keep Jimmy Dorsey’s name out of it thats fine…lets talk about the show. I am not going to hold my breath. By the way, I have been on television myself doing the exact same thing…finding gold in Alaska, and yes I found some.

The original interview conducted with Jimmy Dorsey can be found here: Jimmy Dorsey Interview

All new season of Gold Rush Alaska. Premiers on Friday October 28th at 9 o’clock on the Discovery Channel.

When operating a mine, anything that reduces wear and tear on your back and equipment is a great idea.  That is why for many mining operations, large or small, blasting makes sense.  In many cases, from tunneling to moving large boulders, there is no other feasible way of doing it.  You can blast too, you just have to do it legally and do it right.

The fastest way to get your blasting done is to hire a professional to come in and do it for you.  That is a great way to learn what explosives to use and what they can do to improve the efficiency of your operation.  Explosives used correctly will be one of the best and most productive tools you can use.  Use explosives incorrectly, and your friends will be standing over your grave saying things like “too soon.”

Here are a few basics of what you need to know before you start your own blasting operation:

A five ton boulder is fractured in a training class with 1.5 pounds of dynamite in three boreholes.

Keeping it Legal

Explosives used in the United States are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).  After a criminal background check, an interview from an ATF Agent and a $100, you can have a Type 33 Permit that will allow you to purchase, store, transport and use explosive materials.  Larger operations may choose a Type 20 License which also allows the manufacturing of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO).

If your mine is a commercial operation in the United States, it will also fall under the jurisdiction of Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).  Commercial mines are loosely defined as lode or placer operations that use heavy equipment to load (beyond feeding by hand), trommels, sluice boxes or rock crushers.  This means additional training and safety equipment will be required including access to mine rescue teams for underground operations.  Through an interagency agreement, MSHA Officers also represent the ATF in the field to ensure safety and compliance with the use of explosive materials.

Know your Caps and Powder

Explosive materials used in mining operations are reasonably straight forward.  Once you are issued an ATF permit or license, you will be legal to purchase commercially manufactured explosive materials from logging-mining supply stores from brands including Austin Powder and Dyno Nobel.

The first part of an explosives sequence is the blasting cap initiator.  The blasting cap detonates dynamite or other explosive materials.  Based upon the application, blasting caps will be initiated by either a fuse (pyrotechnic), electric wires powered by a blasting machine (electric), or caps connected by thin plastic tubing know as shock cord (non-el).

One of the primary explosive materials used is Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil (ANFO).  This is ammonium nitrate prills (pellets) mixed with a low percentage of diesel or fuel oil.  ANFO is commonly used because it is safe, inexpensive and its low detonation velocity is ideal for heaving rock.  It is sold pre-mixed in 50 pound bags or delivered by mixing truck for larger operations.  It is insensitive and safe to handle as it is classified as a ‘blasting agent,’ because a blasting cap will not initiate it.  ANFO requires a booster (another explosive charge) to detonate.  Boreholes filled with ANFO include a stick of dynamite or an RDX cast booster that includes a blasting cap to initiate the booster which then detonates the primary ANFO charge.

Although there are more modern and stable emulsion based explosives, after 140 years dynamite is still the low cost choice for many miners.  Dynamite is a simple wax paper roll of sawdust or diatomaceous earth used to stabilize nitroglycerin.  Sticks are sold by the weight and percentage of nitroglycerin.  Sticks come in various sizes and strengths; a common size is a half-pound stick at 60% nitroglycerin.  Another useful material is an RDX cast ‘shape charge.’  These small cone shaped charges focus energy downward to more effectively crush rock.

One half pound stick of dynamite with blasting cap

RDX ‘Rock Crusher’ shape charge with blasting cap

A student and I run a pneumatic drill at an Oregon gold mine.

One-pound dynamite sticks loaded into boreholes cutting a tunnel in a Colorado gold mine.

Pneumatic Drills

For explosives to work, the material needs to be loaded in the rock.  Small operations use hand-held vertical or horizontal pneumatic drills about the size of a jack hammer.  These air drills are powered by a portable air compressor and can easily cut a 1.5 inch borehole horizontally or a 3 inch borehole vertically.  Boreholes are packed with up to two-thirds explosive material and the rest backfilled (stemmed), with dirt and gravel to compress and focus the explosive energy into the rock.

Keeping Explosives Safe and Secure

Using explosives is an awesome responsibility.  If you use them correctly, no problems, but a mistake can kill you.  Security is also a big issue as there is no shortage of bad guys who would like to relieve them from you.

Explosive materials are stored in steel, wood lined secured and locked boxes called magazines.  Two magazines are required, one for blasting caps and one for powder.  There is a ‘Table of Distances’ chart from the ATF that will help you place magazines at a safe distance from occupied buildings and roadways based on the poundage of materials stored.  Magazines need to be carefully inventoried and inspected at least every seven days, so no storing explosive materials over the winter or at non-occupied mining sites.

Used correctly, explosives will get you to your pay-streak quickly, just take the responsibility to use them correctly, safely and legally.

Jack W. Peters is a long time gold mining enthusiast and the director of the Northwest Explosives Academy out of Springfield, Oregon.  Email: nwexplosives@yahoo.com

Useful links

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives  (ATF)

www.atf.org

Blaster’s Tool and Supply, resource for tools, equipment and storage magazines

www.blasterstool.com

Mine Safety and Health Administration  (MSHA)

www.msha.org

Northwest Explosives Academy, explosives and blasting training school in Oregon

www.nwexplosives.com

Type 2 storage magazine courtesy of Tannerite Explosives

Photos by Michael Fuller

The truth is…aside from a few bozo’s, most miners care about the environment more than most of these so-called self proclaimed environmentalists who never even step foot into the great outdoors . They just want to protest and be in the in-crowd, without educating themselves on the subject they protest.

Anyways…the Eastern Oregon Mining Association and the Waldo Mining District have been continually fighting the regulations that these wacko’s keep trying to impose on us. They have a lot of court costs and fee’s. They are doing a fundraiser. There are many great prizes in addition to the half pound of gold that can be found on their websites. I figured with the six hundred plus people visiting Oregon Gold everyday that we should be able to support this cause collectively. It is important and we should all get involved and try to do our part if we are able to do so.

For contest information please visit here… Gold Contest (or click on the image)

Also the  GPAA Gold Show is coming up on April 2-3, 2011 in Salem, Oregon and last minute tickets can be bought there to support this very good cause and to get in on the drawing. That is where I will be buying my tickets.

Oregon Gold : How has the response been on the street after appearing on the show?

Jimmy Dorsey: I think overwhelmingly positive. A lot of people want to know what I am doing next and want to know what is happening with my family.

Oregon Gold : Do you think you were portrayed poorly or wrong in the edit of the show?

Jimmy Dorsey : I understand the need for creating a character. I think my inexperience in mining and the construction field is not something that they created. You never see me actually turn a wrench. They cut out about ninety percent of the positive things I do.

Oregon Gold : Was the show scripted?

Jimmy Dorsey : Sure. Every formatted documentary is scripted. It is scripted from the beginning. They knew exactly what they wanted to see out of the program. Even me leaving was scripted, but in the way in which it happened was not. The plans were made, but the footsteps were ours. They actually direct you into these situations. It became very real. That is why I actually got my ribs broke. There was a fight…not even a fight…I was assaulted by Greg. He broke my ribs. That was very real, but it was also in the script for episode four which ended up being episode six, that I would end up leaving the show. They kind of push you towards, making these things happen. They would tell me to say ” We’ve got get gold in seventy hours” so I say “We’ve got to get gold in seventy two hours”. Then they would say “What are you going to do if you don’t get gold in seventy two hours?” And I am like “I don’t know you just told me to say seventy hours.” Then they said “What are you going to do if you don’t get gold?” They push you towards saying I was going to leave if we did not find gold. It was never my intention to leave. My plan was staying the entire summer and seeing it out.

Oregon Gold : Was it more about making the show or was it about getting the gold?

Jimmy Dorsey : You cannot really separate the two. I did not think we had a good show unless we got gold and I was not making very much money from the show; nothing substantial, so for me I did not think we would get a second season once we got gold and I did not think I would be able to feed my family once we got gold. It was very real for me. Real Estate has really devastated me in the last year.

Oregon Gold : Do you consider yourself pretty good at gold panning?

Jimmy Dorsey : At this point yeah. When I first started gold panning I did not even classify any of the material. So yes, I have gotten gold and I now have panning down. I did some mining after I left the mine.

Oregon Gold : Are you a better miner now, than what you appeared to be on the show?

Jimmy Dorsey : Yes, now I am taking classes in Nevada at a school of mining. I am learning about gold mining. I am not done with gold mining.

Oregon Gold : A lot of miner friends who are on my Facebook page want to know about the equipment. Was that equipment made to not work for the purpose of the show, or was it just poorly constructed equipment?

Jimmy Dorsey : It was poorly planned. The shaker was bought from a auction for fifteen thousand dollars. There was some incompetence there to modify that shaker. These guys were kind of playing around with it… It was a pretty old machine. I think it was built in 1967.

Oregon Gold : Do you think there would have been a better outcome if the group would have invested in better equipment from the start?

Jimmy Dorsey : Absolutely. I said from the beginning…I was actually at Sandy airport saying “Why are we taking this thing to Alaska?” I did not understand why they would want to go on the Discovery Channel with such poor equipment… We also did not have enough water to be running the equipment properly. The equipment demanded eighty gallons a minute and we had about thirty.

Oregon Gold : On your website you state that you are going mining again. Are you going to Alaska?

Jimmy Dorsey : I don’t know. I am looking at a mine up north. There a couple hard rock mines in Oregon that I am looking at. We are performing assays and I am talking to investors right now.

Oregon Gold : Did you receive any money for appearing on the show?

Jimmy Dorsey : The deal with Todd Hoffman was one thousand dollars per episode. At the time of me leaving he had paid me a total of three thousand dollars.

Oregon Gold : How do you feel about Todd?

Jimmy Dorsey : To be honest, today I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry that he threw away a lot of relationships that he has ruined in his pursuit of fame and gold.

Oregon Gold : Do you think that Todd should have done more research on even the most basic principals of mining?

Jimmy Dorsey : Absolutely. One thing I have learned from my studies in Nevada and working with lots of miners is that representative sampling and assaying is key… Finding out how many ounces per ton, is what you do first. Then you decide…what machine you are going to use for that material… Porcupine has gold that is forty to sixty mesh size and you need to have the right machines to get that size of gold out.

Oregon Gold : There is one episode that sticks out in my mind when the equipment is being loaded onto the flat bed and the chain snaps. You made the comment “that could have killed somebody” and Todd went off on you and told you to keep your mouth shut. Was that scripted or was that Todd?

Jimmy Dorsey : That was Todd. That was him… A lot of it was about camera time. When you put a camera in front of people, they get jealous.

Oregon Gold : A majority of the public think that the family members should have stayed at home. What do you think of that?

Jimmy Dorsey : We were going to church across the river and there were a lot of kids that grew up in that valley, so I will agree that we should not have had the kids that close to the operation…that we built our house in the wrong spot…the day I decided where to actually the build the house, I went for a walk…and there was a really big black bear grazing right where I wanted to put my house. So that was too far way. We were in a pretty remote area…this was an area where people have not lived in many years. Plus there is safety in numbers. We packed everybody in real tightly. As far as my family. I plan on bringing my family next year. I don’t leave my family. There is no reason to.

Oregon Gold : Is there anything else you would like to share with the public?

Jimmy Dorsey : …The platform this has afforded me is huge. My family is going to show the face of the mining industry. We can change things by opening natural resources here in Oregon and Alaska. I want to show how mining can be good for people…that is my plan…We need to show that mining can be safe and it can help our economic problems here in Oregon. I am getting pretty involved in the mining community.

Special thanks to Jimmy who took the time to do this interview. Please take the time to visit his website located here:

http://www.goldminingrealityshow.com

New episodes of Gold Rush Alaska can be seen on the Discovery Channel Friday nights at 10PM

There has been a bit of confusion by some who have visited oregongold.net. OregonGold.net has no ties to Black Cat Mining, other than I do shop there frequently and I do advertise for them.

Eathan Mertz is the small business owner who owns Black Cat Mining and BlackCatMining.com

Eathan Mertz of Black Cat Mining

I bought my Proline dredge through his store, where he let me make payments until I had it paid off. I also bought a Garret Ace 250 metal detector from him as well, not counting all the smaller items I have acquired. He carries several books and the Mining Journal Magazine. I have nothing bad to say about Black Cat Mining. Eathan is a very trustworthy guy.

I recently did a in-store interview with Eathan of Black Cat:

OG: How did you become involved with gold prospecting?

Eathan: I am originally from southern Oregon and my family had claims on Graves Creek. I found my first nugget when I was around eight. There was always vials of gold and black-sand in my Mothers hutch and I found it interesting. When I was older I was doing internet consulting and I really liked watching the gold shows, and I started going out.

OG: What is the best selling item this time of year? (December)

Eathan: This time of year it is rock tumblers and rock-hammers. Sluice boxes sell also, but tumblers are the most popular.

OG: What model of metal detector do you use?

Eathan: I have three. I have a older White’s Goldmaster V-SAT, a Garret Ace 250 and a Tesoro Lobo Supertraq. I bought my first detector after saving up my spare change for a couple of years. I thought it was irony to save my change to buy a metal detector to find more change.

OG: What is your preferred method of prospecting?

Eathan: I absolutely love taking a gold pan out and going crevicing, but dredging is pretty amazing. Just being out there in the outdoors and in the wilderness is half of it. Going home with some gold  is good too.

The gold nugget Eathan found when he was around eight years old.

If you happen to stop by Black Cat Mining tell them that Oregon Gold sent you. If your not in the neighborhood they do have online sells as well, just click the banner at the top of this page.

Kerby Jackson on the news

Golden, Oregon

Buncom, Oregon

Click on the links above to view the news!

So what do you do if you are asked by an agent for a 700 permit and you don’t have one?

Here is a great response from Kerby Jackson on the Oregon Gold Hunter Forums:

“Well, if you choose not to go the permit route (your choice), I would inform them of/or ask the following if ever confronted:

1. What permit? The Oregon Supreme Court deemed the 700 PM permit illegal back in December. Are you asking me for an illegal permit in defiance of a state Supreme court’s decision? (Carry and present a copy of the court decision) I think you had better get an attorney to inform you about the legal penalties of ignoring a court decision.

2. Put your authority and jurisdiction pertaining to mining in writing and sign it, along with your employee ID # for my legal representation. (They have NO jurisdiction and authority over mining with the exception of the Dept. of Interior (ie. BLM) who have authority to insure that an orderly fashion of claim filing is maintained).

3. Are you SURE I am doing something wrong? Do you know that it’s a crime in the State of Oregon to interfere with a legal mining operation? I would sure hate to be you if you’re wrong. I think you had better get an attorney.

4. The 1866 and 1872 Mining Acts say that the “Public Domain is free and open to prospecting”. Are you defying an Act of Congress? I think you had better get an attorney.

About threats to seize gear:

1. See #3 above. If you are not certain I am doing something wrong and you so much as tamper with my gear, you can be prosecuted for Mineral Trespass, which is a crime in the State of Oregon. I would sure hate to see you go to jail just because you aren’t very sure of the law. I think you had better get an attorney.

2. Here in Josephine County, it’s a crime for ANY government employee (regardless of their jurisdiction) to deny you your right to due process and it is the obligation of the County Commisioners to prosecute the employee. Question: Do you have a warrant? If you have no warrant and you seize my property, you are denying me my right to due process and that is a crime in this county. I think you had better get an attorney.

You could take this on and on and on if you know even very basic mining law – which they themselves do not know. Therefore, it is important that you understand all that you can.

Obviously, if you get a real asshole, he is just going to nail you (as happened to Cliff Tracy) simply because he is on a power trip, but 99% of agency people get very edgy when they begin to realize that you do not fit the stereotype of a “dumb miner” and that maybe, just maybe, there is a risk that they might be putting themselves on the line.”  ~Kerby Jackson

See Kerby Jackson’s website: :http://www.western-stories.com/

Click here for more metal detector videos MineLab Owners TV

Greetings fellow prospectors, I am Bill from South Douglas County in South West Oregon. I have been prospecting for the last 40+ years and have used just about every piece of prospecting equipment you can imagine.  Now that I am getting up in my years the days of the old pick and shovel are pretty much behind me.  Now I haven’t given up prospecting I just had to find a way to do the heavy work without all the manual labor.

Back in late 2007 or early 2008, I was reading an article about an Arizona prospector how used a gas powered vacuum to suck up material from cracks and off bed rock. It sounded interesting so I went looking for one.  They were out there but with a price tag of $400.00+ I needed to find a cheaper way to get my hands on one.  Then the thought struck me, I already had a generator, why not use an electric, industrial sized, wet/dry,  shop vac at a quarter the cost.

Here I am using my vac cleaning off some bed rock. The water in the hole is a bit of a nuisance but it does loosen the gold trapped in the mud atop the rock and in the cracks.

The location I do most of my prospecting now-a-days is loaded with shallow and exposed bed rock.  I tried using a regular wet/dry vacuum but the small diameter hose clogged far too quickly and I found myself moving a lot of smaller cobble. I graduated to an industrial sized vac with a 2 ½ inch hose and found that I could move three to four times as much material with far less clogging. A major problem, when working in wet material, is the wet material will begin to build up on the inside of the hose. This will soon reduce the suck power of the unit and eventually clog the hose. To remedy the problem one should occasionally suck some water through the hose to wash the restricting material through. The vac does work best in dry material.

The bed rock you see in this picture is under water when the river reaches flood stage. Note all the moss on the rock, the vac works very well on this also.

The material I collect with my vacuum is classified to ¼ inch and then run through my recirculating high banker or my Mountain Goat Trommel.  The vac is fun and easy to use plus it is quite effective, (see photo below).

The larger bottle contains smaller flakes, as seen in the pan, while the little bottle contains pickers.

Special Thanks to Bill Hagan for submitting this article to oregongold.net

Miners Flag - Created by Edwin Waters

Miners Flag - Created by Edwin Waters

While we are fighting for our God given rights to mine, it occurred to me that we need a banner and a symbol to be united under. I have long known about the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag. I remember creating a original version of the flag out of construction paper in elementary school for a class project. In recent years, I think of the National Rifle Association, and the fight to keep the Constitutional rights to own and bare arms. The new version that I have created, now known as “The Miners Flag” includes a pick and shovel being closely guarded by the rattlesnake. Meaning that miners and prospectors will “Not” give up our rights to mine without a fight, especially those rights to mine on federal land.

The original flag is known as the Gadsden flag and was a patriotic symbol carefully warning the creation of bigger government and regulations that restrict personal freedom. There are two variations of the Miners Flag, as seen above. Either one may be used for personal use.

“I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, ‘Don’t tread on me.’ As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

I like to think that the original flag represents all freedoms and privileges granted to us by the United States Constitution. Federal laws created by men who had no hidden agenda or making shady deals behind closed doors. The original fathers thought long and hard and they knew that mining was essential for our economy.

The rattlesnake is found only in America. The rattlesnake has sharp eyes, and “may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.” “She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. … she never wounds ’till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.”

This is very detailed look into the twisted views and agenda’s of many of America’s environmental movements and organizations, along with the agenda’s set forth by the United Nations and elitists in our country. In order for there to be a one world government, “they” know they have to bring America down to a equal level with other nations of the world.

Here is the site. Let me say this: “You” really need to pay attention to this one. Stop, take some time and absorb the information. A quick glance will not suffice.”

Taking Liberty

Another great catch from one of the members of the Oregon Gold Hunters forums

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

This basically means this…

The states’ constitutions and laws should not conflict with the laws of the federal constitution and that in case of a conflict, state judges are legally bound to honor the federal laws and constitution over those of any state.

Federal law trumps State Law, including the State of Oregon.

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution reads like this:

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

For our sake let’s remove the word immunities from the above passage. I am sure it is important, but I am trying to get at something. Let’s now take another look at it.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

We have already established that federal law is the supreme law of the land and that State judges have to honor federal law over State laws. Privileges are grants given from the federal government, usually in the form of laws, such as the Bill of Rights, but equally important is the Federal Mining Act of 1872.  See some of those laws HERE. This was a previously written piece submitted by Old Gold Miner.

Conclusion:

Environmental groups are hell bent on repealing our rights and are right now trying to find a way to repeal the Mining Act of 1872. There main complaint that minerals taken from federal land is untaxable. However, this part of the liberties that our forefathers gave to us. It is hard work to find and extract minerals. Living wages are hard to find in this field. Yet the environmentalist like to conjure up an image of a fat cat sitting back behind a desk racking in millions of tax free dollars. That’s a joke! When in reality they just want the masses to donate to their “so called” non profit organizations. Anybody who knows anything, knows that these organizations have  their ways to profit.

They also claim that hundreds of thousands of mines need to be cleaned up and will cost the government billions of dollars to CLEAN. These so called hundreds of thousands of mines include placer claims (surface mining) where prospectors would take dirt, run it through a pan or sluice box (Long Tom), and return that dirt and rocks to the ground. So in other words they are saying that they want to clean the dirt and make it cleaner? In the end you still have “just dirt”.

Countless scientific studies have been done (as to the impact of sluicing, highbanking and suction gold dredging), but environmental groups still want to spread lies and evil propaganda to feed their own pockets and money making schemes under the guise of “non-profit.” Evil politicians making shady deals behind closed doors with these radical anti-American groups; try to bend the law and try enforce unlawful permits and unlawful regulations under the guise of a State government that has no lawful say in the matter.

Mining is the first step of American Industry, productivity and economic stability. In case, you haven’t seen the unemployment numbers, we could use some productivity in the State of Oregon.

Remember Federal Law supersedes State Law!

Including unlawful fraudulent permits fee’s and forms!

If federal law grants a privilege, no State shall make nor enforce a law to abridge or deny your privileges!

Don’t be fooled and know your rights!

Dear Friends,

Oregon DEQ is currently rewriting the 700-PM Suction Dredge Mining Permit for
Oregon. They expect to release the Final Draft for public comment on April 22,
2010. There will be a 35 day comment period, three public meetings (Pendleton,
Portland, and Medford), and they plan to have the new permit approved and adopted by
the end of June, 2010.

Below please find attached (click to open):

1. 700PM GP PREDraft (proposed permit)

2. BMP CrossRef (comparison between present permit and proposed)

3. DEQ – BACKGROUND and Q&A’S

Note that a meeting was held at DEQ Portland on April 13, 2010, to discuss this
proposed terrible permit. At that meeting, approx. 60 or so miners attended from
all over Oregon (plus greenies, and other interested parties). Google “Oregon DEQ”,
and then look for instream mining permits, and somewhere you should find a link to a
recording of that meeting, plus other info on the new permit.

At the meeting, DEQ was not prepared to answer any real questions. Oregon miners
are getting screwed!!!!!!

Currently, we are trying to arrange a consultation meeting (as required by law)
between miners and DEQ. This meeting will hopefully be held in Salem, OR, sometime
after April 22. Space may be limited, so we are looking for representatives from
mining orgs to attend this meeting. If you are interested, please contact me and
let me know.

Tom Kitchar
Waldo Mining District
mythicalmining@cavenet.com

All National Forest System lands which (1) were formerly public domain lands subject to location and entry under the U.S. mining laws, (2) have not been appropriated, withdrawn, or segregated from location and entry, and (3) have been or may be shown to be mineral lands, are open to prospecting for locatable minerals (16 U.S.C. 482).

“Under the mining laws a person has a statutory right, consistent with Departmental regulations, to go upon the open (unappropriated and unreserved) Federal lands for the purpose of mineral prospecting, exploration, development, extraction and other uses reasonably incident thereto.” (See 30 U.S.C. § 21-54, 43 C.F.R. § 3809.3-3, 0-6).

16 U.S.C. § 481, Use of Waters: All waters within boundaries of national forests may be used for domestic, mining, milling, or irrigation purposes under the laws of the state wherein such national forests are situated or under the laws of the United States and the rules and regulations established thereunder.

Riparian “water” is appurtenant to federal “land”, as are minerals. (30 U.S.C. § 21)

The law is well settled by innumerable decisions that when a mining claim has been perfected under the law, it is in effect a grant from the United States of the exclusive right of possession to the same. It constitutes property to its fullest extent, and is real property subject to be sold, transferred, mortgaged, taxed, and inherited without infringing any right or title of the United States. Ickes v. Virginia-Colorado Development Corp., 295 U.S. 639, 55 S. Ct. 888, 79 L.Ed. 1627; Wilbur v. U. S. ex rel. Krushnic, 280 U.S. 306, 50 S.Ct. 103, 74 L.Ed. 445; Clipper Mining Co. v. Eli Mining & Land Co., 194 U.S. 220, 24 S.Ct. 632, 48 L.Ed. 944; St. Louis Mining & Mill Co. v. Montana Mining Co., 171 U.S. 650, 19 S.Ct. 61, 43 L.Ed. 320; Belk v. Meagher, 104 U.S. 279, 26 L.Ed. 735.

This possessory interest entitles the claimant to “the right to extract all minerals from the claim without paying royalties to the United States.” Swanson v. Babbitt, 3 F.3d 1348, 1350 (9th Cir. 1993).

Federal mining claims are “private property” Freese v. United States, 639 F.2d 754, 757, 226 Ct.Cl. 252 cert. denied, 454 U.S. 827, 102 S.Ct. 119, 70 L.Ed.2d 103 (1981); Oil Shale Corp. v. Morton, 370 F.Supp. 108, 124 (D.Colo. 1973).

“Uncompensated divestment” of a valid unpatented mining claim would violate the Constitution. Freese v. United States, 639 F.2d 754, 757, 226 Ct.Cl. 252, cert. denied, 454 U.S. 827, 102 S.Ct. 119, 70 L.Ed. 2d 103 (1981).

Federal Reserved Water Rights
Predates 1909 Oregon Water Code

Organic Administration Act of 1897
30 Stat. 36, Act of June 4, 1897

16 U.S.C. § 481

All waters within the boundaries of national forests may be used for domestic, mining, milling, or irrigation purposes, under the laws of the State wherein such national forests are situated, or under the laws of the United States and the rules and regulations established thereunder. (June 4, 1897, ch. 2, Sec. 1, 30 Stat. 36.)

As this federal statutory mandate and its legislative history clearly evidence, Congress explicitly authorized that water within national forests may be used for mining purposes, as a riparian right appurtenant any valid mining claim situated within a national forest.

Furthermore, waters utilized in placer mining is not a consumptive use; it does not subtract from the amount of water that is available to downstream appropriators. These reserved riparian rights are indefinite in duration and, for the most part, immune from state water laws and therefore, are not subject to diversion and beneficial use requirements and cannot be lost by non-use.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Section 301(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act – CWA) provides that “the discharge of any pollutant by any person shall be unlawful.” 33 U.S.C. § 1311(a)

In turn, § 502(12) defines the term “discharge of a pollutant” to mean “any addition of any pollutant to navigable waters from any point source. . . .” 33 U.S.C. § 1362(12)

Thus, the Act prohibits only the addition of any pollutant to navigable waters from a point source.

Those constituents occurring naturally in the waterways or occurring as a result of other industrial discharges, do not constitute an addition of pollutants by a plant through which they pass” (Appalachian power 545 F.2d 1351). “only if the point source itself physically introduces a pollutant into water from the outside world” (Gorsuch 693 F.2d 156)

“Had Congress wanted to use CWA §402 to regulate all sources of pollution, ” ‘it would easily have chosen suitable language, e.g., all pollution released through a point source.’ ” Gorsuch, 693 F.2d at 176.

Instead, Congress chose the word “addition.” The NPDES system is limited to ‘addition’ of ‘pollutant’ ‘from’ a point source.”

Small scale suction dredge gold mining does not “add” any “pollutant” to water.

The only way to acquire a permit is through the Department of State Lands and it’s free.

What type of mining do you plan?
Do you intend to do “prospecting” or “recreational and small scale placer mining?” You may not need an authorization from DSL. Under DSL’s administrative rules (OAR 141-089-0040):
“Prospecting” is defined as “searching or exploring for samples of gold, silver or other precious metals using non-motorized methods from among small quantities of aggregate. Prospecting is limited to the removal from or fill of less than one cubic yard of material at any one individual site and, cumulatively, not more than five cubic yards of material within a designated Essential Indigenous Anadromous Salmonid Habitat segment or State Scenic Waterway in a single year.”
“Recreational and Small Scale Placer Mining” includes, but is not limited to, the use of non-motorized equipment and motorized surface dredges having an intake nozzle with an inside diameter not exceeding four inches, and a muffler meeting or exceeding factory-installed noise reduction standards.”

Note: Prospecting is permitted within State Scenic Waterways without a permit from DSL.

Where do you want to look for placer deposits?
Be sure that you can legally pan, dredge or sluice on the land adjacent to or under the stream where you want to look for placer deposits. Check with the owner to be sure that it is all right for you to be there, even if the land is publicly-owned land. Remember that it is illegal to cross privately-owned land to get to a stream without first obtaining the owner’s permission.

Helpful Hint: You can find information about which of Oregon’s waterways are owned by the State of Oregon and available for prospecting and recreational and small scale placer mining activities at: http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/NAV/navigintro.shtml or request publications on navigability from DSL. You may also want to contact federal landowning agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service for information concerning the availability of streams that run through the land they manage. Parts or all of some streams have been designated to be Essential Salmon Habitat or a State Scenic Waterway, or have been closed to recreational mining. You will need to obtain an authorization from DSL if you plan to look for placer deposits in that part of a stream that has been classified as Essential Salmon Habitat regardless of the amount of material you plan to move. Additionally, it is important for you to know which streams are classified as Essential Salmon Habitat because you will be required to report the amount of material you moved from these streams after you have completed your work.You will find information at the following websites:

• Essential Salmon Habitat, go to:
  http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/PERMITS/counties_ess.shtml
• A State Scenic Waterway, go to:
  http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/RULES/docs/scenic_waterways_map.pdf
• A closed waterway, go to:
  http://www.oregon.gov/DSL/LW/mineclosure.shtml

What time of the year do you plan to look for placer minerals?
Many of Oregon’s waterways are closed each year for certain time periods to protect spawning fish and their eggs. During those times, you may not be allowed to conduct recreational and small scale placer mining activities in those streams. State Scenic Waterways are closed to recreational and small scale placeer mining. Some waterways have been closed to recreational mining by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. Others are closed or use is limited by the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) due to water quality problems.

You will find closure or restriction information at the following:

• Inwater Work timing
• Recreational Mining Closures
• DEQ

Note: DSL cannot issue an ESH general authorization for work in any closed area or where DEQ will not issue a water quality permit.

What equipment will you be using?
The type of authorization you may need to obtain will depend
primarily on the size and type of equipment you use.

This information is important because:

To qualify for a General Authorization from DSL as a recreational and small scale placer miner, the maximum inside diameter of your dredge’s intake nozzle cannot exceed 4 inches. If it does:

• You will not qualify as a recreational and small scale miner for a General Authorization and will have to obtain an Individual Removal-Fill Permit, and
• You may need a 700-PM General Permit from the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission. Please see http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/wqpermit/ssmining/smallscalemining.htm
• NOTE from oregongold.net:  At this time of this posting DEQ permits are invalid. This may change in the future, so keep your ears and eyes open. For those who want to go ahead and purchase the permit, it is said that if a new legal permit is issued that it will be transferrable. This issue is in the court of appeals, and the court has already deemed the issuing of permits invalid. As long as no ruling has been made, no 700-PM  permit is legally needed.

How much material do you plan to move?
It may not be possible for you to know how much material you will move prior to visiting each location. However, before starting to look for placer minerals, you need to be aware how the amount of material you move can impact the type of authorization you require.

In that part of a stream classified as Essential Salmon Habitat:
What you can remove: Up to 25 cubic yards per year under a DSL General Authorization.

Be aware that the 25 cubic yard amount is the total amount of material you are allowed to remove, alter or fill each year along each stream. For example, you may remove, alter or fill 5 cubic yards from 5 locations, or 1 cubic yard from 25 locations on each stream classified as Essential Salmon Habitat. If you remove more than 25 cubic yards, you will have to obtain an Individual Removal-Fill Permit from DSL.

You can not remove more than 25 cubic yards from a stream segment or more than 5 cubic yards per site within any stream designated as Essential Salmon Habitat.

Current state law does not permit recreational placer mining* within a State Scenic Waterway; however, you may prospect** within a State Scenic Waterway without a permit.

In all other streams or parts of streams NOT classified as Essential Salmon Habitat:

What you can remove: Up to 50 cubic yards annually without a DSL authorization.

If you remove more than 50 cubic yards, you will have to obtain an Individual Removal-Fill Permit from DSL.



Fill Out Application Online

My issued permit

In this segment, a gold miner shows us the adit of a gold mine in Josephine County, Oregon, where there’s still plenty of gold in the ground but the challenge is getting it out. He also shows us one of the best places for gold panning along the Rogue River, but cautions about running afoul of the new regulations. Then a retired state geologist discusses the different types of minerals found in Southern Oregon, and why it’s so difficult for miners to extract them.

This is Part 2 of a 6-part program examining the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry.

In this segment, we visit the Dawg Mining SummerFest and learn about highbanking and gold panning. Then we visit the site of one of the largest and highest grade silica deposits west of the Rocky Mountains, and learn why it’s taken 24 years to get to the point where the owner of the claim has any hope of mining it.

This is Part 3 of a 6-part program examining the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry.

In this segment, a gold miner shows us the reclamation project he implemented at a gold mining site in Golden, Oregon, where he established a wetlands with eleven ponds, providing habitat for fish and wildlife and trails for recreation. Then the former owner of the largest mining shop in the US discusses mining and mining regulations, and their impact on the local economy.

This is Part 4 of a 6-part program examining the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry.

In this segment, an ex-Navy SEAL who has been instrumental in developing the suction dredge technology for placer mining in river beds talks about the environmentalists’ litigation against mining and the recently passed law that bans suction dredging in California. Then the state geologist from the Josephine County office of the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries discusses how the Dept. of Geology assists miners, and we learn that it is being shut down.

This is Part 5 of a 6-part program examining the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry.

In this segment, we visit a minig camp where a miner lives with his wife and three children. Then we meet a miner who’s family developed a process for smelting a nickel ladderite ore into a “master metal” from which any grade of stainless steel can be easily produced. He has spent 17 years fighting legal battles to be able to mine his claim.

This is Part 6 of a 6-part program examining the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry.

In this segment, we learn about aggregate mining, and how important it is to our economy. Then we learn more about the endless litigation tactics employed by the environmental lobbies, and how they manage to manipulate both the courts and government agencies at great cost to the mining industry and the taxpayers.

Anyone who pans for gold hopes to be rewarded by the glitter of colors in the fine material collected in the bottom of the pan. Although the exercise and outdoor activity experienced in prospecting are rewarding, there are few thrills comparable to finding gold. Even an assay report showing an appreciable content of gold in a sample obtained from a lode deposit is exciting. The would-be prospector hoping for financial gain, however, should carefully consider all the pertinent facts before deciding on a prospecting venture.

Don't expect to look down and see something like this.

Only a few prospectors among the many thousands who searched the western part of the United States ever found a valuable deposit. Most of the gold mining districts in the West were located by pioneers, many of whom were experienced gold miners from the southern Appalachian region, but even in colonial times only a small proportion of the gold seekers were successful. Over the past several centuries the country has been thoroughly searched by prospectors. During the depression of the 1930’s, prospectors searched the better known gold-producing areas throughout the Nation, especially in the West, and the little-known areas as well. The results of their activities have never been fully documented, but incomplete records indicate that an extremely small percentage of the total number of active prospectors supported themselves by gold mining. Of the few significant discoveries reported, nearly all were made by prospectors of long experience who were familiar with the regions in which they were working.

The lack of outstanding success in spite of the great increase in prospecting during the depression in the 1930’s confirms the opinion of those most familiar with the occurrence of gold and the development of gold mining districts that the best chances of success lie in systematic studies of known productive areas rather than in efforts to discover gold in hitherto unproductive areas. The development of new, highly sensitive, and relatively inexpensive methods of detecting gold, however, has greatly increased the possibility of discovering gold deposits which are too low grade to have been recognized earlier by the prospector using only a gold pan. These may be large enough to be exploited by modern mining and metallurgical techniques. The Carlin mine near Carlin, Nev., is producing gold from a large low-grade deposit that was opened in 1965 after intensive scientific and technical work had been completed. Similar investigations have led to the more recent discovery of a Carlin-type gold deposit in Jerritt Canyon, Nev.

Many believe that it is possible to make wages or better by panning gold in the streams of the West, particularly in regions where placer mining formerly flourished. However, most placer deposits have been thoroughly reworked at least twice–first by Chinese laborers, who arrived soon after the initial boom periods and recovered gold from the lower grade deposits and tailings left by the first miners, and later by itinerant miners during the 1930’s. Geologists and engineers who systematically investigate remote parts of the country find small placer diggings and old prospect pits whose number and wide distribution imply few, if any, recognizable surface indications of metal-bearing deposits were overlooked by the earlier miners and prospectors.

One who contemplates prospecting for gold should realize that a successful venture does not necessarily mean large profits even if the discovery is developed into a producing mine. Although the price of gold has increased significantly since 1967 when the fixed price of $35 an ounce was terminated, the increases in the cost of virtually every supply and service item needed in prospecting and mining ventures have kept profit margins at moderate levels, particularly for the small mine operator. In general, wide fluctuations in the price of gold are not uncommon, whereas inflationary pressures are more persistent. The producer of gold, therefore, faces uncertain economic problems and should be aware of their effects on his operation.

Today’s prospector must determine where prospecting is permitted and be aware of the regulations under which he is allowed to search for gold and other metals. Permission to enter upon privately owned land must be obtained from the land owner. Determination of land ownership and location and contact with the owner can be a time-consuming chore but one which has to be done before prospecting can begin.

Determination of the location and extent of public lands open to mineral entry for prospecting and mining purposes also is a time consuming but necessary requirement. National parks, for example, are closed to prospecting. Certain lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management may be entered for prospecting, but sets of rules and regulations govern entry. The following statement from a pamphlet issued in 1978 by the U.S. Department of the Interior and entitled “Staking a mining claim on Federal Lands” responds to the question “Where May I Prospect?”

There are still areas where you may prospect, and if a discovery of a valuable, locatable mineral is made, you may stake a claim. These areas are mainly in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Such areas are mainly unreserved, unappropriated Federal public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the U.S. Department of the Interior and in national forests administered by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Public land records in the proper BLM State Office will show you which lands are closed to mineral entry under the mining laws. These offices keep up-to-date land status plats that are available to the public for inspection. BLM is publishing a series of surface and mineral ownership maps that depict the general ownership pattern of public lands. These maps may be purchased at most BLM Offices. For a specific tract of land, it is advisable to check the official land records at the proper BLM State Office.

Successful gold mining under present conditions is a large-scale operation, utilizing costly and sophisticated machinery capable of handling many tons of low-grade ore each day. The grizzled prospector with a burro is no longer a significant participant in the search for mineral deposits, and the small producer accounts for only a minor share of the total production of metals including gold.

Some degree of success in finding gold still remains for those choosing favorable areas after a careful study of mining records and the geology of the mining districts. Serious prospecting should not be attempted by anyone without sufficient capital to support a long and possibly discouraging campaign of preliminary work. The prospective gold seeker must have ample funds to travel to and from the region he selects to prospect and to support the venture. He must be prepared to undergo physical hardships, possess a car capable of traveling the roughest and steepest roads, and not be discouraged by repeated disappointments. Even if a discovery of value is not found, the venture will have been interesting and challenging.

Placer Deposits

A placer deposit is a concentration of a natural material that has accumulated in unconsolidated sediments of a stream bed, beach, or residual deposit. Gold derived by weathering or other process from lode deposits is likely to accumulate in placer deposits because of its weight and resistance to corrosion. In addition, its characteristically sun-yellow color makes it easily and quickly recognizable even in very small quantities. The gold pan or miner’s pan is a shallow sheet-iron vessel with sloping sides and flat bottom used to wash gold-bearing gravel or other material containing heavy minerals. The process of washing material in a pan, referred to as “panning,” is the simplest and most commonly used and least expensive method for a prospector to separate gold from the silt, sand, and gravel of the stream deposits. It is a tedious, back-breaking job and only with practice does one become proficient in the operation.

Many placer districts in California have been mined on a large scale as recently as the mid-1950’s. Streams draining the rich Mother Lode region–the Feather, Mokelumne, American, Cosumnes, Calaveras, and Yuba Rivers–and the Trinity River in northern California have concentrated considerable quantities of gold in gravels. In addition, placers associated with gravels that are stream remnants from an older erosion cycle occur in the same general area.

Much of the gold produced in Alaska was mined from placers. These deposits are widespread, occurring along many of the major rivers and their tributaries. Some ocean beach sands also have been productive. The principal placer-mining region has been the Yukon River basin which crosses central Alaska. Dredging operations in the Fairbanks district have been the most productive in the State. Beach deposits in the Nome district in the south-central part of the Seward Peninsula rank second among productive placer deposits of Alaska. Other highly productive placers have been found in the drainage basin of the Copper River and of the Kuskokwim River.

Placer gold in glass vial.

In Montana, the principal placer-mining districts are in the southwestern part of the State. The most productive placer deposit in the State was at Alder Gulch near Virginia City in Madison County. Other important placer localities are on the Missouri River in the Helena mining district. The famous Last Chance Gulch is the site of the city of Helena. There are many districts farther south on the headwaters and tributaries of the Missouri River, especially in Madison County which ranks third in total gold production in the State. Gold has been produced at many places on the headwaters of the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, particularly in the vicinity of Butte. Placer production from the Butte district, however, has been over-shadowed by the total output of byproduct gold recovered from the mining of lode deposits of copper, lead, and zinc.

Idaho was once a leading placer-mining State. One of the chief dredging areas is in the Boise Basin, a few miles northeast of Boise, in the west-central part of the State. Other placer deposits are located along the Salmon River and on the Clearwater River and its tributaries, particularly at Elk City, Pierce, and Orofino. Extremely fine-grained (or “flour”) gold occurs in sand deposits along the Snake River in southern Idaho. Placers in Colorado have been mined in the Fairplay district in Park County, and in the Breckenridge district in Summit County. In both areas large dredges were used during the peak activity in the 1930’s.

The most important mining regions of Oregon are in the northeastern part of the State where both lode and placer gold have been found. Placer gold occurs in many streams that drain the Blue and Wallowa Mountains. One of the most productive placer districts in this area is in the vicinity of Sumpter, on the upper Powder River. The Burnt River and its tributaries have yielded gold. Farther to the west, placer mining (particularly dredging) has been carried on for many years in the John Day River valley.

In southwestern Oregon, tributaries of the Rogue River and neighboring streams in the Klamath Mountains have been sources of placer gold. Among the main producing districts in this region are the Greenback district in Josephine County and the Applegate district in Jackson County.

Minor amounts of placer gold have been produced in South Dakota (the Black Hills region, particularly in the Deadwood area, and on French Creek, near Custer) and in Washington (on the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their tributaries).

In addition to these localities, placer gold occurs along many of the intermittent and ephemeral streams of arid regions in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California. In many of these places a large reserve of low-grade placer gold may exist, but the lack of a permanent water supply for conventional placer mining operations requires the use of expensive dry or semidry concentrating methods to recover the gold.

In the eastern States, limited amounts of gold have been washed from some streams draining the eastern slope of the southern Appalachian region in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Many saprolite (disintegrated somewhat decomposed rock that lies in its original place) deposits in this general region also have been mined by placer methods. Small quantities of gold have been mined by placer methods in some New England States. Additional placer deposits may be discovered in the East, but prospecting will require substantial expenditures of time and money. The deposits probably will be low grade, difficult to recognize, and costly to explore and sample. Moreover, most of the land in the East is privately owned, and prospecting can be done only with the prior permission and agreement of the land owner.

Lode Gold

Lode gold occurs within the solid rock in which it was deposited. Areas likely to contain valuable lode deposits of gold have been explored so thoroughly that the inexperienced prospector without ample capital has little chance of discovering a new lode worth developing. Most future discoveries of workable lode gold ore probably will result from continued investigations in areas known to be productive in the past. The districts in which such new discoveries of gold may be possible are too numerous to be listed in detail in this pamphlet. Some of the famous districts are: in California, the Alleghany, Sierra City, Grass Valley, and Nevada City districts, and the Mother Lode belt; in Colorado, the Cripple Creek, Telluride, Silverton, and Ouray districts; in Nevada, the Goldfield, Tonopah, and Comstock districts; in South Dakota, the Lead district in the Black Hills; and in Alaska, the Juneau and Fairbanks districts. Deposits in these districts generally are gold-quartz lodes.

Prospecting for lode deposits of gold is not the relatively simple task it once was because most outcrops or exposures of mineralized rock have been examined and sampled. Today’s prospector must examine not only these exposures, but also broken rock on mine dumps and exposures of mineralized rock in accessible mine workings. Gold, if present, may not be visible in the rock, and detection will depend on the results of laboratory analyses. Usually, samples of 3 to 5 pounds of representative mineralized rock will be sent to a commercial analytical laboratory or assay office for assay. Obviously, knowledge about the geological nature of gold deposits and particularly of the rocks and deposits in the area of interest will aid the prospector.

I do a lot of research for this website and have posted information on many of these gold locations myself. I must say that Tom has insider information as to where to find gold in the State of Oregon. If you… as a internet user, find the information posted here at oregongold.net useful, then you will be wise to invest in this book. This book goes into much further detail, than the information posted on this website. The information he covers gives a rare, if ever seldom heard or read history that any true gold miner or prospector hungers to learn. After all, gold prospecting is part geology, part mystery and part treasure hunt, and in order to find the gold you must do your research and learn. This book is a very good research tool.

After doing much research, about many of these places where to find gold in Oregon, I am envious of the knowledge of information in this book. I told Tom I would not give away all his secrets in this book and would keep most of information I give away here to a minimum. But there is so much information I am just going to say, you need to buy the book to find out. This was not meant to be a sales pitch, but it looks like it turned out that way.  I fully can put my recommendation on this book, and I hope a few of you out there will check it out. I am sure you will be glad you did. To Tom, “I am sorry…you worked hard on this book and I just cannot bring myself to give away any of the information for free. Thanks for choosing oregongold.net to sell your Gold Panners Guides. Looking forward to seeing more in the future.

If you would like to purchase “Gold Panner’s Guide to the Oregon Cascades”, you may find it by clicking right here ——->  Gold Books

We also carry other mining and prospecting guides by Tom (T.H.) Bohmker as well as other gold mining and prospecting books.

]]> http://www.oregongold.net/gold-panners-guide-to-the-oregon-cascades-book-review/feed/ 0 http://www.oregongold.net/letter-to-ca-governor-arnold-schwarzenegger/ http://www.oregongold.net/letter-to-ca-governor-arnold-schwarzenegger/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:40:06 +0000 Oregon Gold http://www.oregongold.net/?p=502 The following letter was sent to California’s Governor (The reason for the re-post here on this Oregon website is to provide education and hard facts backing our hobby and our responsible mining activities) :

The Honorable Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: 916-558-3160

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger

PLEASE VOTE NO ON BILL 670 (anti-suction dredging legislation)

I am a research biologist. I live in Philomath, Oregon. I worked for about 32 years as a research biologist for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, starting when that agency was known as the Federal Water Quality Agency, and I retired from the E.P.A. in 2002. Among other assignments, I measured and evaluated water soluble toxicants from Superfund sites. I spent about four years during my career with the E.P.A. serving as a faculty member at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon on an intergovernmental exchange program and developed a program and a laboratory for the practice of ecotoxicology, the science of determining the toxicity of samples of effluents and other environmental contaminants by measuring the reaction of living organism assemblages to such samples. I have served as a chairman of testing committees for the American Society for Testing and Materials. I have chaired a number of international symposia, workshops, and congresses in my field as well as been an invited speaker to numerous national and international professional scientific meetings in my field.

Looking for gold in California streams and rivers is a recreational activity for thousands of state residents, and a part-time or full-time job for hundreds more. As these miners remove sediments, sands, and gravel from streams and former mine sites to separate out the gold, they are also removing mercury. This mercury is the remnant of millions of pounds of pure mercury that was added to California rivers by historic mining operations between 1850 and 1890. Modern day small-scale gold suction dredgers do not use mercury to recover gold during the operation of the dredge. Therefore, any mercury that would be found in their possession would be that which was extracted from the stream or river they are working.

Taking mercury out of streams benefits the environment. Efforts to collect mercury from recreational gold miners in the past, however, have been stymied due to perceived regulatory barriers. Disposal of mercury is normally subject to all regulations applicable to hazardous waste.

In 2000, EPA and California’s Division of Toxic Substance Control worked in concert with other State and local agencies to find the regulatory flexibility needed to collect mercury in a simple and effective manner. In August and September 2000, the first mercury “milk runs” collected 230 pounds of mercury, most of which came from suction dredge miners. A Nevada County household waste collection event held in September 2000 collected about 10 pounds of mercury. The total amount of mercury collected was equivalent to the mercury load in 47 years worth of wastewater discharge from the city of Sacramento’s sewage treatment plant or the mercury in a million mercury thermometers. This successful pilot program demonstrates how recreational gold miners and government agencies can work together to protect the environment (US EPA, 2001).

In Washington State, over the past four years, the Resources Coalition and other small- scale miners associations have turned in 127 pounds of mercury and eight pounds of lead for safe disposal. This year, Ecology staff attended miners’ rallies in Oroville and Monroe, explaining the state’s program for proper disposal of lead and mercury.

In a September 18, 2007 news release from the Washington State Department of Ecology Brian Dick, a manager with Ecology’s hazardous waste and toxics reduction program stated, “That is 127 pounds of mercury no longer contaminating Washington’s waterways or being accidentally spilled”. He continued, “The miners have responded with great enthusiasm and have worked with Ecology to get the word out to their members about our collection program.” The results of this program further support the results of the 2000 EPA and California’s Division of Toxic Substance Control program.

Mercury occurs in several different geochemical forms, including elemental mercury, ionic (or oxidized) mercury, and a suite of organic forms, the most important of which is methylmercury. Methylmercury is the form most readily incorporated into biological tissues and is most toxic to humans. The process of mercury removal by suction dredging does not contaminate the environment because small-scale suction dredging removes elemental mercury. Removal of elemental mercury before it can be converted, by bacteria, to methylmercury is an important component of environmental and human health protection provided as a secondary benefit of suction dredging.

A 2005 staff report published by the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality has raised quite a stir in the environmental community. This report concluded that a 4-inch gold suction dredge captures 98% of the mercury it sucks from the environment. It further states that portions of the 2% of mercury that escapes from the suction dredge is floured (i.e., in small particles), and that such mercury may travel many miles downriver where it may settle and become available for biological action by bacteria where it will be converted into methylmercury. I have reviewed this report in detail, and the parent material that was test-dredged in this study was already mercury contaminated; the researchers did not fully quantify the particle sizes of mercury in the sample. It seems obvious that the materials tested already contained floured mercury. Furthermore the site dredged was an area where mercury was accumulating or puddling. This site is not typical of areas in which gold dredges operate and does not represent what a miner would usually encounter..

This is consistent with other literature in the field. For example, a report titled “Preliminary Report on Mercury Geochemistry of Placer Gold Dredge Tailings, Sediments, Bedrock, and Waters in the Clear Creek Restoration Area, Shasta County, California” (Ashley et. el., 2002), states: “Mercury in sediment and tailings is associated with fine size fractions”.

Furthermore, the suggestion that the floured mercury, regardless of the source, would remain suspended for miles below the dredging site is not supported by any evidence of which I am aware, and is refuted by indirect evidence.

A study by the U.S. Geological survey reported that “mercury concentrations in Sulphur Creek, CA water and sediments decreased rapidly downstream from hot springs and mine areas indicating that mercury is not effectively transported during low stream flow” (Rytuba, Janik and Goff, 1966).

In 1997 a study of gold dredging impacts was undertaken in the Fortymile River, Alaska. In all of the suctionmined sites studied, dredges were operated by experienced miners. This study evaluated the impact of operations from 8- and 10-inch gold suction dredges. (Each 1-inch increase in the diameter of a dredge hose results in the doubling of the volume of material moved). In relation to the 4-inch dredge used in the California State Water Resources Control Board study, the Alaska 8-inch dredge moved 4-times more volume of material. Sampling was performed at fixed transects above and below the dredge locations. At the site using the 8-inch dredge, “the primary effects of water chemistry were increased turbidity, total filterable solids, and copper and zinc concentrations downstream of the dredge. These variables returned to upstream levels within 80-160 m downstream of the dredge. The results from this sampling revealed a relatively intense, but localized, decline in water clarity during the time the dredge was operating. The impact of suction dredging on water clarity and heavy metal concentrations may be greater or lesser than we measured, depending on the type of material the dredge is excavating”. Although mercury was not measured in this study the physical/chemical facts would indicate that suspended mercury would not travel farther than the measured plumes of this study (e.g., 8-inch dredge produced a plume from 80-160 m downstream of the dredge).

If we use copper and zinc as indicators of metals suspension within the water column we find that elevated concentrations fell to background concentrations 80-160 m downstream of the dredge. The density of copper and zinc are 8.94 and 7.14 g/cm3 respectively. The density of mercury is 13.534 g/cm3. Therefore, all other things being equal, the greater density (weight) of mercury would insure that it would fall out of suspension sooner that copper or zinc. Also, all of these water quality samples were associated with a turbidity plume. Even if the metals were somehow associated with particulate matter or sediment within the plume the metals still returned to background concentrations within 80-160 m downstream of the dredge.

The CA State Water Resources Control Board staff report presented results from a study conducted in a well established mercury “hotspot” in the American River—that is, a place where relatively large quantities of mercury from historic gold mining operations has come to rest, at least temporarily. Such spots can persist for many years before river flows release the materials further downstream to form new hotspots. The effects of dredging into a mercury hotspot has little relevance to ordinary gold suction dredging along the many miles of rivers and streams throughout the Western States. Generally, miners occasionally find very small quantities of mercury in their collected materials. What mercury is collected is usually bound to (amalgamated with) other metals, including gold.

On balance, suction dredges provide a net environmental benefit by removing nearly all of any mercury they encounter. If not removed, such mercury will slowly but eventually migrate downstream, dredging or no dredging, to areas where it is more likely to be converted into methylmercury. To the extent that regulatory authorities would prefer to leave the mercury in place for removal by public agencies at public expense when and if such activity is a budget priority, they might require reporting of hotspots (many are already well-known) and forbid suction dredgers from operating in them. Inasmuch as public authorities have no better method to remove the mercury than suction dredges, this seems pointless.

Literature Cited

Ashley, R.P., J.J. Rytuba, R. Rogers, B.B. Kotlyar and D. Lawler, 2002, Preliminary Report on Mercury
Geochemistry of Placer Gold Dredge Tailings, Sediments, Bedrock, and Waters in the Clear
Creek Restoration Area, Shasta County, California, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S.
Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA. Open-File Report 02-401
Humphreys, R., 2005, Losses and Recovery During a Suction Dredge Test in the South Fork of the
American River. Staff Report, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality.
Prussian, A.M., T.V. Royer, and G.W. Minshall. 1999. Impact of Suction Dredging on Water Quality,
Benthic Habitat, and Biota in the Fortymile River, Resurrection Creek, and Chatanika River,
Alaska. U.S. EPA Report, Region 10, Seattle, WA.
Rytuba, J., C. Janik, and F. Goff. 1996. Transport of Mercury in Sulphur Creek, CA. U.S. Geological Survey,
Presentation given at the USGS Workshop on Mercury Cycling in the Environment.

http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/hg/abstracts.html.

US EPA, 2001. Mercury Recovery from Recreational Gold Miners.

http://www.epa.gov/region09/cross_pr/innovations/merrec.html

WA DOE, 2007, Miners Remove Gold Rush Mercury from Washington Streams. Washington State
Department of Ecology, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program, Yakima, Washington

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-18-096.asp

Sincerely, Joseph C. Greene
Research Biologist

Gold is relatively scarce in the earth, but it occurs in many different kinds of rocks and in many different geological environments. Though scarce, gold is concentrated by geologic processes to form commercial deposits of two principal types: lode (primary) deposits and placer (secondary) deposits.

Lode deposits are the targets for the “hardrock” prospector seeking gold at the site of its deposition from mineralizing solutions. Geologists have proposed various hypotheses to explain the source of solutions from which mineral constituents are precipitated in lode deposits.

One widely accepted hypothesis proposes that many gold deposits, especially those found in volcanic and sedimentary rocks, formed from circulating ground waters driven by heat from bodies of magma (molten rock) intruded into the Earth’s crust within about 2 to 5 miles of the surface. Active geothermal systems, which are exploited in parts of the United States for natural hot water and steam, provide a modern analog for these gold-depositing systems. Most of the water in geothermal systems originates as rainfall, which moves downward through fractures and permeable beds in cooler parts of the crust and is drawn laterally into areas heated by magma, where it is driven upward through fractures. As the water is heated, it dissolves metals from the surrounding rocks. When the heated waters reach cooler rocks at shallower depths, metallic minerals precipitate to form veins or blanket-like ore bodies.

Another hypothesis suggests that gold-bearing solutions may be expelled from magma as it cools, precipitating ore materials as they move into cooler surrounding rocks. This hypothesis is applied particularly to gold deposits located in or near masses of granitic rock, which represent solidified magma.

A third hypothesis is applied mainly to gold-bearing veins in metamorphic rocks that occur in mountain belts at continental margins. In the mountain-building process, sedimentary and volcanic rocks may be deeply buried or thrust under the edge of the continent, where they are subjected to high temperatures and pressures resulting in chemical reactions that change the rocks to new mineral assemblages (metamorphism). This hypothesis suggests that water is expelled from the rocks and migrates upwards, precipitating ore materials as pressures and temperatures decrease. The ore metals are thought to originate from the rocks undergoing active metamorphism.

The primary concerns of the prospector or miner interested in a lode deposit of gold are to determine the average gold content (tenor) per ton of mineralized rock and the size of the deposit. From these data, estimates can be made of the deposit’s value. One of the most commonly used methods for determining the gold and silver content of mineralized rocks is the fire assay. The results are reported as troy ounces of gold or silver or both per short avoirdupois ton of ore or as grams per metric ton of ore.

Placer deposits represent concentrations of gold derived from lode deposits by erosion, disintegration or decomposition of the enclosing rock, and subsequent concentration by gravity.

Gold is extremely resistant to weathering and, when freed from enclosing rocks, is carried downstream as metallic particles consisting of “dust,” flakes, grains, or nuggets. Gold particles in stream deposits are often concentrated on or near bedrock, because they move downward during high-water periods when the entire bed load of sand, gravel, and boulders is agitated and is moving downstream. Fine gold particles collect in depressions or in pockets in sand and gravel bars where the stream current slackens. Concentrations of gold in gravel are called “pay streaks.”

In gold-bearing country, prospectors look for gold where coarse sands and gravel have accumulated and where “black sands” have concentrated and settled with the gold. Magnetite is the most common mineral in black sands, but other heavy minerals such as cassiterite, monazite, ilmenite, chromite, platinum-group metals, and some gem stones may be present.

Placer deposits have formed in the same manner throughout the Earth’s history. The processes of weathering and erosion create surface placer deposits that may be buried under rock debris. Although these “fossil” placers are subsequently cemented into hard rocks, the shape and characteristics of old river channels are still recognizable.

The content of recoverable free gold in placer deposits is determined by the free gold assay method, which involves amalgamation of gold-bearing concentrate collected by dredging, hydraulic mining, or other placer mining operations. In the period when the price of gold was fixed, the common practice was to report assay results as the value of gold (in cents or dollars) contained in a cubic yard of material. Now results are reported as grams per cubic yard or grams per cubic meter.

Through laboratory research, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed new methods for determining the gold content of rocks and soils of the Earth’s crust. These methods, which detect and measure the amounts of other elements as well as gold, include atomic absorption spectrometry, neutron activation, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. These methods enable rapid and extremely sensitive analyses to be made on large samples.

In the past two decades, low-grade disseminated gold deposits have become increasingly important. More than 75 such deposits have been found in the Western States, mostly in Nevada. The first major producer of this type was the Carlin deposit, which was discovered in 1962 and started production in 1965. Since then many more deposits have been discovered in the vicinity of Carlin, and the Carlin area now comprises a major mining district with seven operating open pits producing more than 1,500,000 troy ounces of gold per year.

About 15 percent of the gold produced in the United States has come from mining other metallic ores. Where base metals- -such as copper, lead, and zinc–are deposited, either in veins or as scattered mineral grains, minor amounts of gold are commonly deposited with them. Deposits of this type are mined for the predominant metals, but the gold is also

recovered as a byproduct during processing of the ore. Most byproduct gold has come from porphyry deposits, which are so large that even though they contain only a small amount of gold per ton of ore, so much rock is mined that a substantial amount of gold is recovered. The largest single source of byproduct gold in the United States is the porphyry deposit at Bingham Canyon, Utah, which has produced about 18 million troy ounces of gold since 1906.

Geologists examine all factors controlling the origin and emplacement of mineral deposits, including those containing gold. Igneous and metamorphic rocks are studied in the field and in the laboratory to gain an understanding of how they came to their present location, how they crystallized to solid rock, and how mineral-bearing solutions formed within them.

Studies of rock structures, such as folds, faults, fractures, and joints, and of the effects of heat and pressure on rocks suggest why and where fractures occurred and where veins might be found. Studies of weathering processes and transportation of rock debris by water enable geologists to predict the most likely places for placer deposits to form. The occurrence of gold is not capricious; its presence in various rocks and its occurrence under differing environmental conditions follow natural laws. As geologists increase their knowledge of the mineralizing processes, they improve their ability to find gold.

My overall experience was great in Nome, Alaska. I had a very good time and met a lot of genuine folks. The overall value of the trip may differ from one person to another, but I feel the value of the experience far out-weighed what you bring back in gold. They say that if you work really hard you can take an ounce off the beach every week. Needless to say, I did not work that hard. Getting an ounce a week, would be weather permitting anyways, since the beaches were cleared because of bad weather and high tides for about 4 days out of my two week stay.

Typical Beach Box Setup on the beach in Nome, Alaska

My first day working the beach box, I hit a mean pay streak and took about two to three pennyweight. I was so excited I over-worked myself and limited myself the next day. In all, I brought back just under three quarters of an ounce which is not too bad considering (like I already mentioned) I did not work very hard. I found a small nugget metal detecting and if I had more time, I probably would have found another.

My first day on the beach. This was a typical pan after 15 minutes.

The staff involved are what make this trip worth it! People are mostly friendly, helpful and really go out of their way, if you need any help. I met a lot of really good people, and would like to think I made a few friends as well. This was the best part of the trip, in my opinion. There is nothing like being out on the tundra with good hearted folks sharing stories, joking around and finding some gold. Just be careful of the tundra sharks!

Some of the Cripple River staff with myself.

I only had two complaints about the trip. First, it was advertised that all equipment was supplied, so I did not ship any of my own stuff up. Some of the equipment was really old and some of it was broken, such as the sluice box I checked out. If I would have known beforehand I really would have liked to have my own equipment with me. Secondly, the meals, although decent, the portions tended to fade  toward the end of the week. Don’t get me wrong there is always stuff on the shelf that you can eat at anytime, but most people prefer to have a “real breakfast.”

There is a lot of scenery in Nome.

For somebody who is planning or thinking about taking this trip, go with no expectation and you will never be disappointed. This is not a trip to take if you are looking to double your money. I talked to one person who actually was expecting to double his money. Rent an ATV! It may seem like a lot of money, but you really need it to have the full experience. Just walking down to the beach from your hooch is a chore. Don’t stay in camp! Go out and explore or maybe stay in one of the outer camps for a few nights. Overall the trip is an experience I recommend if you have the right mind setting. It is worth it in my opinion.

One of the areas really overworked in the state, is the Quartzville Recreational Mining Corridor near Sweet Home in Linn County. Year after year, people flock to the area for the free roadside camping, and some gold prospecting. Year after year, the dredges are loaded into the water, and the same river gravel gets moved around that was moved the year before. You get the point. How is the fishing in the area? Pretty good actually. There are many nice trout to be caught in the sparkling clear water. Down stream, Quartzville Creek runs into Green Peter Lake and in to the Santiam River.

The Santiam River has some of the best salmon and steelhead fishing in the state and also has some good gold. Something is either wrong with either what I see and what I know or there is propaganda  that is being strategically placed to forward the ideas of a very few left-wing wacko’s. I love the environment, and I believe that it must be protected, but this is one instance where I have to turn my back on the green movement, mainly because they do not have a leg to stand on nor any solid evidence to back it up.

The Santiam river system has natural formations of mercury pouring directly into the river. One of the main points that certain groups have against suction dredging is the claim that mercury already in the river gets stirred up and re-contaminates the river and waterways connected to it. Surely, if that were the case… would not this river system be adversely affected if not a little, at least… in some calculate-able manner?

The Santiam River has good fishing and good gold.

Here are some benefits of Suction Gold Dredging:

1. Suction Gold Dredging keeps rivers clean of trash and debris. Nuts, bolts, nails, and anything  metal is captured by the sluice box and removed from the waterway. This includes harmful mercury.

2. Suction Dredging Season is coordinated as to not interfere with fish spawning  and hatching times.

3. Suction dredging releases food trapped under the gravel into the waterway to feed small fish and fry.

4. The redistribution of classified gravels creates more spawning area for heavily populated fish spawning grounds.  According to the Department of Fish & Game – “Dredging riverbeds frequently improves the habitat for spawning.”

According to the literature I have been reading as of late, there may be a time when California’s fight may become our fight for every prospector and miner in the State of Oregon. I really hope it does not come down to that.

The day started out with some instruction on gold prospecting metal detecting. He explained the differences in what different models were capable or designed to do. He did not knock any of the other machines and simply said “All lot of these machines are really good machines and do what they are designed to do, if you know how to use them.” He gave a great deal of information before we headed out to the field.

We trekked seven and a half miles on four wheelers to get to our destination. “Slow Down” seemed to be the slogan all that day, after several others and myself were told by Kevin that we were swinging our coils too fast. Several targets were dug, but only iron was being found. I dug up a spent shotgun shell, with the MineLab Eureka Gold. Meanwhile, Kevin took time to teach others how to work the detector’s they brought with them on the trip. He knows how to run them all, no matter what brand.! I was impressed with his attentiveness and patience to make sure he got around to help each and every person who needed help or a lesson. We then moved on to another area. We were standing in the middle of the Cripple River, where I dug up several targets and found iron objects.  After a while people were ready to leave, not finding that great golden treasure they had hoped for.

Kevin Hoagland stops to check out some geographic formations on our first day of metal detecting, as we travel to our first destination.

I wanted to know more. That evening, I picked Kevin’s brain with some one on one discussion during dinner. I learned about automatic ground balance, multiple frequency technology, a little about the pulse technology, but the most important thing he said to me was “…a small nugget can produce a very light change in sound and you really have to pay attention and take your time, as you do your detecting. Once you hear it, and find a small nugget you will never forget that sound.”

The next several days were stormy. A new area was picked to hunt. An area with many tailing piles were to be knocked down by the baco. With the storm, the river rose and we were unable to cross for several days. Finally the baco crossed the river at low tide several evenings later and we were scheduled to hunt the next day. To make a long story shorter…we eventually made it over there with the help of the big monster trucks. By that time our hunting group had grown from seven or eight to around twenty.

Me and a buddy of mine partnered up with the Eureka Gold again and took turns detecting and digging. Our first target was part of a classifier screen, and followed by the many other small pieces that had broken off in even smaller pieces. After an hour or so of nugget hunting, I was thinking…”Great another…bust!” . However, I kept taking my time, listening for the smallest of change in the rhythm of the detector’s faint hum. I started up one of the tailing piles that was not pushed down and started to work the low lying areas that laid off to one side of the pile. Then I heard it! It was a very faint sound, a very slight change in the rhythm. I looked up at Kevin who was about twenty five feet away and asked him to listen to the faint sound the detector was barely making. He immediately said “Dig it”.

I started digging as if I were at a archaeological site, taking the area apart a plastic scoop at a time. A few minutes later Kevin returned and told me to dig my hole more elongated, to cater to the size of the coil. In the process, my archaeological dig got a bit carried away as I lost the target. I relocated the sound in my own tailings around the hole. As my target drew nearer for recovery, more and more of the other people who were tired of digging up iron targets started to linger around. The camera crew for the Outdoor Channel took note and moved in to film. Somehow, I ended up with three or four helpers including Kevin, trying to help me narrow down the fists of dirt the target was in, removing the dirt without the target, making the pile smaller and smaller, until eventually a small gold nugget was found.

The Outdoor Channel camera crew were filming for a new series called "Alaskan"

Alaskan Sample Video

The excitement caused a small celebration and a minor gold rush in the immediate area. In a short time, there must have been six detectors over-charging the ground and cancelling each other out. There was a buzz around the camp about a nugget being found later that evening. People were talking and wanting to see it. It’s really funny to think that such a small nugget (1/10th of a pennyweight) would cause such a commotion. My hooch residents insisted to call me nugget man when ever they got the chance. After all it was the only nugget reported as being found in the two weeks I was there, besides the trommel and eight inch dredge, and certainly the only one found metal detecting.

This was a first…I actually paid attention in class, and it had paid off with my first Alaska gold nugget. Special thanks of coarse to Kevin Hoagland for his instruction and wisdom.

One last note…I was really impressed with the MineLab Eureka Gold. The automatic ground balance has got be one of the better options I have ever seen on a metal detector. It has the ability to hunt in three different frequencies, so you can research an area to find targets that were not found the first time around. As Kevin says…”Metal detectors are no great mystery. Higher frequencies will pick up smaller targets near the surface and lower frequencies pick up bigger targets deeper from the surface. It’s that simple.” Most of the time hot rocks are no problem for this machine. The Eureka Gold is a prospecting machine and a good one at that. The only thing, in my opinion, that could make the Eureka Gold better would be a water-proof coil. It’s a great piece of equipment. It’s on top of my Christmas list, after all it’s easy enough for me to use.

Kevin was right when he said “Once you hear that sound, you will never forget it.” I don’t think I ever will forget it, that’s for sure!